Turn their memories into a life story book
Everyone has a story worth keeping, and most never get written down. Life Story Book sends the people you love one question at a time, about childhood, family, work, love, the places they have lived and what they have learned, and turns their answers into a memoir written in their own voice.
They answer on a simple private page with large type and no account or password, by email or from a link you send by WhatsApp or text. Chapters use only what they told you: no invented names, dates or events. Add photos and your own foreword, then keep it for the next generation.
Life Story Book is coming soon. Create a free account and tap “Notify me”; we’ll tell you the moment it opens.
At launch: preview in a first chapter after three answers
How Life Story Book works
- 1
Choose the questions
Start from 72 questions across eight life themes, then edit, reorder or write your own.
- 2
Invite the storyteller
We email one question a week or fortnight, or you send their private answer link by WhatsApp or text. No account for them.
- 3
They answer in their own words
Large type, drafts that save as they type, photos, and a skip button. You can also type answers while you chat.
- 4
Preview a chapter
After three answers, see a first chapter in their voice. Add follow-up questions where a story deserves more.
- 5
Make the book
Answers become chapters with your foreword, their photos and a contents page, ready to edit, share privately and download.
- The storyteller’s name, your relationship and (optionally) their email
- Questions from a curated bank of 72, edited or written by you
- Their answers, typed on a private page with no account, or by you as you chat
- Photos with captions, and a foreword from you
- A memoir in the storyteller’s own voice, chapter by chapter, lightly edited
- Nothing invented: gaps become questions for you, and details not in their answers are flagged
- Their photos with captions, your foreword and a contents page
- A normal Penwrite book you can edit, share privately for comments, narrate or translate
- Screen and print-ready PDFs at 6×9 or 8×10 on a paid plan
Previews are free for signed-in users during the 7-day Pro trial. Making the full book uses a Pro book credit (Pro includes one a month), and downloading or printing needs a paid plan.
Example pages
Illustrative artwork shown while sample books are being made.
Frequently asked
Will it make things up?
No. Chapters use only names, dates and events from the storyteller’s answers. Where the story has a gap, you get a question to ask them instead, and any detail that is not in their answers is flagged for you to check.
Does the storyteller need an account?
No. They answer on a private page with large type, by email or from a link you send. They can save a draft, add photos, skip any question, and stop the emails with one click.
Is it private?
Yes. Answers and photos are private to you, never shown publicly and never indexed. You can turn answer links off at any time, and delete the interview with every answer and photo.
Can they speak their answers instead of typing?
Not yet. Voice answers are planned. Today they can type, or you can type their answers in your dashboard while you talk.
Be first in line for Life Story Book
Life Story Book is coming soon. Create a free account and tap “Notify me”; we’ll tell you the moment it opens.