StoryWorth for iPhone – record family stories and print them as a book | Hacker News Reader

StoryWorth for iPhone – record family stories and print them as a book

storyworth.com

51 pointsalooPotato18 comments

My mom looks forward to her StoryWorth questions and puts a lot of thought and time into writing her answers. Even though I may have heard some of the stories growing up, I've discovered so much more through her StoryWorth responses. For example, I knew that one of my mom's favorite toys was her doll, but when StoryWorth asked, "What were your favorite toys as a child?" my mom replied with a 465 word response! I learned much more detail: "I didn't have a lot of toys as a child because of my family financial situation...but I remember when I was about five years old, my father got a chance to study in the US. When he came home after a year he brought me a big surprise. I got a beautiful doll, you can imagine how happy I was. It was a boy doll because a boy doll was cheaper than a girl doll. She didn't have a princess dress or long blonde hair, but I was still very excited..." I really cherish the stories and hope to share with my children one day.

I started using StoryWorth more than a year ago. My parents love writing their stories. Didn't know they recently started letting you print them to an actual book, definitely giving it a try.

I've been using StoryWorth's online service for a few months. Excited to use the new app on my iPhone! Both my mom and my mother-in-law have responded to several of the story prompts and feel comfortable now knowing the stories they submit are private between us. Recently (with permission from the Grandmas of course) I invited my sisters and my husband to have access to the stories and I hope to eventually turn them into books as gifts. Thanks!

Why is this an iPhone and iPhone-only app, excluding many users? The UI for this is a trivial web form, with absolutely nothing mobile-specific.

We actually have a fully-functional, mobile optimized web app – that's how we started!

I'm the founder of StoryWorth, happy to answer any questions!

It this just available for iPhones? Or do you have a web app as well?

We actually started with a web app, and it's mobile-optimized enough that it should work without problem on an Android phone.

Storytellers can also use it entirely over email, and even over a landline!

I love this idea. I actually had an idea in a somewhat similar space. I'm pretty sure I'll never actually do it so I'll share.

I thought it would be cool to offer a service to store family history in some super long-lasting acrylic. Maybe laser etch binary into the block or something like that?

Oooh, like a family history version of Han Solo in carbonite :)

I do think the printed books give it some of that longevity. They may not last 1000 years, but I love the idea that someone's great-great-great-grandchild could read their stories a couple of hundred years from now.

yep, just like that lol. No doubt the book is a great idea, but I always saw the "carbonite" option as a high end option. Books for regular people, eternity for those who can afford it. Anyways, best of luck with your service, it really sounds great!

How does this compare to Weeva?

The book option is a new one...my parents have been asking for it!

Now that voice calling is almost free even internationally and you can email your parents at anytime, I do not know why this would be a useful service? Calling someone or writing a letter or even emailing directly has a more personal touch than using a service like this which emails your relatives to write about their life.

You're absolutely right, you could do this yourself. In practice though, I've found that people really like the questions we suggest, and the fact that we automatically send the questions, reminders, etc. It just makes things easier, and therefore more likely to happen.

As for the personal touch, the question is really just a prompt to trigger a meaningful conversation which might otherwise not have happened.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but your parents won't live forever.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news as well but your Story Worth service also won't live forever.

I assume that's why they have a service which prints it as a book.

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