FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is A Life to Share?
A Life to Share is a company that helps your family members document their life stories.
How is A Life to Share different from other services?
We make the process easier, quicker, and more affordable.
Who can share their story?
People of all ages and backgrounds buy plans for their parents, grandparents, great aunts, uncles, etc. As long as your family member has a story the next generation can learn from, A Life to Share is for both you and them.
What if my family members live out of town?
No worries. Our Story Prompter can be completed online and all interview sessions are recorded virtually via video.
What are the options?
Recording your family member's life stories should be easy, so we have three simple options to choose from:
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DIY: For natural storytellers who often remember and share details freely. This person will receive access to the Story Prompter and once complete, the details of your life will be crafted into a beautiful e-book that can be shared digitally with family and friends. Note: For this plan, you must be able to type well or have someone present who can help fill in the Story Prompter for you.
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A Little Help, Please!: Similar to the DIY plan, this storyteller will receive access to the Story Prompter, but a one-hour follow-up interview is added upon completion to fill in any missing details. This is best for those who type well and can remember moments of their past, but ultimately struggle to provide enough detail on their own.
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Take the Wheel: Perfect for those who need help typing, remembering details, or who just don't want to spend the time needed to complete the Story Prompter effectively. We'll take charge of the entire recording process, from start-to-finish. All you have to do is show up!
What is the Story Prompter?
It is an intuitive, online tool that takes the stress out of going down memory lane. It will ask a series of questions to help jog your family member's memory and based on the responses, unique follow-up questions will appear until the details of your family member's life are documented.
How long does it take?
No one can (effectively) tell their life story in an hour, so the Story Prompter used in our "DIY" and "A Little Help, Please!" plans will take some time. The more detailed and thoughtful the responses are, the better the book will be. With our Take the Wheel option, interviews start at 3 hours long. The first draft of the book is typically ready within 1-2 weeks of receiving the finished Story Prompter or completed interview.
Can the story be saved and finished later?
Absolutely! Your family member will have 14 days from the time they start writing their story to finish it. Just make sure the same device and internet browser is used. After 14 days, the system will erase all responses, so we encourage everyone to get it done quickly!
What happens if they don’t have enough to share?
Everyone has enough to share! Some people just have to dig a little deeper than others to remember the past. If you aren’t able to provide enough detail for us to turn your story into a book, “DIY” plans will receive a call and an offer to do a one-hour follow-up interview for only $50. “A Little Help, Please!” plans will receive a one-hour follow-up interview as part of their original purchase.
If you’re not interested in doing a follow-up interview, we’ll do our best to give you an engaging book with the information provided to us.
Some details are personal. Who will see the story?
We get it. Family history can be sticky, which is why our team is small. Only two people will see the story in detail: 1) Our content lead and 2) Our editor.
Do I need to worry about grammar?
No! We have an editor on staff that will take care of any grammatical errors.
Can I get a refund if I don’t like the story?
Our “DIY” and “A Little Help, Please!” plans allow your family member to take the lead in writing their own story. We just piece it together in an impactful way. Because of this, there are no refunds on these two plans. Our “Take the Wheel” plan is led by us, so we’ll work with you to get the story just right.