Frequently asked questions
Everything you might wonder before you begin. Still curious? Email hello@recordtheirstory.com.
What is RecordTheirStory?
RecordTheirStory is a guided life-story service. Your parent answers interview questions on camera, we lightly transcribe and clean each answer, and your family receives a printed keepsake book where every page has a QR code that opens the original video of that answer.
How does it work?
You (the organizer) create a book, choose the interview questions, and send your parent a simple link. They open it on a phone or tablet — no app, no password — and record one video answer per question at their own pace. We transcribe and gently clean each one, you review and approve, and we print the book. Every page carries a QR code that plays the original video.
Does my parent need to be tech-savvy?
No. They tap a single link and see one big question at a time with a record button. There is nothing to install and no password to remember. The recording screen is designed for an older, non-technical person on a tablet.
Will the video edit change how my parent actually talks?
No. The cleanup is light-touch only — it removes filler and obvious stumbles but preserves their words, their phrasing, and their voice. We always keep the raw transcript, and you review and approve every answer before anything is printed. Over-polishing is the one thing we refuse to do.
How long do the videos and QR codes last?
The QR codes are designed to last forever. Year one of video hosting is included with your book. After that, a small monthly subscription keeps the videos — and therefore the QR pages — alive. If a subscription ever lapses, the page never disappears or shows a 404; it shows a gentle "renew to restore" screen, and we never delete your videos automatically.
How much does it cost?
You pay once for the printed book, which includes a full year of video hosting. After the first year, a small monthly subscription keeps the videos playing. See the pricing page for a current example based on a typical book length.
How many questions are there?
The default template includes 40 thoughtfully ordered questions across eight chapters of life — from childhood through legacy — plus optional catch-all prompts. You can add, remove, reorder, or write your own questions.
Who records — me or my parent?
Your parent is the storyteller; they record the answers in their own voice. You are the organizer: you set up the book, pick the questions, review the answers, add photos, and order the printed book.
Can I add photos to the book?
Yes. You can add photos to any question, and they are laid out alongside the answer in the printed book.
What does the printed book look like?
It is an heirloom-quality hardcover, printed on demand, in a range of sizes (the default is an 8.5×8.5 square). Each question-and-answer page includes a QR code that opens the original video.
Is it private?
Yes. The video pages are reachable only through an unguessable link printed as a QR code — they are not listed, searchable, or indexed by search engines. There is no public directory of stories.
How long does it take to get the book?
It depends on how quickly your parent records their answers — they can take their time. Once you approve the answers and order, we prepare the print-ready book and ship it; you receive tracking by email as soon as it ships.
Can I make more than one book?
Yes. Many families make one book for each parent. You can run multiple storytellers and books from a single organizer account.
What if my parent only speaks English with an accent, or rambles?
That is exactly what this is for. The transcription handles accented English, and the gentle cleanup tidies rambling into readable prose without changing the meaning or the voice — and the original video is always one scan away.
Someday you'll wish you'd asked.
Do it now, while there's still time to listen. Set up a book in minutes and send your parent a simple link.