Questions & answers
Questions families ask us
Plain answers about cost, interviews, privacy and timing.
Can’t find yours? Email us. hello@vyvlio.com Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm Eastern
Getting started
How the free call works, and what it costs (nothing).
What happens on the free call?
You meet your interviewer by video for about 30 minutes. They explain how everything works and ask how your storyteller might divide their life into chapters. There is no sales pitch and no card required. Afterwards you get a personal story plan on your family page.
Do I pay anything for the free call?
No. The call is free and we don’t ask for a card. You only pay if you decide to go ahead, after you have seen your story plan.
Who should join the free call?
Whoever feels right. Some storytellers like to meet their interviewer on their own. Others want a son, daughter or grandchild beside them. You tell us who is coming when you book, and you can change your mind later.
Can I plan this before telling my parent?
Yes. You can buy a book as a gift and choose the day we email your loved one, or book the free call for yourself first to see how it all works. Either way, your storyteller meets their interviewer and agrees to take part before anything is recorded.
Do you work with families anywhere in the US?
Yes. Every conversation happens by video call, so your storyteller can be in Maine while you are in California. Call times are always shown in your own time zone.
The interviews
What the conversations are like for your storyteller.
Who are the interviewers?
Warm, patient people we train to listen well and to guide a relaxed conversation. Your storyteller talks with the same interviewer every time, so after the first call it feels like chatting with someone they already know. You meet your interviewer on the free call, before anything is recorded. If it doesn’t feel like a good fit, tell us and we’ll find someone else.
What if my parent is shy or doesn’t like talking about themselves?
Lots of people feel that way at first. Our interviewers are trained to make it feel like a relaxed visit, not an interview. They start with easy, happy memories, follow your storyteller’s lead, and never push on anything they would rather not share.
Can other family members join the interviews?
Yes. Some families like a son, daughter or grandchild to sit in, especially for the first conversation. Others prefer the storyteller to talk one to one. Either works well. Everyone on the call is simply asked to agree to the recording.
How many interviews are there?
It depends on the package. Our Basic package includes 4 recorded interviews, always with the same interviewer. Your interviewer paces each conversation so nobody gets tired, and you can take a break or stop early whenever you like.
Does my parent need a computer?
No. Interviews work by video call on a phone, tablet or computer. Before the first call we can walk your storyteller through it, step by step. If technology is a worry, a family member can sit beside them to help.
What if Dad’s memory isn’t what it used to be?
That doesn’t rule anyone out. Memories from long ago are often the clearest. Your interviewer goes gently, uses family photos to spark memories, and welcomes a relative to help fill in gaps. Tell us on the free call so we can plan the conversations around what works best.
Can we skip topics or keep some things private?
Always. Your storyteller decides what goes in the book. Any topic can be skipped, and anything said “off the record” stays out. You also read every chapter before the book is finished.
Can we reschedule an interview?
Yes. Life happens. You can move an interview from your family page or by emailing us. We just ask you to let us know as early as you can.
Privacy and recordings
Who hears the recordings, where they are kept, and how to delete them.
Are the interviews recorded?
Yes, with everyone’s permission. Recordings let our writers capture your storyteller’s real voice and words. We ask for consent when you book and again, out loud, at the start of every call, because some US states require everyone on a call to agree.
Who can see our stories and photos?
Only your family and the small Vyvlio team working on your book. Your stories, recordings and photos are stored privately, are never sold, and are never used in advertising without your written permission.
Where are the recordings and photos kept?
In private, secure storage that only your family and the people making your book can open. Nothing is ever posted publicly. Our privacy policy and recording consent policy explain the details.
How long do you keep the recordings?
Until your book is finished and you have had time to ask for changes. After that we delete them, unless you ask us to keep them longer. Our privacy policy says exactly when. You can ask for a copy of the recordings before they are deleted.
Can we ask you to delete our data?
Yes. Contact us at any time and we will delete your recordings, photos and account. Any book file you have downloaded stays yours to keep.
Timing
How long it takes, and how to have it ready for a special day.
How long does it take?
Most books are ready 8 to 10 weeks after the first interview. If you need it for a birthday, anniversary or the holidays, tell us your date in the first step and we will plan around it.
Can you have it ready for a birthday or the holidays?
Tell us the date when you sign up. Most books are ready 8 to 10 weeks after the first interview, so we plan the interviews and the writing backward from your date, and on the free call we tell you honestly whether it can be done. If time is short, giving the gift certificate on the day and the finished book a little later is a lovely option too.
How soon can we start?
You can book the free call as soon as you have answered a few quick questions, at a time that suits you. The interviews are then scheduled around your storyteller’s week.
The book
Who writes it, how photos go in, and what you receive.
Who writes the book?
Our writers turn the interviews into chapters in your storyteller’s own voice. AI-assisted tools help with transcription and first drafts, and every page is shaped and checked by a human editor before you see it.
Can we read it before it’s finished?
Yes. You read the draft chapters on your family page, leave comments, and approve each one. We make changes until it reads right.
How do we add family photos?
Upload them to your family page from a phone or computer. Old prints are fine: a clear photo of the print taken with a phone works well, so your originals never leave home. If that sounds tricky, email us and we will help.
What do we receive at the end?
A beautifully designed book you can read as a page-turning digital book on your family page, download to keep forever, and share with relatives. Some packages also include printed hardcover copies.
Can we share the book with the rest of the family?
Yes, it’s your book. Download it, send it to relatives near and far, and print it if you like.
Printed copies and shipping
Getting the printed book safely to your door.
Do you ship printed books?
Yes, within the US. Printed hardcover copies come with the packages that say so on our packages page. You confirm the delivery address on your family page, and we tell you the expected delivery date before the book goes to print.
When do the printed copies arrive?
We send the book to print as soon as you approve the final version. Before you approve, we tell you the expected delivery date for your address.
What if a book arrives damaged?
Tell us, and send a photo if you can. If a copy arrives damaged or with a printing mistake, we reprint it and send it again at no cost to you. Our refund policy explains how.
Do you ship outside the US?
Not at the moment. Vyvlio works with families in the US and ships printed copies to US addresses only. The digital book can be shared with relatives anywhere in the world.
Cost, payment and refunds
What it costs, when you pay, how gifts work, and our money-back promise.
How much does it cost?
Our Basic package is $990, paid once for the whole book. That includes the free call, 4 recorded interviews with the same interviewer, writing in your storyteller’s own voice checked by a human editor, your family photos designed into the pages, and the digital book to read, share and download. The free call costs nothing, and the book comes with our promise: love your book, or your money back.
What’s the difference between the packages?
Packages differ in two ways: how many interviews your storyteller has, and whether printed hardcover copies are included. Everything else comes with every package: the free call, the same interviewer every time, writing checked by a human editor, your photos in the pages and the digital book to keep. Right now we offer one package, Basic: 4 interviews and the digital book, for $990.
When do I pay?
Only after the free call, and only if you decide to go ahead. You pay once, online, for the whole book. If you are buying a gift, you pay when you buy it.
How do I pay?
Online by card, through Stripe, a well-known secure payment service. We never see or store your full card number.
Can I give a Vyvlio book as a gift?
Yes. Choose a package, pay, and tell us who it is for. We send you a printable gift certificate, and on the date you pick we email your loved one to let them know. They answer a few quick questions and book their first conversation.
What if we are not happy with the book?
Tell us. We will rewrite and redesign until it feels right, and if it still doesn’t, we refund you in full.
Can I get a refund if we change our mind?
Yes. If no interview has taken place yet, we refund you in full. Once the interviews have started, we refund the interviews you haven’t used. Our refund policy has the details.
What if the person I gave it to doesn’t want to take part?
That’s all right. You can give the gift to someone else instead, or, if no interview has taken place, ask us for a full refund.
Your family page
Signing in, sharing access, and getting help.
Is there a password to remember?
No. Enter your email and we send you a one-time code or a sign-in link. That’s all there is to it.
Can my parent and I both use the family page?
Yes. The buyer and the storyteller each sign in with their own email to the same family page, where you book calls, upload photos and read the chapters.
Can I get help from a real person?
Yes. Email us at hello@vyvlio.com and someone on our team writes back within one business day. We can help you, or your parent, with anything, one step at a time.
We’re here to help
Still have a question? Ask a real person.
Write to us, and someone on our small US team will help. No question is too small.
- Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm Eastern That’s 8 am to 5 pm Central, 7 am to 4 pm Mountain and 6 am to 3 pm Pacific.
- Every email gets a reply within one business day.
Every life is worth a book.
Start with a free, friendly 30-minute call. Meet your interviewer, sketch out the chapters, and decide later.
- Free 30-minute call
- No card required
- No obligation
