Permission you can see
The sponsor funds the gift. The storyteller separately controls contact, AI, recording, editing, and sharing.
A different job to be done
Most tools help you collect. We are accountable for finishing.
The family does not need another blank archive, year of prompts, or editing project. StorySitting owns the path from a trusted phone hello to one source-faithful chapter.
StorySittingfinisheslisten · edit · check · deliver
SponsorCreates momentumStarts · pays · asks
StorytellerControls the storyChooses · talks · approves
FamilyGets the source + the story
Compare the approaches
Choose the kind of work you actually want to own.
These are product categories, not claims about every company in them. Features and prices vary; the useful distinction is who must keep the project moving and who finishes the result.
Swipe sideways to compare every approach →
| What matters | StorySittingManaged phone sitting | Weekly promptsSubscription program | DIY recorderCapture tool | Memoir studioLarge custom project |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What the storyteller needs | Any telephoneNo app or writing assignment | A way to answer prompts | Comfort recording or uploading | Scheduled interviews |
| Who keeps momentum | StorySittingSponsor can follow progress | Usually the family | The family | The studio |
| What arrives first | One finished sittingStory Drop, source, chapter | Prompt responses over time | Raw recordings | A long-form project |
| How the edit is grounded | Source-linkedAudio ↔ transcript ↔ prose | Depends on service | Family edits it | Editorial process varies |
| Permission model | Storyteller controls itSeparate, visible choices | Account participation | User starts recording | Contract and interview consent |
| Commitment shape | $5, then choose from $39Preview first · upgrade by the difference · no subscription | Often recurring or multi-week | Tool purchase or plan | Larger custom engagement |
| Best when | You want one story finished now | You want a long prompt ritual | You enjoy producing it yourself | You want a broad life-history commission |
“Weekly prompts,” “DIY recorder,” and “memoir studio” describe broad approaches. Review any provider’s current terms, consent practices, deliverables, and pricing before choosing.
Four product promises
Where StorySitting refuses to be generic.
Every polished line has a source
The family can move among the voice, the verbatim passage, and the readable chapter.
Completion is our job
A connected call is not the product. A checked, portable, family-ready story is.
One story finds the next
People, places, objects, eras, and loose ends become questions the family can deliberately choose.
The honest fit
StorySitting is not the answer for every family.
Good products become clearer when they say who should choose something else.
You want momentum without pressure.
- Your parent or grandparent uses a telephone comfortably.
- You want one meaningful result before committing to a large project.
- You care about the original voice and the finished writing.
- You want the storyteller’s permission to stay visible.
- You want someone else accountable for editing and delivery.
You want a different kind of project.
- You enjoy doing all the interviewing and editing yourself.
- You want a year-long weekly prompt ritual.
- You need a deeply researched, book-length biography immediately.
- You want public publishing, genealogy verification, or documentary film production.
- The storyteller does not want to be contacted. We will not work around a no.
The moment we optimize for“Wait—play that part again.”
The result is emotional and inspectable
The first listen is the decision point that matters.
Not the number of prompts sent. Not the minutes stored. The family hears a familiar voice, reads a story that still sounds like them, and chooses the layer it will actually use.
- $5
- opens the sitting
- $39+
- choice after preview
- $0
- recurring fees
Start with one sitting
You do not need to plan their whole life story.
Begin with the one question you would regret never asking.
Open a Story Start · $5 →After the private preview, choose Voice, Story, or Heirloom. Upgrade later by paying only the difference.