Say it in your own words · HELLOYEARS BLOG
A memoir can begin with a conversation.
You don’t have to prepare questions or write a first chapter. Start talking. We help turn what you share into material for your book.
Talking is a different kind of beginning
You can tell a friend what happened on your first day at work without deciding on a chapter title first.
Writing the same memory can feel harder. Where should it begin? Which details matter? Does it sound good enough to keep?
HelloYears starts with an interview so you do not have to answer all those writing questions at once. Your job is to share what you remember, in a way that feels comfortable.
The AI does the asking
Our AI interviewer provides the questions and follow-ups. You do not need to build a questionnaire or ask a family member to become your interviewer.
A conversation might start with a short prompt such as “What do you remember about your first job?” If you mention someone who helped you settle in, a follow-up can invite you to tell a little more about them.
Those are illustrative examples, not a script every person must follow. The conversation should respond to what you share, with room to skip a question, correct a name or move to a different subject.
You can speak into your phone or type an answer. A brief session is a perfectly reasonable place to start.
You are collecting stories, not delivering a performance
You may remember an event out of order. You may stop halfway through to correct the year, or come back later with another detail.
That is useful material for editing. You do not need to sound like someone reading a finished audiobook.
Original recordings are kept alongside the story material. Photographs can be uploaded with your explanation of what they show, including the people in them. AI can help notice visible details, while you confirm the names and meaning.
While you are collecting material, you can return for further sessions. You choose when you are ready to hand it over for book preparation.
Then the editors take over
When you submit, you choose a writing style and confirm that you are ready for our team to begin. Recording and photo changes pause while the editors work. If more material is needed, we explain what is missing and reopen collection.
The interview is the source material for the book. Our editors organise it into chapters and work on the wording, photographs and captions. The draft should preserve your perspective and avoid adding events you never described.
A page estimate can help with planning, but it is not a requirement to fill a book. A shorter story can be complete. If the material looks likely to exceed the 200-page single-volume limit, we discuss selection or a separate volume rather than adding a charge automatically.
You see the book before it is printed
You receive a complete PDF preview to check the cover, text, photo placement and selected audio QR codes. You can request changes before approving the final version.
Delivery details are confirmed before printing, too. Uploading stories or submitting them for editing does not automatically send a book to the printer.
Our memoir packages include the interview service, editorial preparation, a digital memoir and one printed book. You can choose a matte softcover or hardcover, with the current options explained on the product page.
There is no need to start with the whole of your life. Begin with a memory you can talk about. The next question can come from there.