Frequently Asked Questions
Click on any question to read the answer.
What are Online Chapters?
The Online Chapters are literally like a chapter of your life story book. Each one is made up of a series of questions (between 25 and 70 questions in each chapter) relating to a specific topic, such as Primary School, Children, Travel etc. By simply logging in to the website and filling in the answers to the questions you will create your own life story, one memory at a time. When you’ve finished your chapters you will have your own personalised, print-ready PDF document which you can then print or share as you wish. You can click here to register and purchase.
Can I purchase Online Chapters as a gift for someone else?
Yes you can, we have $25, $50 or $100 vouchers available! Contact us to purchase. .
Can I use the resources even if I'm not doing the Online Chapters?
Of course you can! Sign up for our e-newsletter to receive fortnightly inspiration, and check out the resources section on our website for articles and stories from members. You can join our online community by liking us on Facebook, or following us on Twitter or Pinterest, where you can share or comment on posts and stories.
What is the Online Community?
Our online community is made up of our Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages, known as 'Social Media'. These are websites where you can 'follow' our pages to receive updates from us, including new articles, stories and photos to help evoke memories and inspire you on your life writing journey. If you want to know more about Social Media, take a look at our article about it by clicking here.
Can I purchase one Online Chapter at a time?
Yes, you can choose individual chapters to purchase, but it is more cost effective to buy several at once. See pricing here.
I can't edit my book - I keep getting diverted to the front webpage. What am I doing wrong?
Our Online Chapters work best with the Google Chrome browser. If you are on Google Chrome and still having this problem, contact us. If you want to find out more about Chrome, click here to go to Google's information page.
What if I don't want to answer a question or don't know the answer?
If you don’t wish to answer a question, or it is not applicable to you, just leave it blank and it will be omitted from your final print-ready document. It is important to remember that the questions are simply prompts to encourage memories, you shouldn’t feel that you need to answer them all. This is your story, and you decide what you want to record.
Can I come back later and fill in more answers?
Yes, you can log in to any of your purchased Online Chapters at any time to add further information or make changes.
In the Online Chapters is there a limit to the length of any answer or my complete life story?
No. You will find that you can answer some questions with a single word or sentence, while others may inspire you to write hundreds of words.
What if I want to answer the questions from the chapters but don't have regular access to a computer, or I just don't want to type my answers?
You can ask a friend or family member to sit with you and type the answers as you speak – this is a great opportunity to spend valuable time and share memories. Alternatively you can record your answers on a voice recorder, or hand-write them and have them transcribed by a family member or a professional service.
Can I add more information not related to specific questions?
Yes, there is a section for additional information at the end of each Online Chapter. Make sure you have read through the questions in all your Online Chapters before using the additional information box, as the subject may be covered in another Chapter.
How do I add photos to my Online Chapters?
Good news - we do this for you when you have completed your chapters! In the meantime, start gathering together the photos for each chapter as you are working on them, and creating captions to go with each one. You will also need to get these scanned (this can usually be done by your local photo shop) so that you can save them and send them to us. Please contact us if you have completed your book, and we will be happy to create your photo pages for you. Note this option is only available for books containing a minimum of five complete Online Chapters.
Can I share my completed Online Chapters with my friends and family?
Yes. When you log in to your My Books section you will see your unique code underneath the name of your book. Anyone you choose to share your book with can use that code to view your story, by clicking on Read a Book in the menu bar on the front page of the website, and entering the code where indicated.
If I have purchased Online Chapters, what exactly do I end up with?
Your end product is a complete electronic document (PDF), made up of pages that are beautifully laid out with the chapter heading followed by all of your input information, formatted ready to print out on your own home printer or alternatively send to a book printing company to be made into a book. You can download at any time from your My Books page by selecting Download My Book. There is no limit to the number of times you can do this, so feel free to take a peek at your progress as you are completing your book!
What if I forget to save? Is there an Autosave function?
Yes, your work is automatically saved every three minutes.
What if I forget my Log In details?
Simply click on ‘Forgotten Your Password?’ which is located under the Log In button on the Log In page. Click here to go to the Log In page.
When I have finished, will you proofread and edit my story?
No. Our Online Chapters do not include any editing services, and our pricing reflects this – although there is a spellcheck option included in the section where you type your answers. We recommend that you ask a friend or family member to read through your story once complete to check for grammatical errors.
Can I get my story printed as a book when I have finished?
Yes. When you have completed your Online Chapters, from the My Books section you can select Download, then select A5 Size Book, you can download a file suitable for sending to a print company to produce a book. We can even arrange the printing for you if you wish, contact us for details.
Should I print out in the A4 or A5 format? What is the difference?
The A4 format is designed to be printed from your home printer. The title pages are mostly white, with black images and text, so can be printed out successfully on either a black and white or colour printer. The print is centred on the page to suit printing as individual pages, as opposed to a bound book.
The A5 format is designed to be sent to a printing company to be printed as a bound book. The unmatched left and right margins are purposely so, to allow for the binding process. The title pages are mostly black, with white images and text, for a more smart and dramatic look when printed professionally.
You can download your book in either format unlimited times, so feel free to download and view it as many times as you like along the way!
Remember if you need help finding a company to print your book, or would like us to include your images into your finished document, please contact us: contact@writeyourlife.co.nz
If I don't want to get my story printed into a book, can I just print out the pages myself?
Yes. From your My Books section you can select Download, then select A4 size book to print your chapters from your home printer.
I have accidentally deleted my book - can I recover it?
Please contact us and we can recover your information.
How long will I be able to access my story through your website?
Your profile on our website, and anything you have produced within it, will remain active until it has been longer than 12 months since your last log-in. Don't worry, we will be in touch regularly (as long as we have a current email address) and you will be made aware if you are getting close to this timeframe.
What is the E-Newsletter?
A free newsletter is emailed out to subscribers fortnightly, full of information to help you on your life writing journey. It is packed with guidance, inspiration, special offers, and a monthly challenge to help you work towards completing your life story. You can read contributions from others who are on their own life writing journey, and share some of your own stories if you wish. Click here to subscribe. Note that you are automatically subscribed if you purchase Online Chapters.
