StoryWorth review: The perfect Mother’s Day gift | CNN Underscored

A personal, heartfelt gift to give this Mother’s Day that doesn’t require shipping sounds too good to be true, but with Storyworth, you can give you mom a last-minute present that’s so much better than flowers. Storyworth is a service that collects your loved one’s favorite stories and memories and preserves them in a beautifully bound book. The subscription sends questions via email so you can send your gift instantly and right now through May 8, you can snag the service for $10 off.

Many families have legendary tales that get told time and time again through the years — those cherished anecdotes you can recite by heart — but they don’t necessarily scratch the surface of who your dad was when he was young, or how your grandma has changed throughout the years. And despite that treasure trove of iconic narratives that’s unique to each family, there are lots of things we’re not talking about too — the stuff that’s not necessarily laugh-out-loud dinner party talk.

Storyworth is a service that aims to capture these precious memories — even the ones that are hard to talk about — over the course of one year, culminating in a gorgeous book.

How Storyworth works

By signing up for the company’s one year of storytelling, your mom, grandma or any other loved one will receive a weekly question meant to stir up long-buried memories or unearth perspectives previously unknown. Like, what beliefs do they have that are different than yours? Or what was their first boss like? How do they like to spend a lazy day? What do they admire most about their family members?

Once they respond to the question — which they can change if they’re feeling uninspired, or you can curate questions if you want to learn specific things about them — the anecdotes are saved to their account, and if they choose, shared with loved ones via email on a weekly basis.

The final result

At the end of the year, the stories are collected into one handsome hardcover book, complete with photos and captions (that they can opt to include with their responses). Prior to being published, your relative can pop into their online account or the Storyworth app to tweak any of the responses and give the entire tome a final edit. And then, voilà! A memoir is created!

Having used the service for a few months, I have to say that Storyworth is the sentimental, feel-good gift to give this year, perfect for any birthday, anniversary or holiday. Whether you’re signing up your parents, siblings or spouse, or even if you’re the storyteller yourself, you’ll find that the weekly emails connect you with your family and drive active, dynamic conversations that wouldn’t otherwise be taking place.

Plus, you’ll find yourself suddenly getting to know someone whom you’ve known your whole life! Yes, the beautiful keepsake that arrives a year later is something you’re all going to relish (additional copies can be purchased for $39+), but Storyworth’s real value is its ability to bring families closer through stories that were, before now, untold.