Memory book maker: questions to ask before inviting people
When several people add to a memory book online, choose the maker by who can add, who approves, whether the person it is for can see it early, and what they can keep at the end.
A memory book made by a group has three kinds of people around it: the organiser, the contributors and the person it is for. A maker has to work for all three.
Put the questions below to any service before sending a single invitation. The answers differ more than the feature lists suggest.
Make a digital scrapbook
Add your photos and keepsakes in tbf scrapbook, then arrange them on the pages.
| Question to ask | Why it matters | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Do contributors need an account? | A sign-up step can put people off, often the relatives you most want to hear from. | A link that lets people send material without managing a login |
| Who decides what goes in? | A duplicate photo or an unflattering picture needs a quiet way out. | The organiser reviews each contribution before it reaches a page |
| Can contributors see each other's entries? | Some people write more freely when nobody else reads it first. | A setting, or a clear statement of what contributors can see |
| Can contributors edit pages? | Several people rearranging the same spread undo each other's work. | Separate roles for sending material and for arranging pages |
| Can people send audio or video? | A voice or a short clip is easier for some than writing. | Clear notes on which formats play where |
| Can the person it is for find it early? | A surprise is spoiled by a notification or a shared album. | Invitations go only to the people you choose |
| What does the person keep? | A link depends on the service; a file stays with them. | A downloadable PDF or page images |
Work out who knows which part of their life
List the parts of the person's life the book should cover, such as school, work, a club or the years abroad. Then write one or two names beside each part.
Those names are your first invitations. A book that only reaches one circle of friends tells one part of the story.
What the organiser actually does
Invite, set a closing date, review what arrives and arrange the pages. Contributors do none of the arranging, which keeps the book in one style.
- Send invitations with the closing date in the first line.
- Post one reminder halfway, then one two days before closing.
- Review entries as they come in rather than all at the end.
- Ask a second person to read the finished pages for names and dates.
Material that needs work before it goes in
Expect screenshots of screenshots, the same group photo from four people and pictures with nobody named. Keep the sharpest copy and ask who is in it.
Long entries are worth keeping whole. Give them a page of their own rather than shrinking the text to fit beside a photo.
Recordings and the printed copy
Audio and video play only in a digital copy. If the book is also printed, give the person the digital version too, or the recordings are lost to them.
In tbf scrapbook, contributors send photos, words, audio and video, and the owner chooses what goes in. Sending is not editing; paid plans allow five editors per book, including the owner.
Steps
Map the people
Write the parts of the person's life down one side of a page and the people who knew each part beside them. Fill gaps before inviting anyone.
Set the dates
Choose the day the book is given, then a closing date for contributions at least a week before it.
Invite and review
Send invitations in one batch with the closing date. Review entries as they arrive, and ask for names on any photo where you cannot tell who is in it.
Arrange and hand over
Group entries by part of life, not by when they arrived. Export the finished book and give the person a copy they can keep without logging in.
Questions
How many people should contribute to a memory book?
Enough to cover each part of the person's life. Ten people from five different circles can make a fuller book than thirty from one.
What if someone I invited sends nothing?
Send one direct reminder before the closing date, then let it go. A gap is better than a forced entry written the night before.
Should contributors write or send photos?
Ask for both, but say either is welcome. A photo with one line saying who, where and when is easier for many people than a page of writing.