Why I Started Loristry

My father died in 2012, when my oldest son was nine and my youngest was just three years old. Their memories of him are limited to flashes of images and a few stories we retell. I feel a deep sense of regret that I didn't find a way to share more of his life with my children, because my father was an amazing man.

My father wasn't a race car driver, a senator, or a movie star. He was an accountant who came home every night for dinner and raised five children with everything they needed on a salary that shouldn't have been enough — but he made it enough. He elevated being a regular guy to an art form, and I've spent my life trying to live up to his example.

Since then, I've talked to dozens of family members and friends who have similar stories. It happens every day. Amazing people with decades of wisdom, stories, and relationships disappear, and all that remains are memories that steadily fade.

It doesn't have to be that way.

I looked into ways to capture his story, but none of the options felt right for me. I wasn't in a position to commit the enormous amount of time required to research and write all the stories myself, or to spend a huge sum of money hiring someone to do it. Services that provide lists of questions to answer still left me feeling as though I would be writing the entire story myself. The more I looked, the more convinced I became that there had to be a better way.

That's why I created Loristry.

Loristry is a service where you simply talk or chat. Lori, our biographer, takes notes and builds the biography as you go. You can also record conversations with family members and add them to Loristry, allowing Lori to incorporate those memories into the story. Along the way, Lori drafts chapters and shares her progress.

It feels as natural as a conversation, and you remain in control of the story. You're simply sharing memories. And it doesn't all fall on you. You can invite family members, friends, coworkers, or anyone else with a story to contribute. Lori brings those different perspectives together to create a rich picture of a life.

When you're ready, you can order a printed book or share the story privately online. You can also keep adding to it whenever new memories come to mind. I've been amazed by how much I remember when Lori asks me thoughtful questions.

I can't go back and capture my father's story in his own words, but Loristry can help other families avoid that same regret. I'm incredibly proud of what the Loristry team has built, and I hope it helps you capture your story, the story of a loved one, or the story of whoever matters most to you.

— Bill