FAQ

What is Byline?

Byline is a personalised gift product. You tell us about someone — their name, their role, what makes them them — and invite a small group of people who know them to each contribute a memory. We weave those memories into a 3-chapter story with the recipient as the named protagonist. It arrives as a digital reveal page by email, and you can optionally upgrade to a printed hardcover book.

How long does the book take to generate?

Once all the memories are in (or the collection window closes), the book is typically woven within 1–3 hours. You'll receive an email with a preview link as soon as it's ready. The collection window you set — usually 7 days — is the main variable in your timeline.

Can I see the book before the recipient does?

Yes — always. After the book is woven, you'll get a private preview link to read all three chapters. You can approve it as-is, ask us to regenerate a chapter (up to once per chapter), or edit the text yourself before sending. Nothing goes to the recipient until you hit approve.

How many people can contribute memories?

Up to five people in total, including you. Each contributor gets a personal link to add a memory of 50–150 words. They don't need an account, and they don't pay anything.

What if I'm the only one contributing?

That works well. Many books are written by a single person — you — based on your own memories and knowledge of the recipient. Skip the invite step and write the memory yourself.

What's included in the £29 digital tier?

Three chapters of personalised fiction, a generated cover illustration, a shareable digital reveal page (hosted by us), and a delivery email to the recipient. Everything is included at £29 — there are no per-contributor charges.

Can I upgrade to a printed hardcover later?

Yes. After you've read and approved the story, you'll have the option to add a printed hardcover for £69. The book is 5×8.5 inches, hardcover bound, with the recipient's name on the spine. We ship it to you or direct to the recipient — your call.

So the total for digital + print is £98?

Correct. £29 for the digital story, £69 to upgrade to print, £98 in total. You're only charged for the digital upfront; the print is an optional second step after you've read the story.

What's the deadline for adding the print upgrade?

You can add the print upgrade any time after approval, but please allow 7–10 business days for Lulu (our print partner) to produce and ship. We'll show you a delivery estimate before you commit to print.

Do contributors pay anything?

No. Contributors submit their memories for free. The coordinator (the person who started the gift) covers the full £29 digital cost upfront.

Can I get a refund on the £29 digital order?

Yes — full refund any time before you approve the preview. Once you've approved and the story has been delivered to the recipient, the digital order is non-refundable (the story has been sent).

What about the £69 print upgrade?

The print upgrade is refundable any time before we submit the job to the printer. Once it's submitted to print, refunds are not possible (the book is being manufactured). We'll tell you exactly when that submission happens.

What if the story is bad?

You have full veto — you approve before anything is sent. If the story isn't good enough, use the regenerate option (once per chapter) or edit the text yourself. If you're still not happy before approving, email us at stories@byline.roundrobinlabs.uk and we'll make it right.

Who writes the book?

Each chapter is woven from the memories you and your contributors provided. We use Claude (made by Anthropic) to turn those memories into literary fiction — think of it as a very skilled editor who takes the raw material your group provided and shapes it into a story. The specific details, moments, and character are all yours; we supply the craft.

What happens to the memories and personal details we provide?

Memories are used only to write this specific gift. We don't use them to train AI models, sell them, or share them with third parties. Source text is stored securely and purged after 90 days from delivery (you can request earlier deletion by emailing us). The finished story is stored as long as your account exists.

Is the book kept private?

The recipient's reveal page is accessible only to people with the link. It's not indexed by search engines. The book is not shared publicly by us — sharing is always your choice.

Can the recipient flag a story they didn't want?

Yes. Every reveal page has a "flag this story" link. Flagging removes the page and notifies us. We take misuse seriously — Byline is for celebratory gifts between people who know each other, never for unsolicited contact.