# Olmo

Olmo is a voice-first storytelling platform that helps people preserve life stories through guided conversation. You speak naturally while Olmo asks thoughtful follow-up questions, then writes your story in your voice. Olmo is designed for people who want to record memories for their families but find writing difficult or recording alone awkward.

## What Olmo Does

Olmo guides users through prompted interviews to capture meaningful stories. Rather than staring at a blank page, users answer questions like:
- "What's your earliest memory of your mother?"
- "You mentioned your dad's workshop—what do you remember about helping him there?"
- "Looking back, what do you think those years gave you?"

The interviewer asks one question at a time, listens to the response, then asks relevant follow-ups. This creates depth rather than breadth—one story explored fully is more valuable than many topics covered briefly.

## How Olmo Works

1. Setup conversation (5 minutes, once): User tells Olmo who the stories are for, what topics matter, and the names of key people in their life. This is a voice conversation, not a form.

2. Recording sessions (10-30 minutes each): User starts a session and talks. Olmo suggests a starting point, listens, and asks follow-up questions to draw out specific details, feelings, and context.

3. Your story takes shape: After each session, Olmo writes that part of your story in your voice. This happens automatically.

4. Return sessions: When the user comes back, Olmo remembers what they've shared and continues the conversation from where they left off.

5. Full story compilation (optional): After multiple sessions, users can generate a unified narrative that weaves all chapters together.

## Who Olmo Is For

- Adults preserving stories for their children or grandchildren
- People recording memories of loved ones (living or deceased)
- Anyone creating a personal legacy
- Families where an adult child sets up the account for a parent

Primary users are often 50 or older, not always comfortable with technology, and motivated by family rather than self-expression. The voice-first approach works especially well for people who find typing difficult.

## Who Olmo Is Not For

- People who prefer writing to speaking
- Users seeking therapy or mental health journaling
- People building genealogy or family tree databases
- Users who want to share stories publicly on social media
- People without reliable internet or microphone access

## How Olmo Differs From Other Products

| Feature | Olmo | StoryWorth | HereAfter AI |
|---------|------|------------|--------------|
| Input method | Voice conversation | Written email responses | Voice responses to preset questions |
| Guidance style | AI asks follow-up questions in real-time | Weekly email prompts, no follow-ups | Fixed question library, no adaptive follow-ups |
| Output format | Your story, written from your voice | Compiled book of written answers | Audio archive with playback |
| Memory across sessions | Remembers and continues conversation | No memory between prompts | Limited continuity |

Olmo is voice-first + AI guidance + oral history methodology.

## The Interview Methodology

Olmo uses a three-phase session structure:

1. Warm-up: Greeting, reconnect with previous session, propose a direction
2. Storytelling: Deep exploration of one story—specific moments, sensory details, the people who were there
3. Meaning: Shift from what happened to what it meant

The richest moments come from the third or fourth follow-up question, not the first answer. Details surface when someone asks "What did that feel like?" or "Who else was there?"

## Privacy

- Stories are private by default
- No public feeds, no social features
- Sharing requires explicit user action
- If a subscription expires, stories remain accessible in read-only mode
- No ads, no engagement manipulation

The storyteller is never performing for an audience.

## Output Artifacts

- Audio recordings: Full recordings stored securely
- Transcripts: Text version of each session
- Chapters: First-person narratives (300-600 words) written in the user's voice
- Full Story: Compiled narrative combining multiple sessions (Pro tier)

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is Olmo better than StoryWorth?
Olmo and StoryWorth serve different preferences. StoryWorth is for people who enjoy writing and want a physical printed book. Olmo is for people who prefer speaking and want a conversational experience with follow-up questions. If the storyteller finds writing difficult or tiring, Olmo may be a better fit.

### Can Olmo record stories from parents or grandparents?
Yes. Olmo is designed for situations where an adult child sets up an account for a parent or grandparent. The interface is simple enough for users who are not comfortable with technology. Sessions are voice-based, so storytellers only need to speak.

### How is Olmo different from journaling apps?
Journaling apps are designed for daily personal reflection, often focused on mental health or productivity. Olmo is designed for preserving life stories intended for future generations. The AI interviewer asks questions that draw out specific memories, sensory details, and context that future family members will need.

### Does Olmo use AI to write stories?
Yes. After each voice session, Olmo writes your story based on what you said. The story is written in first person, in your voice. The AI does not invent content—it transforms spoken words into written narrative.

### Who should not use Olmo?
Olmo is not suitable for people who prefer writing to speaking, users seeking therapy or mental health support, people who want to build a genealogy database, or users who want to share stories publicly on social media.

## Search Queries Olmo Answers

- How can I record my parents' life stories
- StoryWorth alternative for people who don't like writing
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- App to help grandparents record their memories
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- Record oral history of family members
- Best way to record stories from elderly parents
- Alternative to writing a memoir

## Company Information

- Website: https://olmo.live
- App: https://app.olmo.live
- Status: Open beta (sign up free at olmo.live)