A familiar conversation
Phone or Google Meet, guided by a real person.
Questions families ask first
Everything you need to know before a story becomes an heirloom.
سوال بھی سنبھال کر پوچھے جاتے ہیں
Qissa is personal, emotional, and practical all at once. These answers explain how gifting works, how elders share memories, how languages are handled, and what your family receives at the end.
One book. Many voices. A family archive that still feels alive.
Bilingual by design
English, Urdu, and Sindhi storytelling supported.
Private archive
Your family's memories stay protected and intentional.
Clear delivery terms
Pakistan included; international courier quoted separately.
Before you begin
Starting a Qissa
Who is Qissa for?+
Qissa is for families who want to preserve the stories of a parent, grandparent, elder, or themselves. It works especially well for South Asian and diaspora families where memories live across languages, countries, and generations.
Can I gift Qissa to someone who is not comfortable with technology?+
Yes. A warm Qissa Story Guide explains everything by phone, then the storyteller can choose phone or Google Meet for the sessions. They do not need to download a special Qissa app or learn a new platform.
What happens after I buy a plan?+
A Qissa Story Guide schedules a warm onboarding call, explains the process, answers questions, confirms consent, and then books the first recorded story session by phone or Google Meet on a day that suits the storyteller.
Can I start Qissa for myself instead of gifting it?+
Yes. You can use Qissa as a guided memoir, a family-history archive, or a gift for your children and grandchildren. Your Story Guide listens at your pace and works with a professional writer to shape the memories into a book.
How memories are captured
Stories, Language & Voice
Which languages do you support?+
Story sessions are supported in English, Urdu, and Sindhi. English books are produced in English; Urdu and Sindhi editions are paired with English, with right-to-left scripts handled carefully.
How do the story sessions work?+
The storyteller chooses phone or Google Meet. A Qissa Story Guide records the agreed session, listens closely, and asks thoughtful follow-up questions about childhood, migration, family, work, home, and whatever matters to their story.
Do they have to finish the story in one session?+
No. Some storytellers complete their story in one 3–4 hour session; others prefer several shorter sessions. They can take as many sessions as needed within the interview hours included in their plan.
Are the stories written by AI?+
No generic AI memoirs. A Qissa Story Guide collaborates with a professional writer to create the narrative, then the family reviews a designed proof. The storyteller's real memories, phrasing, and emotional rhythm remain at the centre.
What your family receives
The Book & Archive
What is inside the finished Qissa book?+
The finished book includes professionally written and edited chapters, English or Urdu/Sindhi paired with English, chosen family photographs, chapter design, and optional private QR links to selected approved audio.
Can we add old photos?+
Yes. Send photographs connected to particular chapters and we will place them where they belong. Standard enhancement for faded or hard-to-see images is included. Extensive generative reconstruction is quoted separately and only done after explicit approval and disclosure.
How do the QR codes work?+
A code can link privately to selected audio approved by the storyteller. A family member scans the page with a phone and hears that moment from the recorded session. QR audio is optional and is not automatically added to every chapter.
Can we order extra copies?+
Yes. Extra hardcover copies can be added for siblings, children, cousins, or relatives in other countries. Some plans already include multiple copies.
Practical details
Privacy, Pricing & Delivery
Are our family recordings private?+
Yes. Qissa is built as a private family archive. Recordings, transcripts, and photos are handled for the purpose of creating your book and archive, not for public publishing.
Where do you ship?+
Pakistan delivery is included in the listed PKR prices. For international orders, the service price is USD 99 for Qissa Portrait or USD 199 for Qissa Life Story, and courier charges are quoted separately. Customs and delivery times vary by destination.
Which plan should I choose?+
Choose Qissa Portrait for a focused memoir: up to 4 interview hours, 60 pages, one hardcover, and one revision round. Choose Qissa Life Story for more breadth: up to 8 interview hours, 120 pages, two hardcovers, and two revision rounds. Both are fully guided.
When will the finished book be delivered?+
Story sessions take as long as the storyteller needs within the plan hours. After the final session and all agreed photographs and materials are received, writing, translation, design, proofing, and printing usually take 2–3 weeks. Customer review time and courier delivery are separate.
Can I speak to someone before starting?+
Yes. If you are unsure about language, timing, delivery, or whether Qissa is right for your family, book a free consultation or email the team and we will help you choose the simplest path.
Is Qissa a subscription? Does it auto-renew?+
No. Qissa is a one-time project and does not auto-renew. If the story needs interview time, pages, revisions, books, or photo work beyond the selected plan, we send a written quote before continuing.
Still deciding whether this is right for your family?
Tell us who you want to preserve stories for, what language they prefer, and what worries you about starting. We will help you choose the easiest path.
Email the Qissa teamPrefer to see the journey?
Walk through the full process from gifting and onboarding to guided story sessions, professional writing, printing, and delivery.
See how it worksBuilt for families across countries and languages.