Should You Write a Memoir?

Do you have a powerful and inspiring story of personal transformation that you want to share in a book?

Many people with a great story to tell embark on their book-writing journey with the desire to write a memoir. Yet, what if you also have professional expertise that can help your readers? In that case, you may be missing an opportunity to write the right first book--- one that tells your story and will transform your readers’ lives while expanding the impact of your work in the world.

Before you begin writing your book, it’s wise to consider how it can support your broader, long-term vision—for your readers, your work in the world, and yourself as an author.

Writing your manuscript before you know your “why” for writing it can be like putting the cart before the horse. As a book coach, I’ve seen too many first-time authors make this mistake.

Your story matters and will be a meaningful way for you to engage your readers, yet it’s essential to dig a little deeper to find clarity on the best format for your message and the most impactful way to help you reach your goals.

Our accomplished client, Bobbi, came to us with a finished draft of her memoir. She had lived through a tragedy decades before that led her down a new career path of supporting others as they navigate violent trauma. Through her healing process, she studied with pioneers in the field of trauma, obtained her PhD, and eventually launched her private practice focused on workplace well-being.

She was a gifted writer with a compelling story, so her friends encouraged her to write a memoir. However, in the memoir, she left out how she took that personal tragedy and turned it into a career supporting others, for which she had countless case studies and inspirational stories showcasing her success with clients.

Through our coaching, Bobbi realized she had started writing her memoir without considering how her first book might serve her business by helping to attract new clients. We worked together to identify her specific goals and revise her memoir draft to include tools to help her readers on their journey and client stories to show readers how she could help them, too.

Another author, Nicole, also came to us with a smartly written finished draft of her memoir. She knew she had a compelling and helpful story, so she’d been working with a book editor to help her shape the storyline of her memoir and ensure the writing was engaging. And it was! However, she was second-guessing if the current draft of her book would help her with her long-term vision and business goals. She was a psychotherapist with ample clients who wanted to scale up her practice, bring on other therapists, and have someone else run it so she could launch a speaking career—her real passion.

With our guidance, Nicole took the bones of her memoir and envisioned how she could turn the different parts of her story into specific talks aimed at helping build her speaking career. She then added professional case studies to illustrate her points and increase her authority on the subject matter. The result was a best-selling book that has led to a podcast and a growing speaking career while her practice continues to thrive under new management to free up her time.

When you take time before writing your book to understand your long-term vision for your readers and yourself, you can identify the content that matters most to help you achieve your goals.

Here are four foundational questions to answer that will help you clarify your vision for your book. Answer these questions, and you’ll achieve an invaluable milestone on your way to writing the right first book.

Set a five-minute timer for each question, and let your heart guide your answers.

1. What is the outcome I want for myself as a published book author?
   
2. What action do I want my book's readers to take after reading my book?
   
3. What immediate goals do I have for my work in the world?
   
4. Which parts of my story, professional experience, and knowledge must I include in my book to support these goals?