Many of us have powerful stories to tell, but we have to make a choice: should we tell an intimate story that dives deep into our secrets, or should we focus on helping others directly? That’s the dilemma many nonfiction authors face when they’re deciding between memoir and self-help for the first (or next) book. If that’s your dilemma, too, then take a look at the five questions I’ve created to guide you to your ultimate decision.
Do you have an interesting story to tell?
If you’ve got an intriguing story to tell that’s complex, deep, and inspirational, I’d urge you to consider writing a memoir that shares all the intricacies of that specific part of your life. With a memoir, you’re not telling your entire life story; you’re simply giving readers a slice of it. (If you want to tell your entire life story, an autobiography might be a better choice for you—or consider writing a series of memoirs.)
Does this mean you absolutely will not help people along the way? Hell no! Tons of people find great inspiration in memoirs, inspiration that drives them to make huge changes in their lives. But these are all lessons they pull out from the reading experience because they might not need to be very complex.
Do you have a unique solution to a problem that could help a lot of people?
Personal development is a huge industry, likely worth billions of dollars every year. It’s been this way for a long time because human beings want to grow, evolve, and find ways to make their lives better. If your solution connects well with people seeking answers to their problems, then it’s clear you probably have a self-help book in you to write.
Does your reading audience prefer to read a well-written story?
Even though the self-help industry is a huge one, many people have a general distaste for it because they find self-help “gurus” untrustworthy. So, it’s important for you to consider who’s going to read your book and how they best interpret the content they read.
Does it mean you won’t be able to help them? Not at all. But it means they prefer narratives framed in a story format. You can always offer action plans, worksheets, and other resources as supplemental content in the back of the book or on your website for readers who need that sort of support.
What do you prefer to read?
One thing that’s important for authors to do is to read a lot in their genre. This helps you research what readers respond to and get exposure to different writing styles you can learn a lot from. If you’re reading more self-help than memoir these days, then you’ve definitely been exposed to a variety of writing styles readers find helpful when they’re trying to change their lives. This naturally works its way into your brain and teaches you successful writing styles, interesting voices, and methods of communicating a message.
Does the idea of writing a memoir make you feel too exposed?
Writing a memoir is not an easy task. It forces you to face your vulnerability and put it on display for strangers to pick apart. This is especially important to consider if you want to protect your friends, family members, and co-workers from knowing your deepest, darkest secrets.
If the idea if putting yourself out there like that is extremely stressful, I encourage you to find a way to turn your experience into a self-help book.
And you can even write under a pen name if the topic seems controversial or shocking to those around you.
Deciding between memoir and self-help is an important decision you’ll make for your writing career. That consideration doesn’t start or stop with these basic questions. Take some time to think about your options. You might even find value in outlining your book as a memoir, then as a self-help book. This might help you make a confident decision on where you should put your energy.
