You’ve got a story to tell. I know that because you’re here, likely with a notebook full of ideas or a nagging feeling in your gut that your experiences could help someone else.
But then the “stuckness” sets in. You’re an accomplished woman with a career you’ve built from the ground up, or perhaps you’ve navigated a personal challenge that changed everything. Now you’re wondering: Is this a memoir? Or is it a business book?
This is one of the most common hurdles I see with the professional women I work with. You don’t want to write a “vanity project,” but you also don’t want to write a dry, academic manual that lacks soul.
So, how do you choose?
Choosing the right format isn’t just about the title on the cover; it’s about the promise you’re making to your reader. Let’s break down the differences so you can finally pick a lane and start writing.
1. The Memoir: It’s about the “why” and the heart
A memoir is a “slice” of your life. It isn’t an autobiography (which covers your birth to the present day). Instead, a memoir focuses on a specific theme or a transformative period.
For a professional woman, this might look like:
- Your journey through a high-stakes corporate merger and what it taught you about resilience.
- The year you decided to leave a “perfect” career to find your true purpose.
- How you navigated being the only woman of color in the boardroom for a decade.
The Focus: Your inner world. How you felt, how you changed, and the meaning you made from your experiences.
The Goal: Emotional resonance. You want your reader to say, “I felt that too,” or “If she could survive that, so can I.”
The Structure: Narrative-driven. It reads like a story with scenes, dialogue, and emotional arcs.
If your primary drive is to share your personal truth and connect on a human level, a memoir might be your best bet.
2. The Business Book: It’s about the “how” and the head
A business book (or a “how-to” / thought leadership book) is designed to solve a problem for the reader. While your story might be in there, it’s not the main character: your method is.
For the professional woman, this might look like:
- A framework for inclusive leadership.
- A step-by-step guide to scaling a service-based business.
- Strategic advice for women entering C-suite roles.
The Focus: The reader’s transformation. You are teaching them something specific.
The Goal: Authority and ROI. You want to be seen as the “go-to” expert in your field. This book is often a lead generator for speaking gigs, consulting, or coaching.
The Structure: Principle-driven. It’s organized by chapters like “The 5 Pillars of X” or “How to Master Y.”
If you want to build your professional brand or create a scalable version of your expertise, a business book is the way to go.
3. The “Business Memoir”: The Best of Both Worlds
I’ll be honest: most professional women find their “sweet spot” right in the middle. We call this the Business Memoir or a “story-driven business book.”
This is a book that is organized by professional lessons or principles (like a business book) but is told through the lens of deeply personal stories (like a memoir).
Think about some of the most successful books by women in leadership. They don’t just give you a checklist; they tell you about the time they cried in the bathroom after a tough meeting, and then they give you the lesson they learned from it.
Why this works:
- It builds immediate trust. Readers see you as a real person, not just a LinkedIn profile.
- It makes abstract concepts concrete. A lesson on “boundaries” is much more memorable when it’s attached to a story about a client who almost drove you to burnout.
- It allows you to share your expertise without feeling like you’re lecturing.
How to decide: 4 questions to ask yourself
If you’re still feeling stuck, grab a pen and answer these four questions honestly.
1. What is my primary promise to the reader?
If you’re saying, “I will show you my journey so you feel less alone,” you’re writing a memoir.
If you’re saying, “I will give you a roadmap to achieve a specific result,” you’re writing a business book.
2. What do I want the “return on investment” to be?
Books are a lot of work, so what do you want back? If you want emotional healing, legacy, or social impact, lean toward memoir. If you want more clients, higher speaking fees, or to be the “expert” on a specific topic, lean toward a business book.
3. How much “exposure” am I comfortable with?
A memoir requires vulnerability. You have to be willing to talk about the messy bits: the failures, the fears, and the complicated relationships. If you’d rather keep things strictly professional and only share stories that serve a specific teaching point, a business book or a hybrid is safer.
4. How do I want to be introduced in two years?
Imagine you’re being introduced on a stage. Does the announcer say, “She is the author of a moving memoir about overcoming adversity,” or “She wrote the definitive guide on [Your Expertise]”? Which one makes you feel more proud?
Moving past the “procrastination trap”
Choosing a format is often where writers get stuck for months: or years. We call this “productive procrastination.” You spend so much time debating the type of book that you never actually write a single chapter.
I do not enjoy revising a book that doesn’t have a clear foundation, and you won’t enjoy writing one. My advice? Don’t worry about being perfect right now. If you’re torn, start with a Business Memoir approach. Collect your 10 most impactful stories and the 10 most important lessons you’ve learned. Usually, the “right” format will reveal itself as you start to see the patterns in your writing.
If you’re struggling to get those first words down, you might find our ebook The Procrastination Cure helpful. It’s designed specifically for writers who have the ideas but can’t seem to find the “start” button.
The reality check
Writing a book: whether it’s a memoir or a business guide: is a marathon, not a sprint. There are no shortcuts. It takes time, rejection is part of the process, and some days you will feel like you have nothing to say.
But if you have the passion and the drive to do this, you probably don’t need me to tell you that. You’ll stick with it because your story matters. Whether it’s a story of personal triumph or professional mastery, there is a reader out there waiting to learn from you.
How Accomplish Press can help
Deciding on your book’s direction is a big step, but you don’t have to do it alone. At Accomplish Press, we specialize in helping writers get unstuck.
- Need one-on-one guidance? Our Book Coaching is perfect for professional women who want a partner to help them navigate the structure, the writing, and the mindset hurdles of finishing a manuscript.
- Ready to publish? When your manuscript is finished, our Self-Publishing Course will show you exactly how to get your book into the hands of readers.
Ready to get started? Schedule a call with Tolulope to discuss your ideas and goals. Your story is too important to keep locked in your head. Let’s figure out the right format together and get your book out into the world.