Memoir Foundations

Shape Your Story into a Book That Makes a Difference

Memoir Foundations: From Idea to Outline and Ready to Write

The betrayal that blindsided you, the burnout that knocked you sideways, the illness that kicked you in the shins. Or maybe just the Tuesday afternoon when you finally chose yourself because, frankly, giving everyone else your last Rolo (IYKYK)was getting exhausting.

You know what you went through could actually help someone. Not in an ‘everything happens for a reason’ way – absolutely not.

But in a ‘here’s what nobody told me and I had to figure it out the hard way’ kind of way. You’ve imagined someone reading your book at 2 am when they can’t sleep, thinking, ‘Oh, thank god, so it’s not just me then.’

But right now, your story’s all over the place. It’s bits and pieces in your head – stuff that hits you when you’re washing your hair, anger that bubbles up at traffic lights, insights you can’t quite put into words yet, even though you bloody well lived through them.

Read on to discover more about this 8-week coaching program for aspiring authors who want to turn lived experience into a structured, transformational book.

Book A Call

You’ve tried to start. Opened a blank document, stared at that blinking cursor for twenty minutes, then closed your laptop feeling like more of an idiot and confused than when you started. Because shockingly, there’s no GCSE in ‘turning your messy breakdown-breakthrough into a book that doesn’t just waffle on about your feelings.

What Is a Hybrid Memoir?

A hybrid memoir combines the emotional power of personal narrative with the practical guidance of self-help.

Think of it as:

Your story (the memoir part) — the lived experience, the journey, the transformation you went through.
Your wisdom (the self-help part) — the lessons, frameworks, and tools you discovered along the way.
Their transformation (the result) — readers see themselves in your story AND walk away with actionable guidance.

Pure memoir says, “This happened to me.”

Generic self-help says, “Here’s what you should do.”

A hybrid memoir says, “This happened to me, here’s what I learnt, and here’s how you can apply it to your life.”

Reclaim Your Story

What Memoir As Self-help Foundation Gives You

Eight weeks to go from ‘I think I might have a book in me’ to ‘I know exactly what I’m writing.

Big Picture Visioning — The Story You Think You’re Telling

Clarify your core message and intention. What are you here to teach? Why now? What truth is rising?
Map your lived experience. Use timelines, turning points, and thematic threads to sketch your life.
Pinpoint the real story. What’s the emotional heartbeat? Where does it begin? What’s the turning point, the reckoning, the outcome?
Extract the wisdom. What have you learned through this journey? What wants to be shared?

Reader Alignment — The Transformation You’re Offering

Define your ideal reader and client. Who are they emotionally, spiritually, and practically? What season of life are they in?
Understand their reasons for saying yes, not just pain, longing, curiosity, or readiness.
Map their transformation.. What journey do they need? What journey are you equipped to guide?
Marry your story to their path Align your wisdom with their needs. Create clear outcomes and invitations.

Practical Wisdom — The Process That Holds It All

Clarify your teaching framework. Is it new, adapted, or intuitive? Does it honour your lived experience?
Decide how story and self-help will dance. Will you embed insights within narrative, offer reflection prompts, or alternate chapters?
Outline your book’s structure. What’s the rhythm? What’s the arc? What’s the promise?

Craft and Connection — Write to Be Recognised

Practice narrative writing. Use a prompt-based framework to find your voice and shape your scenes.
Build your self-help framework. Offer tools, rituals, and reflections that are energetically aligned.
Write with resonance. Build trust, clarity, and emotional truth so your reader feels seen.

Bringing It All Together - Book Hook, Promise, and Blurb

Distil your essence. What’s the one-line hook that captures your book’s soul?
Write your promise. What will the reader walk away with — emotionally, practically, spiritually?
Write your blurb: A poetic, powerful invitation into your world.

What’s Next - From Insight to Action

Getting ready to write. Find your way into the work. Create a ritual, choose your tools, and begin where you are – not where you think you should be.
Finding time. Reclaim the sacred. Use breath, voice, and micro-rituals to carve space for your story. Write in cycles, not sprints.
The writing and editing process. Finding your way to get this book written, edited and published.
Book Marketing Strategy Canvas overview. What does your book want to become?

What You Get

Included

1:1 book discovery session
8 weekly 60-90-minute group calls
All modules recorded and available 24/7
Private community space for sharing breakthroughs between calls
All chapter frameworks and unearthing questions for the 8 phases
AI prompt library for organising your thoughts (not writing for you)

Deliverables you’ll walk away with:

Confidence in your story’s value and relevance
Clarity about which book you’re actually writing
A clear message and transformation arc
Complete 8-phase map of your transformation
Chapter-by-chapter outline with scene and story lists
Understanding of where your wisdom emerges organically from your story
A roadmap that makes writing possible (and sustainable)
A strategic book marketing plan

Is Anything Stopping You?

Why Most Authors Fail at Book Marketing (and How to Avoid It)

It’s not the writing bit. You can write; you do it all the time. Emails, texts, rage-filled journal entries at 11 pm. Blimey, you’ve probably already written thousands of words about what you went through.

What’s missing is structure. I’m not talking about the rigid, paint-by-numbers kind that squashes your messy journey into tidy chapters. But the actual structure that shows how the transformation really works, while still giving readers something they can follow and love you for.

You need to know:

Which bits of your story actually belong in the book (and which bits don’t)
How to organise them without losing what really happened
Where the useful stuff is hiding in your experience
How to mix story and insight without sounding like a self-help guru standing on one leg at the top of a mountain

You need the freaking map before you write 60,000 words down a dead end.

Is This For You?

This Program Is For You If…

You’ve got a transformation story that’s ready to become a book. In fact, you are more than ready. You have a calling to make a difference. You have seen how the world is evolving, and you know this is your time. You need structure, but you also want flow and someone who will hold space, hear what you aren’t saying and hold you through the vulnerability of telling your truth.

You’re willing to write from where you actually are, not from some fake ‘I’ve got it all sorted’ place. You can handle honest (with love) feedback about the bits you’re still figuring out. You know that being in the middle of it all is exactly what gives you strength.

You thrive with group energy and shared vulnerability. You want to hear other women’s transformations because it helps you understand your own better.

This Programme Is NOT For You If:

You’re looking for therapy through writing. That will happen naturally, but it’s really important that you work with your therapist first if you’re still in the middle of it.

You’re still in acute trauma and need healing before sharing. Heal first. Write later. I mean this with love.

You want someone to write your book for you or tell you exactly what to say. This is your story, your voice, your work.

You can’t commit to showing up for eight weeks or doing the work. Missing calls means missing the foundation that makes everything else work.

You want an AI-driven solution. We work with creativity, heart and intuition first, then AI as a tool, not a replacement.

You have a history of abandoning projects when they get hard. I’m here to support you, but I need to know you’re genuinely ready to see this through.

What Happens After The Foundation?

Some women take their outline and crack on alone. Others join Tier 2 – 6-Week Writing Blasts. Write your book with weekly accountability, writing sessions and Q&A. These sprints are designed to motivated and inspire you.

No obligation to continue. But you’ll be ready if you do.

Ready To Rock?

The Details

Investment: €495 ( 2 * €248 or 3 * €165 (until Dec 13th)

Next cohort starts: See below

Please book in for a call to see if we are right for each other and for me to learn more about you and your book.

€495 translates to $577 / £430

The Plan

We open on Wednesday, 11th December, for Q&A and book 1:1s.

We go live on Thursday, January 8th, at 4 pm Madrid time – 3 pm UK, 7 am PST, and 10 am EST.

Virtual Doors Open

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to have it all figured out?

Absolutely not. That’s the whole point. Your messy middle IS your strength. You don’t need to pretend you’ve got it all sorted.

I wrote my book, Words From The Wild, from the messy middle.

We will be exploring what part of your story to share and how that connects to your wisdom.

What if I'm not a good writer?

Lots of people worry about writing. In this part, we are mostly getting our stories and wisdom out of our heads.

There will be a little bit of writing, but that is private unless you want to share.

Most people find that when they have a great outline, writing becomes easy. And truthfully, writing gets better the more you practice,

How is this different from therapy?

Therapy is for processing. This is for shaping what you’ve already processed into something that helps other people. If you’re still in the thick of acute pain, you may need therapy first. And that’s ok.

If you are still living with trauma – let’s chat first.

I always advise clients to have a trusted friend or therapist on hand should something come up.

This is a safe space.

What if my story isn't interesting enough?

This question comes up so often, and it’s like pre-show nerves. There are many similar story themes, but no one has your lived experience or knows how you got through it.

It doesn’t need to be dramatic to be valuable. What makes a memoir work isn’t how big the crisis was; it’s how honestly you tell it.

What about my family reading this?

This is a great question which we address properly from many perspectives, including the legal one. You’ll learn how to share in a way that creates boundaries and protects you. This is your truth, and you get to decide how to tell it.

Still Not Sure?

Either email me at dd@daledarley.com or book a discovery call. Tell me where you are with your story and what you’re struggling with. I’ll tell you honestly whether Foundation is right for you or if you need something else first.