If you are thinking of writing a non-fiction book and using it to build your brand and business from it, may I introduce – ta dah! The hybrid memoir.
The hybrid what?
Yes, it sounds like a wild animal, a bit like my Angel part podenco and part something else and wholly adorable.
If you have never heard of one, it is, as the name suggests, part memoir and part something else. In this case, it is part self-help, and it is a brilliant way to combine the emotional power of personal narrative with the practical guidance of self-help.
That’s exactly what a hybrid memoir does. It weaves your personal story with practical wisdom – creating a book that transforms you and your readers. And yes, it can become the foundation of your business.
Sounds cool, right?
What Is a Hybrid Memoir?
So, we’ve said, 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.”
Examples of Hybrid Memoirs
You’ve probably read hybrid memoirs without realising that’s what they were:
- Untamed by Glennon Doyle
- The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
- Wild by Cheryl Strayed (with reflection woven throughout)
- Educated by Tara Westover (implicitly teaches resilience)
- When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
And my books, Words From The Wild and Rebirth.
The power? Your vulnerability creates a connection, and your wisdom creates transformation.
It’s my favourite kind of non-fiction book.
Why Hybrid Memoir Is the Most Powerful Format for Women with Wisdom
I think there is some truth in the idea that your story alone isn’t enough for most readers. And advice alone feels empty without context, unless you love the 7-step kind of book.
But when you weave them together? It is magical – if you like this kind of book.
Your story gives your wisdom credibility. You didn’t read about your story in a textbook, learned it in a course, practised on the dog, or lived it. You earned these insights through tears, mistakes, and breakthroughs.
Your wisdom gives your story purpose. It transforms your pain, as dreadful as it was, into personal wisdom. If you like, your mess into a message.
As much as I want to not say this, it’s healing for you, I will. This is how you write the book that heals you while processing your story, help readers transform their lives by sharing practical wisdom, and build a business around your expertise by positioning yourself as a guide.
“A hybrid memoir turns your lived experience into lived-in wisdom that readers can use to know what is possible in the world.”
When I wrote Words From The Wild, I knew I was writing from what I call the messy middle, and I thought I’d done with the big part of the healing malarkey, but I healed some more. While in it, I felt uncomfortable and vulnerable, and now, I feel good again.
If you’ve been through something that changed you and came out the other side with hard-won wisdom, you have a hybrid memoir inside you.
How a Hybrid Memoir Is Structured?
Unlike most memoirs (chronological story) or pure self-help (topic-based chapters), a hybrid memoir offers flexibility. Here are the three most common approaches:
Approach 1: Story First, Wisdom Woven Throughout
Your narrative flows chronologically, but you pause to extract lessons.
The structure:
- Tell a scene from your story
- Reflect on what you learnt
- Offer guidance that readers can apply
- Return to the story
Example: In a chapter about leaving an abusive relationship, you might share:
- The moment you finally decided to leave (story)
- The inner work it took to value yourself (reflection)
- Three questions to ask yourself if you’re in a similar situation (wisdom)
Best for: Writers who are natural storytellers and want the narrative to carry readers forward.
Approach 2: Theme-Based Chapters with Story as Evidence
Each chapter addresses a specific theme or lesson, using your story as an illustration.
The structure:
- Chapter title: The lesson or theme (e.g., “Learning to Trust Your Intuition”)
- Opening: Story from your life that demonstrates this
- Middle: Unpack the wisdom, offer tools or frameworks
- Closing: Invitation for the reader to apply it
Best for: Writers with a clear teaching framework who want to organise around transformation steps.
Approach 3: The Alternating Pattern
Alternate between “story chapters” and “wisdom chapters.”
The structure:
- Chapter 1: Story
- Chapter 2: Lessons from that story plus practical guidance
- Chapter 3: Next part of the story
- Chapter 4: Lessons and tools
- Repeat
Best for: Writers who want a clear separation between narrative and teaching.
This is what Words From The Wild is. For example, chapter one is called Betrayal. Then there is a short chapter called Write From The Wild, which follows a series of writing and ritual invitations.
What Every Hybrid Memoir Needs
Regardless of structure, include these elements:
- Vulnerability — Share the real, messy, human moments that make readers think, “She gets it.”
- Transformation arc — Show the before, journey, and after. Let readers see the full picture of change.
- Practical wisdom — Tools, questions, exercises, frameworks readers can use immediately.
- Universal themes — So readers see themselves in your specific story, even if the details differ.
- Permission — Give readers permission to change, heal, or choose differently than they have before.
The Three Transformations of Writing a Hybrid Memoir
Transformation 1: It Heals You
Writing your story with intention – extracting the lessons, seeing the patterns, honouring the journey – is profound healing work. This isn’t about reliving your past; that’s done, but you are reclaiming it. Reclaiming means taking back ownership of your story – emotionally, energetically, and narratively. You’re saying, this happened, but it no longer defines me. You shift from being the character of your story to the author of it.
When you write a hybrid memoir, you’re not wallowing in what happened. You’re mining it for meaning. You’re asking: What did this teach me? How did I grow? What would I tell someone facing this now?
It really is transformational work.
Transformation 2: It Helps Your Readers
Your readers don’t need another perfect guru. They need someone who’s been in the trenches and found a way to get out and return to dry land. When they read your story and think, “That’s exactly how I feel,” they’re already halfway to their breakthrough.
Your hybrid memoir gives them:
- Permission to face their own story – You went first. You showed it’s possible to look at the painful truth and survive—no, thrive.
- A roadmap through their struggle – Your journey becomes their guide. They see how you navigated similar terrain.
- Practical tools they can use today – Not just inspiration, but how to implement and change things by sharing real strategies that worked in real life.
- Hope that transformation is possible – If you can change, so can they. I always say if it is possible in the world, it is possible for me.
Transformation 3: It Builds Your Business
A hybrid memoir positions you as an expert because of your lived experience. Yep, you do not need an ology or a certificate. You went through this stuff.
Once published, your book becomes:
- Your credibility – Instant authority in your niche. You’re not spouting about transformation; you’ve documented yours and have the courage to share – go you.
- Your marketing engine – People find you through your book, already understanding your approach and philosophy.
- Your client filter – Readers become ideal clients who already trust you and resonate with your methods.
- Your core content – Material for workshops, courses, coaching programmes, speaking engagements, and social media content.
One hybrid memoir can become the centre of an entire strategic business plan.
“Your hybrid memoir is your origin story, credentials, and business card – all in one.”
Is Your Story Ready to Become a Hybrid Memoir?
Ask yourself these questions:
- Do I have a personal story that involved significant struggle and transformation? It doesn’t need to be dramatic—it needs to be real and meaningful.
- Did I come out the other side with wisdom I wish I’d had at the beginning? The “I wish someone had told me” moments are gold.
- Do I want to help others going through something similar? Your “why” for writing matters.
- Am I ready (or getting ready) to share vulnerably in service of others? Not every detail, but the truth that serves.
If you answered yes to these questions, you don’t just have a story worth telling—you have a hybrid memoir that could change lives.
Journal prompt: What’s the transformation story you keep coming back to? What wisdom did you earn from that experience? Who needs to hear it?
Your Story Matters
Your story matters. Not just because it happened to you—but because of what you learnt from it. Because of who you became and the wisdom you can now share.
A hybrid memoir transforms what happened into wisdom for others.
A major plus is that you don’t have to wait until you’re “healed enough” or “successful enough” to write it.
The act of writing your hybrid memoir IS part of your healing. The wisdom you share IS enough. Your story, paired with your hard-won insights, is exactly what someone needs.
Someone right now is struggling with the very thing you’ve overcome. They’re asking the questions you’ve already answered. They’re lost in the place you’ve already found (or even crawled) your way through.
Your hybrid memoir is how they find you.
It’s how your story stops being just something that happened to you and becomes something that helps others. It’s how your pain gains purpose. It’s how your journey becomes a roadmap.
Ready to turn your story into a book that changes lives (including your own)?
Frequently Asked Questions About Hybrid Memoirs
What’s the difference between a memoir and a hybrid memoir?
A traditional memoir focuses purely on storytelling – sharing your lived experience chronologically or thematically. A hybrid memoir weaves practical wisdom, lessons, and guidance throughout the narrative. It’s part story, part self-help. Readers finish a memoir thinking, “Wow, what a journey.” They finish a hybrid memoir thinking, “Wow, what a journey – and here’s how I can apply this to my life.”
Do I need to be famous to write a hybrid memoir?
Absolutely not. Hybrid memoirs work because of universal themes, not celebrity status. Your specific story becomes a mirror for your reader’s struggle. What matters is: Did you transform? Do you have wisdom to share? Will your story help someone else? If yes, you’re ready.
How much of my story do I need to share?
You share what serves the reader’s transformation – not every detail of your life. Choose the parts of your story that illustrate the lessons you’re teaching. You maintain full control over what you reveal and how vulnerable you get. Think: necessary truth, not gratuitous oversharing.
Can I write a hybrid memoir if my story isn’t “finished”?
Yes! You don’t need to have your entire life figured out. You need ONE significant transformation arc to build a hybrid memoir around. The story needs an ending (or at least a clear “where I am now”), but your whole life doesn’t need to be tied up with a bow. Some of the most powerful hybrid memoirs are written from the middle of the journey.
Will writing about my painful past be re-traumatising?
This is important: Writing can be healing, but it requires the right support and timing. If you’re still in crisis or the wounds are very fresh, work with a therapist first. When you’re ready, writing your hybrid memoir with proper guidance can be deeply healing—because you’re not just reliving the pain, you’re extracting meaning from it and reclaiming your narrative.
How long does a hybrid memoir need to be?
Most hybrid memoirs are 40,000-60,000 words (about 150-250 pages). This gives you space to tell your story AND share your wisdom without overwhelming readers. Quality over quantity – every scene and lesson should serve the reader’s transformation.
Can a hybrid memoir really help me build a business?
Yes. A published hybrid memoir establishes you as an authority who’s “been there and done that.” It attracts your ideal clients, gives you content for workshops and courses, creates speaking opportunities, and positions you as the go-to expert in your niche. Many successful coaches, therapists, and consultants built their businesses on the foundation of their hybrid memoir.
“Your story is wisdom waiting to be shared and a business ready to be built. Write it.”
