An autobiography and memoir are often thought of as the same kind of book but they’re two different kinds of stories. An autobiography is a comprehensive life story, told chronologically from birth to the present, while a memoir covers a specific period in someone’s life. Think of a memoir almost like a movie that has a beginning, middle, and end, but is often not the whole story from birth.

Another thing that makes a memoir different from an autobiography is that a memoir can be written by someone other than the subject of the story. Therefore, it can be told in the third person versus an autobiography which is always told in the first person.

So, how do you decide which type of story to write?

It really all depends on your goal and what you want to convey. Memoirs are typically written to tell the story of personal or professional struggle, overcoming obstacles, or surviving adversity. Many celebrities and public figures have written memoirs to help other people who might be suffering from something they’ve endured and survived. For example, someone who is a recovering alcoholic or was close to death from a drug overdose might write a memoir from that period in their lives to help others in the same situation.

Sports stars are known to write memoirs that cover their climb to the top. Many started from nothing or had to work hard at their sport to make it. It gives hope to kids who have a dream but who might not quite be at the top of their game…yet. Or maybe their families can’t afford the equipment for the sport. Memoirs are typically inspirational and very emotional.

Some personal stories are found in religious revelations. We often get calls from those who have experienced the life-changing touch of the holy spirit and they want to offer their testimony in book form.

Business owners and corporate executives often share their tales of success. Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett wrote a book about how he succeeded (The Snowball). And another fellow – a senior advertising agency executive — wrote about being fired and how he later found redemption at a coffee shop (How Starbucks Saved My Life).

Colonel David H. Hackworth’s thick memoir (About Face: The Odyssey of an American Warrior) opens with a chilling attack by North Korean soldiers in the early 1950s and his unit’s desperate effort to survive. As his unit’s men are within minutes of being obliterated, Hackworth climbed up on top of a tank and banged the hatch, demanding its commander open fire! If you were the reader, your heart would be pounding by the end of the first chapter.

The great thing about autobiographies and memoirs, though, is that you don’t have to be famous to write one!

These books are also popular with parents who want to leave the story of their family to the next generation for them to add onto and pass down for years to come. Anyone with something to say can write a memoir or autobiography.