At Two Sisters Writing & Publishing, we meet people every day who wonder if their life story is *“book worthy.” They’ll say things like, *“My life’s been interesting… People tell me I should write a book, but is it enough for a memoir?”
Here’s what we always say: You don’t need to be famous. You don’t need a million followers. You don’t even need to think of yourself as a “writer.” If you’ve lived through something meaningful, difficult, beautiful, or transformational—and if you feel a pull to share it—your story has value.
If you’re still unsure, these five questions can help you decide if the story you’ve lived is one you’re ready to write down, craft into a book, and possibly share with others.
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1. Have I experienced something others can learn from?
Maybe you navigated a major life change, overcame a challenge, or found your way through grief, illness, trauma, or reinvention.
Maybe you built something from nothing, beat the odds, or learned to thrive in an environment not built for you.
Ask yourself:
*Could my story help someone else feel seen? Understood? Inspired? Less alone?*
If your answer is yes, that’s a powerful sign that your lived experience could resonate in the pages of a book.
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2. Have people told me, “You should write a book”?
We hear this all the time from first-time authors: *“Everyone keeps telling me I should write a book.”*
That’s not just polite encouragement. Usually, it’s because the way you tell stories—or the experiences you’ve survived—are impactful.
People recognize when a story carries weight. And if you’ve heard this more than once, chances are there’s something in your journey that deserves to be documented and shared.
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3. Do I feel a deep pull to make meaning out of my story?
Writing a memoir isn’t just about recounting events. It’s about reflection—understanding what your experiences taught you, how they shaped you, and why they matter.
Sometimes, writing is the way we process and make peace with what we’ve been through.
If you feel that nudge—that *need*—to make sense of your life on the page, it’s worth listening to.
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4. Am I ready to be honest—even if it’s hard?
Great memoirs aren’t written from a desire to impress—they’re written from a place of truth. That doesn’t mean you have to share *everything,* but it does mean being willing to write with honesty and vulnerability.
You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to be willing to be real.
And if you’re ready for that kind of truth-telling, your story has the potential to truly connect with readers.
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5. Do I want to leave something behind—something lasting?
Many people write memoirs for legacy. For their children and grandchildren. For their community. For the person they once were—and the person they became.
Books live on long after we’re gone. They carry our voice, our perspective, our truth.
If you feel the desire to leave behind more than just memories—to leave meaning—memoir is a powerful way to do that.
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At Two Sisters Writing & Publishing, we believe that everyone has a story. Not everyone chooses to write it. But if you’ve read through these questions and felt a spark of recognition, maybe now is your time.
You don’t have to do it alone.
And your story doesn’t have to be perfect.
It just has to be yours.
We’re here when you’re ready to begin.
—The Team at Two Sisters Writing & Publishing
📚 Independent. Inclusive. Inspired.
Elizabeth Ann Atkins is a bestselling author, Emmy-nominated TV host, actress, and award-winning journalist. She co-founded Two Sisters Writing and Publishing with her sister, Catherine M. Greenspan, a company that has written and published over 60 memoirs, novels, business books, and journals since 2016. With a master’s degree in Journalism from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of Michigan, Elizabeth has written over 20 books and is widely known as America’s Book Coach. She also hosts The Goddess Power Show, a podcast and YouTube channel that explores topics empowering women to live bigger, better, and bolder.