In May I shared with you that I had a book idea, and I sought your input. And then in June, I parsed that input and presented it to you. The basic summary is that while you were all super-awesome survey takers, and highly supportive, my personal book idea came in 3rd out of the 4 ideas I presented.
So what is my book idea? I want to collect stories from parents across Canada surrounding pregnancy, birth and the first 6-12 weeks of their new baby’s life. It is basically a cross-section of personal experiences as people undergo the transition of new parenthood. The book would highlight the issues that parents faced, how they coped, and how they feel about their experience. It would not be a how-to book, or an academic book. It would be more like a kitchen table chat with a lot of parents, sharing their own thoughts.
I love this book idea because I think that stories are important. I also think that it is hard to find Canadian stories. As much as I love films like The Business of Being Born and books like The Breastfeeding Cafe, they don’t particularly relate to my own experience. The Canadian and US health care systems are very different. Our support systems, including maternity and parental leave, are very different. As a Canadian I would like to explore those differences.
I also love this book idea because I think that we often leave lay people out of the conversation when we’re discussing issues like epidural use and how to increase breastfeeding rates. We start talking about statistics and socioeconomic groups and so on. These conversations are useful. But it is just as useful to explore the much more personal and nuanced world of individual stories. And it tells you a lot more about what it’s like to live through the experience than a statistic ever could.
I persist in loving my book idea. It’s been over two months since it flickered across my consciousness, and I can’t stop thinking that it would be awesome. And so at this point I’ve decided that in spite of my survey results, I’m going to pursue it. Or at least pursue further investigation. I’m doing search engine analysis to track interest and I’ve set up Google Alerts with key words and I’m finding out what other books are similar and considering my audience. I’m reading all that I can find about how to get published and I’m picking the brains of all the published authors I know.
I’m not sure if my book idea will turn into anything or not. But I know that I want to pursue this, and that I’m OK with whatever the outcome may be. I think that writing a book that I feel passionately about, and that I would personally want to read, is a better bet than throwing up my hands in defeat. Or trying to write a book that I really am not that interested in. I want to live with passion, and that means that I have to at least try, and I have to be true to my own personal vision.
I am not going to ask you what you think of my book idea. But I would love to hear from you if you have any tips on Canadian publishing. And I would also love to hear words of encouragement in general. Because, honestly, I have no worldly idea what I’m doing. But I also think that maybe no one really knows what they’re doing, so I’m not going to let that stop me. At least not yet.
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I think it’s a wonderful idea. I would have liked to have read stories of others experiences so that I knew that mine were normal when I was a new parent. Even though I”m not Canadian and will most likely never live in Canada I’d read it.
Take a look at your own bar graphs. I think, though I may be wrong, that your book idea has the fewest YAWN responses. Doesn’t that tell you something? I expect folks would buy this as a gift – your audience here on the web might already have passed that stage, but OH, I wish I had had such a book when my babies were born.
I combed the web for stories about surviving the first 3 months, or as I like to think of it, the fourth trimester.
I found little that was Canadian except nauseating magazine cheerfulness. This is a valuable book idea.
But I’m unclear from your explanation whether you would do it as an anthology or whether you would recount various stories told to you.
I’d like to read (and buy as a gift) a well-editted and presented anthology, where peoples own voices shine through.
Go for it girl. And if it is an anthology, I’d have a submission for you.
Good for you Amber! It sounds like you going in the right direction with your research. I love reading about birth stories etc. and I think it would be a great read for any mom, new or experienced. All the best!
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I still stand behind what I said along time ago…when I grow up, I wanna be like you Amber. You rock, and your book will be fantastic…ps…I volunteer as subject matter :”)
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I know you don’t want feedback but I really do believe that personal stories are the key to understanding life, the universe and everything.
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Twitter: Miss_Scarlett99
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I can’t remember which one I voted for…but I think your idea would be a fantastic book!
I’d be happy to share my story…whatever I can still remember…it gets a little fuzzy after awhile
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Twitter: jenarbo
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Ditto, I’m happy to be subject matter as well. If anyone will do this subject justice, it’s going to be you.
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Go Amber go! I not only think it’s a great idea, I also love that you’re blogging about the process of being creative and writing. I look forward to following your progress on the book!
Twitter: MarilynBelsham
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I still think you should write about whatever you are passionate about. You will be with that book and that subject for a long time so who cares what the survey says – write what YOU want.
I have no tips on publishing. I wrote parts of two books but they fizzled part way through and I am pretty sure I did it all ass-backward in that I was writing the book before I had an agent or publisher. I have no idea what I’m doing when it comes to publishing,
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I think it is a lovely idea….the more I talk to moms and hear stories and the worries and the fears as well as the joys….there needs to be so much more done for understanding the journey of parenthood and the need for community support.
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Good morning Amber! I think “passion” is the most important thing in writing — it makes the book kind of write itself and makes for the best work. So I have done some research into this as I too plan to write a book someday (sooner than later) and I love this book, Michael Larson’s “How to Write a Book Proposal”, he used to be a literary agent and it is great. Here is the amazon link: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/reader/1582972516/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link Also it can be helpful to research different publishing companies and the types of books they publish and what they want — some require agents, some accept submissions — I like New Society Publishers on Gabriola Island (though American I think). Anyway good luck and stay in your vision, see it already done, FEEL your passion and success and most important enjoy the journey!
Do it! I would love to read it and help in anyway!
Capital Mom’s last post … Work
Love this idea!
First hand information that is Canadian is so hard to come by.
Very cool! Can’t wait to see how this unfolds!
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I have a few suggestions for you if you’d like! Just send me a quick email!
Amber, I’ve said it many times. Inspiring!! How incredibly creative and wonderful and perfect for you. I look forward to reading more about your progress on this. Fascinating.
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My husband is a published fiction author. If I may recommend that you also pursue the American and British markets, and that you surround yourself with people in the industry. It is through this you’ll learn the tricks of the trade better and faster than any other method.
i think you are going to be a published author.
i just do.
i’ve got the faith.
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Twitter: Wendy_Irene
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I believe you can do it! Teach us as you go!!
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I think it’s a fabulous idea!!! I don’t have any tips for you, just support and encouragement. Also, I’m having my second baby in 4-6 weeks (hopefully) and would love to help you out if you’re interested (and yes, I’m in Canada).
Good luck and have faith in your idea
Twitter: bitterindigo
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I only worked in audio publishing, and I’m pretty sure my boss was certifiably insane, so any advice I’d have would be mostly along the lines of “wear a helmet and prepare to duck”, which probably isn’t terribly useful for your purposes. I think publishing is kind of tough right now, but I think the market for books like what you’re talking about is always pretty strong. It’s definitely smart to try to get some publishing knowledge under your belt before writing a book, or maybe have a few chapters to send out on spec. I really think this is a book that would sell.
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What about the author that took care of GVO’s daytimer: Frantic Films? I dunno if they publish regular books or not, but worth checking into. And there’s another one, something like Lulu or Juju or Lola or something like that.
Fabulous idea, and I’d be more than happy to provide a story or two, especially since I felt liberated once I met real moms, you know, the ones that admit there are days, ooohhh boy there are days. A lot of my friends with babies when my oldest was born would coo and ooohhh and ahhhh over every little thing their babies did, commenting on how in love they were with them, even at 1:00, 2:15, 2:50, 3:45, and 4:15 a.m. feedings, and I felt a) like a failure for feeling like I was the only person on earth awake at that time and not loving it the umpteenth week in a row, and b) like calling them out for being the complete fibbers they were (trust me, I saw them yelling at them thar 2 year olds when they got mouthfuls of dirt thanks to the sweet little darling children).
Ahhh, good times, yup, peppered with plenty of moments just staring and touching and feeling my heart so full, generally when they were sleeping or at least not screaming for food!
Amber, you can do it…and put the truthful spin on it for all new moms to realize that everything is, well, normal. Especially the part about finally getting your boobs to yourself for 10 minutes, vowing to smite your husband if he even LOOKS at them with the thought of copping a frisky feel! Too much info? Meh, it’s all in good fun now that the babies are both over 10 years old!
I think your idea sounds great! Sorry, I don’t know a thing about publishing but the idea is good. I think a “chat” like book is great because frequently pregnancy/birth/newborn books all have a hidden agenda and it’s important to recognize that some people may make choices which are fine, but others might not agree with. Nothing hurts more than confiding something to a friend and have that friend make harsh judgements on you – examples would be breastfeeding versus bottle feeding, co-sleeping versus cribs, etc.
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Go for it Amber! I live by the dream big philosophy, and it’s guided me just fine through life
I don’t have any tips for you, but I will be happy to hear everything you learn about cracking into the bookish realm. I’d love to follow your footstep someday. Obviously on a different subject 
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Twitter: mommyingaround
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You did the right thing. Writing a book is hard work and takes tons of time, commitment, and dedication so you definitely need to choose something you are passionate about. I think if you had written more about how you chose your initial ideas and had explained more about them, your survey may have given you different results
And may I note that you are smart in choosing this topic too! Sharing stories from others will definitely guarantee you an audience. Everyone loves to read their name or see their picture in other people’s work 
Best of luck with your book project! You may want to look into e-books where you can self-publish in iBooks or something similar. Maybe a gold mine for book writers just like apps are a potential gold mine for developers.
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Well, I think it’s a great idea. I would buy a copy. I’m American, but live in Canada now, and I would have found it really useful to have some information about being a first-time mother in Canada.
I’m afraid I don’t have much publishing advice, but I do have some advice about stories for your book–please look for a few Canadian stories that don’t revolve around the 1-year mat leave. I know most women get it, but there are still a lot of us who don’t, and we’re so underrepresented in most parenting books/discussions as to feel like freaks.
I really look forward to hearing more about the project! I hope you’ll keep us updated. And know that your readers will help in any way they can.
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Twitter: fuoriborgo
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Write a good book, and get yourself a good agent!
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Twitter: ladymrules
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If it’s your passion, do it!
I’ve been so happy seeing books published by bloggy friends over the last few years. It’s inspirational.
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Go for it, Ms. Amber. I think it will be a terrific project.
I think its a great idea. After the poptart was born, I found the personal narratives much more helpful than the more “how-to” books.
Twitter: torturedpotato
says:
Oh good luck! It doesn’t matter what you know at the outset – you know that you love your idea and that will carve the path for you. Well, that love plus hard work and a carving spoon. (I am guessing. I have never published anything except my blog.)
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Twitter: pomomama
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you’ll make it a winner.
i’ve just finished a similar style of book, it’s on depression but is written from the point of view of people with depression rather than a quick fix, how-to book – my advice would be to start reading similar styles, regardless of the subject matter to get a feel on how to handle the info coming your way. you should find a voice for what you want to write about
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LOVE this idea. LOVE that you’re living with passion. And LOVE the thought of something more interesting to read than the 8 million things that could go wrong with your pregnancy.
By the way, I volunteered as a subject for your book because I probably would have been much more prepared had someone told me ahead of time that it would take me several midwife visits, la leche league support by phone and a personal visit to my home, plus 2 visits to a breastfeeding clinic to get the whole breastfeeding thing to work for me.
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