I was going to write about how writing and publishing a book is like having a baby. The parallels are so clear to me. I’m not alone. You can find articles on Forbes, Psychology Today and Scarymommy about it.
But then I read an article by a woman who said writing a book is not like having a baby. I think she’s both right and wrong.
I see many ways the birthing processes have similarities even though they are vastly different.
So, I say yes, writing and publishing a book is like having a baby. It’s just not the same thing.
Writing and publishing a book is like having a baby. It’s just not the same thing. Share on X
THE ARGUMENT
Her article meant no insult to writers and mine means no insult to moms. We run into a problem when it becomes a comparison instead of an illustration.
If we turn it into one is worse than the other, or better, or harder, or easier, we miss the point. Our egos have run amok.
Let’s face it – every birthing story is different, and every book journey is as well.
Labor and birth for some women is a seemingly effortless process. They go into labor and minutes later the baby is born, while others are days long, turn into surgery, and horrifically some die.
It’s true that you can’t die from writing and publishing a book. This was the author of the article’s point of contention.
I say she’s throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
SOME PARALLELS
There are women who seem to get pregnant at the drop of a hat while other’s struggle with infertility and miscarriage.
Likewise, there are people approached with a book deal when they’ve written nothing, write without effort, and sell millions. But there are others whose stories are so painful they require professional help through their writing process, are either rejected countless times or simply decide to self-publish and must do all the work themselves.
Both have easy. Both have hard.
Having a baby is an emotional journey no matter if the journey is easy or hard by someone’s interpretation.
Yes, some women suffer more than others due to hormone issues and other things but all go on an emotional journey. Writing a book and bringing it to the world is an emotional journey also. Yes, some are more emotional than others.
Do you see the parallel?
Yes, having a baby and birthing a book are two different things but the illustration stands.
No, a book is not a person. But a book can change a person’s life. Words are powerful. This is why I write and encourage others to write. Our stories help each other.
There are so many parallels between birthing a child and birthing a book.
FROM IDEA TO REALITY
If you’re a parent, remember back to the time when you first thought about having a child. It was a romantic idea with little understanding of the birthing process. And there’s all that child-raising entails after the baby is born.
You learn as you go, it’s more than you know, and you need a lot of help. The saying is true “It takes a village.”
That’s what’s it like when you begin to think about writing a book. It’s a romantic idea and there’s so much more involved than you imagine.
You learn as you go, it’s more than you know, and you need a lot of help.
Moms and dads get help from medical teams, parent support groups, and books. Yes, books.
There are books to help for when things go right and for when things go wrong.
A writer had to write that. They had to go on that journey of emotions, write it down, and then birth it into the world for the parent to be able to gain the help they need.
The writer didn’t do it alone. They need a village also.
There are countless support people along the writer’s journey from conception of the idea to the birth of the book.
You learn as you go, it's more than you know, and you need a lot of help. Share on X
BIRTHING
The birthing of a book is called a launch. I’m beginning mine now for Because You Matter: How to Take Ownership of Your Life So You Can Really Live.
My due date is September 15, 2019.
I’m just beginning the labor part.
Labor in childbirth is minutes, hours or days long and the parents need to be surrounded with help.
A book launch is a few weeks long and the writer needs to be surrounded with help as well. It’s called a launch team.
Because You Matter is a vision bigger than the book itself. My mission, and yours if you’ll join me, is to birth a movement of value and empowerment.
Birthing a book is only the beginning.
THE MOVEMENT
Books impact lives after they are birthed. After they are purchased and read. This is when the movement begins. The words and ideas need to be birthed in the reader’s heart.
There is an epidemic of trauma and low self-esteem in our world. Movements with variations of _____ lives matter are evidence. So are mass shootings.
Knowing you matter is crucial. But that all by itself isn’t enough. How are you living your life? Is your pain, your past or other people running it? Or are you?
The movement I’m birthing is to convince you that YOUR life matters AND what you do with it is in your power, and matters too.
Trauma says you have no power. Low self-esteem says you have no power. They lie.
You do have power – but you have to own it.
That’s what Because You Matter will show you how to do. It will show you how to reclaim what belongs to you.
Because it’s your life. You only get one of them and how it plays out belongs to you – Because You Matter.
WHAT NEXT
- Join my launch team and help me spread this vision – leave a comment saying “I’m in” below and I’ll contact you.
- Interested but uncertain – leave a comment saying “more info” and I’ll contact you.
- Can’t do the launch and need the book – get a sample here click here.
Super interesting post. I loved your perspective.
Thank you, Kara!
Of course some folks hire surrogates. 😉
Thanks, Katharine – that would be ghostwriting, another parallel.
🙂