There’s an Amazon discussion group titled BBA, Books are Not Babies. The group ,mainly discovers and discusses authors who have lost perspective on the whole publishing game, and defend their books from all criticism, claiming their books are their ‘special babies,’ not to be criticized in any way.
Yeah these people can get a bit extreme especially when they start trying to argue with reviewers. In case you were wondering, no, you do not want to be arguing with reviewers.
However there are some significant similarities between producing a book and producing a child.
It can take months, or even years, to complete a book. During that time you build and grow your germ of an idea until it is
ready for the real world. When it comes time to reveal that book to the world you polish up the outside until it’s slick and shiny and just plain pretty. Same as dressing your child in their very best to meet the family.
Each time after I finished my first books I felt a vague unease, as if everything was a let down. Similar, I realized, to postpartum depression. I had lived and breathed that book for months and now…it was done. There was nothing more I could do with the book and it seemed there was nothing else I really wanted to do.
This is when some writers turn to reading obsessively, catching up on books they missed while immersing themselves in their own book. Some are able to immediately
turn to a new story, particularly if they’re under a time crunch. I tend to garden and usually come out of my stupor to look around a the piles of piles of who knows what that at one time pretended to be tables in my work area.
There’s nothing wrong with thinking of your book as your ‘baby’ as long as you don’t then decide to protect that baby from the cold cruel world. Do the best you can with writing, with editing, then slap that best dress in the closet on as a cover and send it off to prom. You have a lot more where that one came from!
Plus we have a LOT more great blogs in this hop. Check them out, then do the Rafflecopter magic.
http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=259911 Winner gets a Kindle, and a LOAD of wonderful books. Second and Third prizes are gift cards. And if you drop in on the Facebook group you’ll find discussions and recipes and contests all weekend. Check it out here: a Rafflecopter giveaway//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
Mona Karel Author 
Great looking book. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello Mona, what an inspirational post. I loved it. It must be so hard to be a writer. Thank you
Happy Memorial Day weekend!
LikeLike
The comparisons are right on point. Only when a baby is shown off, no matter how ugly or pretty, he or she is loved. Thank you so much for helping to put this blog hop together. Happy Labor Day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My favorite labor of love was quiltting my kids matching quilts
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing ..but oh am I having a hard time participating in the blog hop. I’m just getting nowhere with it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well said! I baby my projects like anything until it’s time for them to make their way in the big wide world. And then I noodle around until the next idea takes hold.
Happy Labor Day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Divas of Romance Join Labors of Love Hop #LOLHop #giveaway #romance | Jami Gray's Blog
Mona, Great Advice!! I have a problem of letting go of my babies. I always seem to feel they’re not quite perfect.
Thank you for helping to put this blog hop together!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh so true, except instead of twelve plus hours of labor, we’re looking at months and months. In the end it’s all worth it! Happy Labor Day, Mona and thank you for taking part in the hop!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great advice! Thanks for being part of the hop!
LikeLike
Mona, you’ve said it all. When I write The End and cry, for two days I pace the house after sending the manni to my publisher and then I start a new book. Creative juices flow. At eighty four I have a lot of ideas in my head and still care for my granddaughter and help out my teacher daughter busy with her life. And the the hubs needs loving care so off I go.
2 5star reviews for my latest book, When Double becomes Single. YIPPEE!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I generally feel a bit drained but most of the time while it’s with the editor I’m thinking “what if…” and off the brain goes again. Old age is a gift I intend to cherish
LikeLike