So I’ve written a book. Or at least quite a bit of it. It’s called … drumroll please …
WARRIOR MOMS: Your Guide to Battling Back from Postpartum Depression & Related Illnesses (In Plain Mama English)
I have an awesome literary agent. I have publishers looking at it. But I’ve failed to do one very important thing, duh, and that is to gauge your interest in buying it.
You see, the publishers really like my book proposal (wahoo!) but they are convinced that there is NOT, I repeat NOT, a market for books about antenatal and postpartum depression and anxiety. This is because previous books have, sadly, not sold very well. They are uncertain whether pregnant and new mothers will buy a plain English guide to fighting back and recovering from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. They’re not sure anyone needs a book like Warrior Moms.
What do you think? Is that true?
Here’s what you could expect from Warrior Moms:
- It will feature many moms who have been there, perhaps including you, as I will be obtaining permission from many of you to share parts of your story (either with your name or anonymously).
- It comes from the perspective of thousands of moms who’ve been there, like a girl-to-girl guide.
- It’s neither dire nor filled with psychiatry stuff, words and acronyms you don’t understand. It’s Plain Mama English all the way.
- It’s not focused on one individual’s life story, a person to whom you may or may not feel a connection.
- It’s comprehensive. It’s not focused on only one perinatal mood or anxiety disorder but includes them ALL, and all the forms of experiences and symptoms that come with them, so that no one is left out. (PPD, PPA, PPOCD, postpartum psychosis, postpartum PTSD, post-adoption depression, antenatal depression and anxiety, D-MER, and depression after perinatal loss)
- It’s warm and conversational, as if we were sitting on the couch together.
- It’s soft cover, and small enough to fit in your purse if you don’t want people to know you are reading it. We also hope to have it available as an e-book for you techies.
- It’s SHORT and easily-digestible, because we all know that pregnant and new moms don’t have time to read hundreds of pages!!
- It will offer a lot of cool related interactive features on the web so that we can all connect with each other even more intimately.
- It will offer great new resources and tips you haven’t seen in other books.
Here are just a few of the chapters …
6 getting to the light the recovery process
7 dealing with everyone else family, friends, docs, clergy & unsupportive trolls
8 proof that I’ll really be me again the warrior moms survivor team
So. Maybe the publishers are right that women don’t need PPD books. Maybe you don’t need Warrior Moms or want it. I know there are other books out there, in fact I wholeheartedly support and endorse them as always. But if you are interested in one from me, in the style you’ve come to know here at Postpartum Progress, I need to hear from you.
Sign up via this link to show you are interested in Warrior Moms. Click on it and provide your name and email and you are all set.
Oh, and you are not in any way obligatedto act in the future and purchase the book if you add your name to the list. We are just doing some market research here. The list will be completely private and not shared with anyone else.
It’s time to delurk friends, seriously and let me know what you think. If you think the book could help you or someone else and you’d like it to be available as a resource, please say so. It won’t be published without you.
Of COURSE we need a book like this! I am really excited about this!
YES, YES, AND YES. A book by you? About all that? YES. Letting them know now.
YES. HELL YES.
You know what I wanted most? A book that had something about psychosis in plain momma English that wasn't all fear-mongering about it.
I would have absolutely purchased something like this when I was dealing with my own PPD. I had trouble finding books I could relate too, which is likely why they say PPD books don't sell well. This sounds like something PPD mamas can read, understand and use to start healing.
YES! Mom's need this book. I am the mother of 4…soon to be 5 and have struggled through PPD after 2 of my births. I'm also a doula and in the process of becoming a midwife—there NEEDS to be resources to point other moms to—and sadly the prospects that I know of are not that great. So I vote YES mom's need this book and care providers need this book!
Yes!!!!!
The worst part, for me, of my experience was feeling alone. If your book features moms who have been there & experienced it, telling their stories in plain English, I believe reading that would help women who feel alone the way I did. Also? A book with a conversational tone, rather than scary technical books, sounds great.
heck yeah. I wish I would have known about PPD the first time around. I am always in search of books about PPD and they are so hard to find.
Yes, and then send one back in time to when I had PPD and went a little crazy please!
I would have loved to have a book like this when I was struggling with PPD. I tried reading Brooke Shields' book "down came the rain", but in the mids of my PPD it was too painful for me and once I was out of the woods it brought me back to a very painful place so I never finished it. I think it would be a great resource, especially to let women know there is light at the end of the tunnel and you will get better!!!
THIS sounds wonderful! I wholeheartedly support you and this book. I would buy and buy for friends too. Anything we can do to educate, remove the stigmas and get moms help is of the utmost importance in my book. LOVE IT!
I would absolutely read this. I would also buy a copy for EVERY NEW MOM I know.
Oh man, within a week of my son being born, I was on Amazon searching for books that would help me deal with what I was feeling. I bought them all, and bookmarked the pages that comforted me and gave me hope, and read them over and over! We need more!!
I would be interested. The book "Beyond the Blues" really helped me a lot.(Actually, more than my first psychologist who was a man and didn't seem to understand that I was not a chronic depression case.) It helps because at first you have no clue what is happening to you and just feel crazy but books help to explain to you, and others, what is going on and that you can't control it. I liked the book so much I gave a copy to the hospital I delivered at for the nurses and other patients and to the psych hospital I was treated at. The nurses that I talked to about PPD at the hospital think that the number of cases is on the rise as women are waiting until they are older and settled into a comfortable lifestyle. There is some disagreement but I think all of the fake hormones that they are so eager to use may also be a cause of the increase. Overall, I think it would be great and if I liked it I would want to get a copy to give to the hospital for others who may need it.
Yes please! I will buy it right now!!! I have bought at least 3 books on PPD they were either too dark and painful to read or really "medical" and preachy. I need a girlfriend to talk to about PPD!
ZOMG yes yes YES!!!!
I would buy it in a heartbeat!
Yes! I would love to have a book like this. In the early days, it was so hard to find someone who knew how I felt and didn't make me feel like I was crazy. This book could be a godsend to so many women.
Yes, can't get it into my hands fast enough! Get it out alReaDY!!! I
No more psychobabble please! Up with PLAIN MAMA ENGLISH!
I am 32 weeks right now, and I am praying each day that I do not have to suffer. I would buy this book whether or not I have to face the monster. It is such good information to have for more pregnancies and friends and family. Can't wait!
Jenna
momofmanyhats.blogspot.com
I have run into this type of objection from publishers re: "snall market" or "niche" books (e.g. books that would help a large percentage of women vs. every woman). In your book proposal, did you analyze the existing titles and show how your book would be different (and more marketable) from the existing titles? You may need to do that to make your case. Going with a publisher who specializes in this type of book or considering e-book publishing may be other routes to consider. I hope this helps. xo
PS That should be "small," not "snall." 😉
Yes, there absolutely needs to be a book by you. Looking up everything on Amazon, there just isn't anything that has been published that fits the women (and their loved ones)who have experienced the various forms of PPD. The celebrity stories are fine, but ultimately pretty narrow in focus. And the others out there are fairly dry and unhelpful. If your book continues to be as well-written as the rest we have seen from you, I will be interested in it for myself and for anyone I know who could be helped.
And, for what its worth, I think much of the problem with the publishing company's thoughts on "lack of interest" has more to do with the archaic methods that it takes to bring a book to publication. Take a look at your blog and how alive it is, how many people come here for help, and how it can mold itself to what is needed dynamically. A published book from you will have an important and valid place, but it is the electronic medium that will drive people to your book and the only thing that will keep print media alive at all. I think you've got an excellent opportunity to fit into both genres.
The marketplace absolutely needs another book about PPD. The only I was able to find was This is Not What I Expected and while it helped, it wasn't what I was really looking for.
If you are interested, I'd love to share my experiences dealing with PPD after infertility for possible inclusion in your book. There is so much shame involved in having PPD after infertility that I think a lot of women could benefit from reading about others with the same problem.
Yes there's a need. Too many books telling women how to do motherhood not enough books telling how it can be. That it can be tough, boring, terrifying etc
As well as wonderful, obviously! 😉
I am going to offer a contrary opinion here.
I bought "The Pregnancy and Postpartum Anxiety Workbook" when I was diagnosed with PPA and PPOCD. Though it seems that the book helped many, it was triggering for me and ended up sending me into a frenzy of anxiety.
I would be interested in a book that I knew was either free of triggers or that had the triggers clearly marked (much like you mark the triggering posts here). I would likely NOT purchase another book on this topic unless I knew that it would not be triggering.
This sounds awesome! I think a chapter, or even a couple of pages to show family members would help. So many people don't understand mental illness, and it's really hard for the sufferer to explain. So, something she could shove under her husband's nose would help.
I think if you feature stories in in of recovery even moms who recovered would want to buy it. I would love to send my story in!
YES! YES! YES! I would buy this book on a heartbeat! I looked for books when I was in the throws of PPD. The second time I went through it I bought Brooke Sheilds book and although I REALLY did not want to read it at times, I did read it and it made me feel…..less alone! Your book would help countless women going through this….I can't believe the publishers feel there is no market!!! UNREAL!I will buy this book! I say YES!
Signed up but haven't received the confirmation email. Please count me in as YES. I hope this comes to pass. xo
I haven't had ppd so I'm not speaking from experience, but on facebook there was a discussion and it seems the problem is most moms suffering ppd won't buy the book because they won't know they need to, until possibly after the fact. If the book was renamed to baby blues, or tired after baby, or something along that line, mom's might be more apt to pick it up and figure it out. Good luck.
YES YES YES!
We like plain Mama English, and you are the perfect fit to articulate that!
Yes! Absolutely 🙂
Wonderful book idea! I like to buy a second gift for baby showers to give mom something as well as the baby. I'd buy this book and include a nice note for the mom-to-be saying I hope she never needs it but that there are people who will understand and support her if she does.
Yes, there is! And there should be a book list pamphlet given out at hospitals, OB/GYN offices and therapist offices. Sometimes people don't know to look for the books they might need/appreciate.
This book is a fantastic idea. Last year, I had my 2nd baby and I'm working through Postpartum Psychosis still. I've come a long way and was thrilled to find this site last night. Had I only found it last year when I was at my lowest point! A book like this would be a blessing to any mom going through any kind of post/pre partum depression.