Want to Write a Book but Not Sure Where To Start

[ChrUnschoolingmama]

This may sound silly but I'm a novice so I have to ask...

I'd like to write a book for everyone on my homebirth experience (with photos and all ) and I'm not sure where to start. I want to do this for a number of reasons. One is that while preparing for my homebirth, there just wasn't a whole lot out there that I could share with my children to prepare them for the birth. Plus, the few books I saw (for kids) didn't include any people of color and I want to put it out there that we love and have homebirths too.

Also, after having my homebirth, people that would never really seek to learn about this topic have been totally enlightened and touched. There are other reasons including I'm just plain proud to have done it.

Should I try to find a publisher or self publish? Do I just write it and design it or wait till I'm in touch with someone from a publishing company and do it then?

I know I have more questions but baby brain has set in...:

Thanks in advance for any advice...

[wordmommy]

I'd write it first and spend a lot of time making sure that the prose was really strong and tight. Then I'd submit the manuscript to agents and editors. Don't worry about "designing" the book unless you want to self-publish; "real" publishing companies have designers who will do that for you.

Make sure that you have a good cover letter that describes the process and highlights that you have photos when you send the manuscript out.

HTH!!

[ChrUnschoolingmama]

Thanks a lot. This is very helpful!

[homeschoolingmama]

When you send your book to a publisher it takes away pretty much ALL of your control. I am researching self-publishing at the moment. When sent to a publishing company they do all of the work but you don't have much say in it. They can choose the title and change yours, they choose the illustrator, they choose when and where to market it, they can take out pages or put some in. The part that I didn't like was that they can decide when to take it off the shelves and stick it on sale tables. I guess for me I want more of the control. I believe I am going to use Print-on-Demand. It seems to make more sense for my family. It would be very hard to write a book and take pride in it when a publishing company makes changes as they see fit. I am sure there are some exceptions though too. Plus..with self-publishing you make more off of each book that you sell. You just have to be good with getting it out there and noticed. If there is a demand for your book than it should sell. Good luck with everything!!