A few years ago when I was shopping Colic Solved I had a conversation with an editor at a prominent NY publishing house. We got talking about parenting titles, the book market and what makes certain books move. When I expressed concern that my book might not meet the promise that the title suggested, she immediately dismissed my concern and told me something that I have never forgotten: Books are about fantasy.
When someone goes into a book store they engage in fantasy. In parenting we imagine that we can potty train our toddler in 4 days. In the business section we can can manage an organization with the discipline and efficiency of a Navy SEAL. In the fitness and nutrition aisle we believe that we can look and feel like a million bucks for just $12.95. Fiction, of course, is all about escape.
It’s the same with many of the blogs we visit. The most successful sites offer a promise of that we can do better or what we can become. Complicated topics are confidently summarized in four points. Perhaps we aspire to the ideas that the best writers offer or maybe we want to be a bit like them. And you can’t deny the element of imagination on social platforms where we all represent ourselves in just the right way.
Fantasy, it seems, drives a lot of what we do.
The link to Colic Solved is an Amazon affiliate link. If you’ve got a miserable baby, grab a copy. Because you have no idea how good it can be.