Literary Mama

Roots of the Magazine

The idea for Literary Mama grew from a motherhood writing class taught by Amy Hudock in Berkeley, California in January 2002. With childcare provided, mothers brought their young children and workshopped their writing. The venture grew into a book group with an online component to enable writers to post, read, and comment on work before face-to-face meetings. These mother writers had tried conventional routes to publish their unconventional works and, after many rejections, decided to publish themselves online. Hudock launched a Website, Books and Babies, whose name came from the notion that books and babies are not compatible. The impetus behind the Website was to demonstrate that combining motherhood and writing can work, and to give women strategies on how to make it work. With the help of Andrea Buchanan, author and Web designer, Books and Babies became Literary Mama in 2003.

The initial audience of Literary Mama was mostly stay-at-home mothers who wrote for supplemental income. The Internet was an ideal forum for Literary Mama because it allowed overtaxed mothers easy access to articles. Instead of months and years elapsing for an item to be printed and distributed, the Internet provides a means for articles to get posted and read quickly. This is one reason that Literary Mama's popularity has grown as its audience has expanded. The Internet allows wide access, and the writers and editors of Literary Mama benefit from this exposure. When Literary Mama began, none of its contributors were published. The site started as a way to showcase work, build a platform and a following, and eventually publish work in hardback. It did just that in 2005 with the publication of Literary Mama: Reading for the Maternally Inclined, a collection of work edited by Buchanan and Hudock. Many individual women who have written for Literary Mama, as well as its editors, have moved into the realm of hardback publication. Most columnists earn book contracts. Literary Mama garners attention for its writers and editors, with the goal of helping these volunteers establish themselves.

Over 20 volunteer editors across the world contribute to Literary Mama. Each position has a duplicate, which ensures that everyone can have backup and keep the magazine running when other obligations take precedence. With this committed volunteer staff, Literary Mama has published books and positioned people to have book contracts. In an effort to help more mother writers, Literary Mama plans to make its site more interactive and equip its editors to teach writing courses. This will further advance motherhood as a literary and academic platform.

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