A group of writers are challenging the notion that becoming a parent is the key to a fulfilling and happy existence in a bold new anthology of essays, which explores each contributor’s conscious decision to forgo having children.

Selfish, Shallow, and Self-Absorbed: Sixteen Writers on the Decision Not to Have Kids was edited by Los Angeles-based author Meghan Daum, 45, who curated the essays of 16 writers, including Lionel Shriver, Sigrid Nunez, Kate Christensen, Elliott Holt, Geoff Dyer and Tim Kreider, for her new book, which is slated for release on Tuesday.

But the anthology doesn't take jabs at those who've decided to have children, rather it takes a look at how others have come to the decision that parenthood is not for them in a culture that worships parenthood.

Being honest: Meghan Daum edited 16 writers' essays about their decision to forgo having children in her new book Selfish, Shallow, and Self-Absorbed: Sixteen Writers on the Decision Not to Have Kids

Just the two of us: Ms Daum, who doesn't have children, posed for this selfie with her husband

'These essays have so many people talking about the ways that they do have relationships with kids, nieces or nephews or kids that they mentor,' Ms Daum told Flavorwire.

She added: 'You’ve heard the cliché "it takes a village", but there are so many ways of being a responsible villager.'

The writers who contributed to the book candidly explained about how they came to the decision to live a child-free existence without judgement - which is a refreshing take on a unnecessarily controversial choice that is often met with confusion and criticism.

For her book, Ms Daum sought out the perspective of both men and women, although a majority of the essays in the collection are from female writers.

'I think we could be wary of the assumption that parenthood is the only way to be an adult,' Ms Daum told the outlet, noting that 'it's less taboo to say, "I'm a shallow person" than to say that this isn't for me.'

Major debut: Ms Daum's new collection of essays will be published on Tuesday

While most conversations about parenting revolve around how women 'can have it all,' this book suggests that maybe they don't want to - or even need to.

Ms Daum first thought about sharing the stories of childless adults from a variety of professions and walks of life, but she chose to curate her book with essays from writers because of their ability to 'interpret the world' in a responsible way.

Most of the writers featured in the anthology are over the age of 30, Ms Daum said she 'did not have an age cutoff', but noted that it would be difficult to have someone in her twenties make a public declaration that she would never have children.

Ms Daum wrote about her own choice not to have children in an essay titled Difference Maker, which appeared The Unspeakable: And Other Subjects of Discussion, her collection of persona essays that was published last year.

'After more than a decade of being told that I’d wake up one morning at age 30 or 33 -or, God forbid, 40 - to the ear-splitting peals of my biological clock, I would still look at a woman pushing a stroller and feel no envy at all, only relief that I wasn’t her,' she recalled in Difference Maker.

Throughout the essay, Ms Daum recounted getting pregnant, miscarrying the baby and subsequently deciding that she didn't want to be a mother.

In her new book, Ms Daum doesn't touch upon her own life with children beyond the introduction.

'I did feel that I had said all I needed to say,' she told Flavorwire about her previous work.