| You are about to embark on the most exciting | | | | time period; if it is targeted to gourmet cooks, |
| enterprise of your life -- publishing a cook book! | | | | the recipes must be of the quality that you would |
| You will soon learn that writing a cook book is | | | | expect to find in a four or five star restaurant; if |
| truly a fun, exciting and challenging project | | | | it is targeted to a specific ethnic group, the |
| — more than you can imagine. Like me, | | | | recipes must be authentic; but if it is targeted to |
| you can publish your own wildly successful cook | | | | the mass market, your cook book must have a |
| book. And if you ask me if I think publishing a | | | | very wide scope with recipes that make any |
| cook book is worth the time and effort? You bet | | | | mouth water, and the ingredients must be readily |
| I do! | | | | available in grocery stores. |
| My cook book, Fit to Cook — Why | | | | Once you have identified who will buy your book, |
| Waist’ Time in the Kitchen? sold over | | | | you can target your marketing plan and your |
| 250,000 copies (with, I might add, less than 10% | | | | book design with your customers in mind, such as: |
| of those sales coming from book stores). | | | | |
| However, I wasted a great deal of time, | | | | · Where do they shop? |
| back-tracking and scrambling in order to sell all | | | | · Where do they play? |
| those books because in the beginning I did not | | | | · What style of book appeals to them? - |
| have a complete grasp of the publishing industry | | | | (research your competition closely). |
| and the process of marketing a cook book. | | | | · What price are they willing to pay? |
| Before you rack your brain figuring out how to | | | | · How many pictures do they want in a cook |
| write a cook book, and more importantly, how to | | | | book? (a lack of photos can kill book sales) |
| publish a cook book, take some time to | | | | · What colors attract them? (spend time in book |
| thoroughly research the why and what you are | | | | stores and libraries, learning which books have the |
| writing about, who you are writing for and when | | | | most appealing appearance) |
| is the best time to launch your book. | | | | · What size of book is currently popular? |
| Whether you want to get published or whether | | | | · What type of book binding increases sales? |
| you want to self publish your cook book, the | | | | · Are they concerned about health or other |
| same basics apply — you need a good | | | | issues? |
| understanding of the publishing industry. Without | | | | · Do they appreciate little stories, jokes, cooking |
| the basics, will you know if your contracts are in | | | | tips or other information in the book? |
| order, that your book is the best it can be and | | | | Sometimes I took two steps forward then had |
| that your cook book marketing plan is actually an | | | | to take one step back, but at other times I took |
| effective strategy? No — but, knowledge | | | | one step forward and two back. Don’t |
| is power. It is crucial that you take enough time | | | | waste time the way that I did — use my |
| to educate yourself about the entire publishing | | | | experiences to your advantage (in Recipe for |
| industry. | | | | Success I have included many resources and |
| Understanding publishing, and the marketing of | | | | templates to help you. Once you have a grasp of |
| books, will clearly help you to identify why you | | | | the basics, you can actually begin to put your |
| are writing a cook book. Perhaps you are writing | | | | cook book publishing and marketing plans into |
| a cook book just to record secret family recipes | | | | action. |
| or to have all of your own favorite recipes in a | | | | Of course, a cook book has special challenges |
| book format; maybe you are writing a cook book | | | | that other books may not have. Your primary |
| for a community or church fundraiser; or best of | | | | goal is to give people unique, delicious recipes that |
| all, your goal is to create a bestseller. Cook books | | | | they can create successfully in their own homes. |
| that are written for a very small group do not | | | | That means that you have to measure exactly |
| require business and marketing plans because you | | | | and your instructions must be clear and simple. |
| already know how many books will be purchased | | | | You will have to test each recipe over and over |
| and who the buyers are. However, if you are | | | | until it turns out perfectly every time, then you |
| planning to publish your own cook book for the | | | | will have to enlist other people to prepare those |
| mass markets, you need to understand that you | | | | recipes independently of you. No matter what |
| have moved beyond author to publisher. That | | | | their comments, you must take the critiques of |
| means that you are now a business person | | | | your testers seriously because if they do not |
| whose primary goal is the creation of a product | | | | achieve great results the chances are very good |
| to sell. There is no point in printing a book that no | | | | that your customers will be unhappy with their |
| one will want to buy. | | | | flops. Finally, it is a good idea to have the |
| When I began writing my own cook book, I | | | | recipes tested by a professional home economist |
| naively thought that it would be a two or three | | | | or other food expert. |
| month process, and that in no time I would have | | | | Depending on the focus of your cook book, you |
| a book on every book store shelf in the country. | | | | might want to include nutrition information such as |
| Ha, ha, ha, chuckle chuckle
Experience is a | | | | calories and fat content. Fortunately, there is now |
| great educator, but who says that you have to | | | | computer software that will do the calculations for |
| learn the hard way? Obviously I had no idea how | | | | you. You must also provide an index at the back |
| to publish a cook book in the beginning! However, | | | | of the book, and thankfully, software is available |
| through this article and via the publishing course | | | | for this chore also. |
| that I and my partners have created, I intend to | | | | Food photography is a special challenge of its own, |
| help you avoid losing time and money. | | | | requiring many tricks to make good look appealing. |
| How did I create such a successful cook book? | | | | A good food photographer is a vital part of your |
| The short answer is research, research, research, | | | | cook book publishing team. Great attention must |
| and then more research. Thankfully I had the | | | | be paid to every minute detail, down to the grains |
| wisdom to do the research before going to print. | | | | of pepper in a dish and to the bubbles on top of a |
| But research can, and did, take years. Primarily | | | | cup of coffee. Each photograph can require four |
| for that reason, I created a self publishing course, | | | | hours of shooting time, if not more, so plan |
| Recipe for Success (Click Here for more | | | | adequate time for the photo shoot. |
| information) as the most valuable publishing | | | | The services of a food stylist are very helpful, |
| research shortcut in existence. | | | | but with research you can do a great deal of the |
| | | | | food styling yourself. Find as many books as you |
| In my experience, after I learned how to write a | | | | can on the subject and practice in advance of the |
| cook book I had to learn all about cook book | | | | photo shoot. I learned simple tricks like: sticking |
| publishing:copyrighttrademarks | | | | sandpaper to the plate to prevent food from |
| ISBN numberscataloging in publication dataprinting | | | | slippingusing whipped icing or shaving creamin place |
| terms like cover stock, bindings, signatures and | | | | of ice cream or whipped creamplacing a shot |
| bluelineslearning how to obtain printing quotes, | | | | glass under a very thickly cut slice of lemon to |
| (crucial in knowing how many books you can | | | | prevent the lemon from absorbing the liquid |
| afford to print)barcodesgraphic design (makes the | | | | underneathusing beef bouillon in place of |
| difference between great sales and no | | | | coffeeusing dish detergent to create |
| sales)editing (cannot, and I mean cannot, be done | | | | bubbles in the coffeeusing a blow torch to |
| by yourself, friends or family)titles and subtitles | | | | make meat appear cookedand the list goes on
|
| (they can make or break a book)title search | | | | Food styling is such fun, but it requires a great |
| (avoid duplicating someone else’s | | | | deal of time, even in advance of the photo shoot. |
| title)distribution | | | | You will need all of your props in place, |
| | | | | such as dishes, cutlery, flowers, table linens, food |
| Next, I had to learn about how to start a | | | | items and backgrounds. Many companies will |
| business: business planincorporationtoll free | | | | happily lend these items to you in exchange for a |
| numberscorporate logos and | | | | credit in the book — this can appear on the |
| identitywebsitesshipping arrangementsaccounting | | | | Cataloging in Publication data page at the beginning |
| principles | | | | of your book. |
| | | | | When your book is ready to go to print, it is time |
| Most importantly I had to become wise about | | | | to put your cook book marketing and publicity |
| marketing: writing a planresearching | | | | campaign into gear: |
| competitionunderstanding target marketsgoing | | | | · Decide on the best time of year to launch your |
| through the difficult but crucial process of | | | | book. September is usually the best month for |
| choosing a book titlediscovering the importance of | | | | Christmas sales, but you also face steep |
| a book’s cover — both the front | | | | competition. Try to think of a time that is |
| cover and the back cover — and how to | | | | appropriate for your book, such as January for a |
| design the coverlooking outside book stores for | | | | healthy eating book, late Spring for a barbecue |
| buyerslearning the importance of | | | | book, Valentine’s Day for a romantic book, |
| publicitydiscovering the essential need for a stellar | | | | Heart and Stroke month for a heart-healthy |
| media kit and how to create oneapproaching the | | | | book, etc. |
| media and the importance of a good publicist | | | | · Produce galley copies. |
| | | | | · Send galleys to appropriate book clubs (look at |
| I learned, and I will share with you, a key point to | | | | their websites to learn their submission |
| consider when you are discovering how to write a | | | | requirements). |
| cook book. Before you even begin to write your | | | | · Research appropriate catalogs and send galleys |
| cook book, you must identify your target market. | | | | to them. |
| Who will actually buy your cook book? It is | | | | · Have your publicist approach magazines that |
| amazing that so many authors think that | | | | review cook books (magazines have long lead |
| everyone will want their book, but that is | | | | times). |
| not so. Not everyone is a target for | | | | · Stay in contact with any corporations and |
| anything! — not even the Bible. | | | | organizations that might use your book for |
| Know who will actually buy your book. | | | | promotions. |
| Interviewing the owners of cook book stores and | | | | · Find a reputable distributor to have your book |
| specialty cooking stores can help you to identify | | | | accepted by the book store trade, as well as |
| cook book trends so that you know what people | | | | other retailers. |
| are actually buying. It is also a good idea to think | | | | · Contact non-book store book sellers. |
| of corporations and organizations that might | | | | When your book is ready to roll off the press, |
| benefit by using your book as a promotional item. | | | | get your publicity campaign into high gear. You can |
| Approach them even before you go to print, | | | | have the best book in the world, but if no one |
| offering them special discounts, opportunities to | | | | knows about it, no one will buy it. The easy part |
| place their information in a special printing of the | | | | is over — publicity and marketing now |
| book, advertising chances to offer your cook | | | | become your life. This part is the most fun, as |
| book as a freebie with the purchase of | | | | you now reap the rewards of all of your efforts. |
| their product — just to name a few cook | | | | Your goal now is to turn your cook book title into |
| book marketing ideas. | | | | a household word. Go for it -- publish your own |
| If your cook book is targeted to busy families, | | | | cook book! |
| the recipes must be easy to prepare in a short | | | | |