|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Cookbook Publishing - The Basic Ingredients and the Secrets to Success
You are about to embark on the most exciting enterprise of your life -- publishing a cook book! You will soon learn that writing a cook book is truly a fun, exciting and challenging project - more than you can imagine. Like me, you can publish your own wildly successful cook book. And if you ask me if I think publishing a cook book is worth the time and effort? You bet I do! My cook book, Fit to Cook - Why 'Waist' Time in the Kitchen? sold over 250,000 copies (with, I might add, less than 10% of those sales coming from book stores). However, I wasted a great deal of time, back-tracking and scrambling in order to sell all those books because in the beginning I did not have a complete grasp of the publishing industry and the process of marketing a cook book. Before you rack your brain figuring out how to write a cook book, and more importantly, how to publish a cook book, take some time to thoroughly research the why and what you are writing about, who you are writing for and when is the best time to launch your book. Whether you want to get published or whether you want to self publish your cook book, the same basics apply - you need a good understanding of the publishing industry. Without the basics, will you know if your contracts are in order, that your book is the best it can be and that your cook book marketing plan is actually an effective strategy? No - but, knowledge is power. It is crucial that you take enough time to educate yourself about the entire publishing industry. Understanding publishing, and the marketing of books, will clearly help you to identify why you are writing a cook book. Perhaps you are writing a cook book just to record secret family recipes or to have all of your own favorite recipes in a book format; maybe you are writing a cook book for a community or church fundraiser; or best of all, your goal is to create a bestseller. Cook books that are written for a very small group do not require business and marketing plans because you already know how many books will be purchased and who the buyers are. However, if you are planning to publish your own cook book for the mass markets, you need to understand that you have moved beyond author to publisher. That means that you are now a business person whose primary goal is the creation of a product to sell. There is no point in printing a book that no one will want to buy. When I began writing my own cook book, I naively thought that it would be a two or three month process, and that in no time I would have a book on every book store shelf in the country. Ha, ha, ha, chuckle chuckle? Experience is a great educator, but who says that you have to learn the hard way? Obviously I had no idea how to publish a cook book in the beginning! However, through this article and via the publishing course that I and my partners have created, I intend to help you avoid losing time and money. How did I create such a successful cook book? The short answer is research, research, research, and then more research. Thankfully I had the wisdom to do the research before going to print. But research can, and did, take years. In my experience, after I learned how to write a cook book I had to learn all about cook book publishing: copyright trademarks ISBN numbers cataloging in publication data printing terms like cover stock, bindings, signatures and bluelines learning how to obtain printing quotes, (crucial in knowing how many books you can afford to print) barcodes graphic design (makes the difference between great sales and no sales) editing (cannot, and I mean cannot, be done by yourself, friends or family) titles and subtitles (they can make or break a book) title search (avoid duplicating someone else's title) distribution Next, I had to learn about how to start a business: business plan incorporation toll free numbers corporate logos and identity websites shipping arrangements accounting principles Most importantly I had to become wise about marketing: writing a plan researching competition understanding target markets going through the difficult but crucial process of choosing a book title discovering the importance of a book's cover - both the front cover and the back cover - and how to design the cover looking outside book stores for buyers learning the importance of publicity discovering the essential need for a stellar media kit and how to create one approaching the media and the importance of a good publicist I learned, and I will share with you, a key point to consider when you are discovering how to write a cook book. Before you even begin to write your cook book, you must identify your target market. Who will actually buy your cook book? It is amazing that so many authors think that "everyone" will want their book, but that is not so. Not "everyone" is a target for anything! - not even the Bible. Know who will actually buy your book. Interviewing the owners of cook book stores and specialty cooking stores can help you to identify cook book trends so that you know what people are actually buying. It is also a good idea to think of corporations and organizations that might benefit by using your book as a promotional item. Approach them even before you go to print, offering them special discounts, opportunities to place their information in a special printing of the book, advertising chances to offer your cook book as a "freebie" with the purchase of their product - just to name a few cook book marketing ideas. If your cook book is targeted to busy families, the recipes must be easy to prepare in a short time period; if it is targeted to gourmet cooks, the recipes must be of the quality that you would expect to find in a four or five star restaurant; if it is targeted to a specific ethnic group, the recipes must be authentic; but if it is targeted to the mass market, your cook book must have a very wide scope with recipes that make any mouth water, and the ingredients must be readily available in grocery stores. Once you have identified who will buy your book, you can target your marketing plan and your book design with your customers in mind, such as: · Where do they shop? · Where do they play? · What style of book appeals to them? - (research your competition closely). · What price are they willing to pay? · How many pictures do they want in a cook book? (a lack of photos can kill book sales) · What colors attract them? (spend time in book stores and libraries, learning which books have the most appealing appearance) · What size of book is currently popular? · What type of book binding increases sales? · Are they concerned about health or other issues? · Do they appreciate little stories, jokes, cooking tips or other information in the book? Sometimes I took two steps forward then had to take one step back, but at other times I took one step forward and two back. Don't waste time the way that I did - use my experiences to your advantage. Once you have a grasp of the basics, you can actually begin to put your cook book publishing and marketing plans into action. Of course, a cook book has special challenges that other books may not have. Your primary goal is to give people unique, delicious recipes that they can create successfully in their own homes. That means that you have to measure exactly and your instructions must be clear and simple. You will have to test each recipe over and over until it turns out perfectly every time, then you will have to enlist other people to prepare those recipes independently of you. No matter what their comments, you must take the critiques of your testers seriously because if they do not achieve great results the chances are very good that your customers will be unhappy with their "flops". Finally, it is a good idea to have the recipes tested by a professional home economist or other food expert. Depending on the focus of your cook book, you might want to include nutrition information such as calories and fat content. Fortunately, there is now computer software that will do the calculations for you. You must also provide an index at the back of the book, and thankfully, software is available for this chore also. Food photography is a special challenge of its own, requiring many tricks to make good look appealing. A good food photographer is a vital part of your cook book publishing team. Great attention must be paid to every minute detail, down to the grains of pepper in a dish and to the bubbles on top of a cup of coffee. Each photograph can require four hours of shooting time, if not more, so plan adequate time for the photo shoot. The services of a food stylist are very helpful, but with research you can do a great deal of the food styling yourself. Find as many books as you can on the subject and practice in advance of the photo shoot. I learned simple tricks like: sticking sandpaper to the plate to prevent food from slipping using whipped icing or shaving cream in place of ice cream or whipped cream placing a shot glass under a very thickly cut slice of lemon to prevent the lemon from absorbing the liquid underneath using beef bouillon in place of "coffee" using dish detergent to create bubbles in the "coffee" using a blow torch to make meat appear cooked and the list goes on? Food styling is such fun, but it requires a great deal of time, even in advance of the photo shoot. You will need all of your "props" in place, such as dishes, cutlery, flowers, table linens, food items and backgrounds. Many companies will happily lend these items to you in exchange for a credit in the book - this can appear on the Cataloging in Publication data page at the beginning of your book. When your book is ready to go to print, it is time to put your cook book marketing and publicity campaign into gear: · Decide on the best time of year to launch your book. September is usually the best month for Christmas sales, but you also face steep competition. Try to think of a time that is appropriate for your book, such as January for a healthy eating book, late Spring for a barbecue book, Valentine's Day for a romantic book, Heart and Stroke month for a heart-healthy book, etc. · Produce galley copies. · Send galleys to appropriate book clubs (look at their websites to learn their submission requirements). · Research appropriate catalogs and send galleys to them. · Have your publicist approach magazines that review cook books (magazines have long lead times). · Stay in contact with any corporations and organizations that might use your book for promotions. · Find a reputable distributor to have your book accepted by the book store trade, as well as other retailers. · Contact non-book store book sellers. When your book is ready to roll off the press, get your publicity campaign into high gear. You can have the best book in the world, but if no one knows about it, no one will buy it. The easy part is over - publicity and marketing now become your life. This part is the most fun, as you now reap the rewards of all of your efforts. Your goal now is to turn your cook book title into a household word. Go for it -- publish your own cook book! Ink Tree Ltd. helps authors publish, market and sell books. If you are considering publishing a cookbook, we will help you make it a success. http://www.inktreemarketing.com/PublishaCookbook.htm
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Mrs. Butters' Secret Key Lime Pie Recipe "Frozen Key Lime Pie recipe?" Fern Butters asked. "Child, I'll take that secret with me to the grave. What Wise Guys Eat When I lived in the North End of Boston, in the nineteen eighties and nineties, I hung around a neighborhood bar from time to time, called The Corner Café. It was located on Prince Street near the corner of Salem Street. Toasted Spiced Walnuts You can trust me that I make sure to take care to have as EnergyRich? a vacation as possible (why come back from vacation feeling bloated, a few pounds heavier, experiencing heartburn etc, right?) and wanted to share one of my favorite recipes to help make that happen!First you need to be ready to .. Parmesan Crusted Sole with Lemon Beurre Blanc Sole/flounder is a refreshing sweet and mild flavored fish which allows it to be used in a variety of ways. With its long thin flesh, sole is often stuffed or used in other extravagant plate presentations. Gyokuro Cheesecake Recipe This Gyokuro cheesecake makes an elegant dessert. Perfect for any occasion, and pretty easy to make. Going Halfway Around the World: How to Make German Cookies I absolutely loved experimenting with foreign recipes, especially dessert recipes, when I was in high school. One of my favorite ones to make is German Cookies. Weird Foods Of The World - Chinese I have eaten some weird and wonderful dishes around the world but some of the more interesting concoctions have been served up to me in China.A particularly interesting delicacy I ate some years ago consisted of Cow's bronchial tubes - the airways between the cow's lungs and windpipe (gruesome!) in a light white wine sauce. Summer Salads Green vegetables are the food most missing in modern diets. Nutritionally, greens are very high in calcium (120 -190 mg per cup!) They're also high in magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and they are a power house for Vitamin A, C, E and K. Chinese Dumplings on Chinese New Year One of my fondest childhood memories is the celebrations around Chinese New Year. This was a time of great excitement and joy, families came together, children were given gifts, and everyone enjoyed traditional New Year's foods. 10 Tips for Fixing Heart Healthy Recipes Do you remember Grandma's apple cobbler? Is spaghetti one of your favorite meals? You can still eat these things, but new versions of them, if you know how to swap ingredients. Here are 10 tips for fixing heart healthy recipes. How to Prepare the Perfect Garlic Lemon Chicken If you want to prepare the perfect garlic lemon chicken then you should try this recipe. This is one of the easiest and best recipes around for creating delicious garlic lemon chicken. Mouth Watering Memphis Style Pork Ribs The Memphis Style pork rib is one of the most popular and mouth watering styles of rib preparation. One of the reasons for the popularity with the Memphis Style rib is its unique blend of barbeque tradition and flavorful seasonings. Low Carb Recipes Actually Taste Great! Many people are beginning diets that encourage low carb recipes these days. But, what are low carb recipes? What things can and cannot be made into a low carb recipe? Following your diets strict guidelines is important, but using the Internet as a tool will help you. Ground Turkey Recipes Our family has recently made the switch from ground beef toground turkey. With ground beef more than $2 a pound, we hadbasically quit eating hamburger for quite some time. Juniors Cheesecake Juniors cheesecake restaurant was founded in 1950 by Harry Rosen, and named Juniors after his two sons, Walter and Marvin. Harry and Eigel Peterson, the master baker, hit upon the secret formula for Juniors cheesecake recipe and it has been part of the Rosen family for three generations. Spanish Food - How To Make Spicy Gazpacho Soup. Home-made soups are so good for you - all that nourishing stock and chock-a-block full of vitamins and minerals.But . The Secret To Making Perfect Chili Fit For A King Every autumn my thoughts turn to making chili. The garden is about done. Tasty Rice Pudding 1 cup - uncooked rice1 teaspoon - vanillaa pinch of salt ( if desire)3 sticks - cinnamon1/3 cup - sugar2 1/2 cups water12 0z. - evaporated milkBring water to boil for at least 7 minutes with cinnamon sticks, stir in rice. Fast Food at Home Kids have to eat. Three meals a day, every day. Paella, The Most Famous Spanish Dish First of all, paella is not exactly the dish but the recipient this typical plate is cooked in. We all have seen the paella pan before when visiting Spain or browsing the net for paella recipesThe typical paella a la valenciana was "invented" in a small village called El Perelló close to the city of Valencia.
|
 |
 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||||
| Pendle Writers .com © 2006 | |||||
