How do I write my own cookbook?

The first step is to pray about it. Do you have the time and energy to put into such a large project. Cookbooks are the MOST work for the amount of money they bring. Novels, story books, etc. all can be priced much higher than a cookbook and yet do not take near the amount of work of a GOOD cookbook complete with photos and time tested recipes.

You need to decide what kind of recipes will you be using? Vegetarian, Vegan, Low-fat, Heart healthy, Brain food, for children, etc. How specific will you be? This will decide the whole tenor of your book. Will it be aimed at health conscious people or children. Will you target the average cook or the above average connoisseur?

So, now that you have decided what your book will include, now you need to figure out where will you get your recipes from? All your own? Complied from others, with their permission of course? Or maybe both.

Ok, so you have your idea and your recipes. Now you need to get them from the scraps of paper to a computer. I highly recommend you use a database software program. This allows you to organize the recipes very easily and make sweeping changes to all the recipes at once if you need to add bold titles, etc. An inexpensive program that I use is called Living Cookbook. Click here to get more info on that program. This program allows you to publish your book into Microsoft Word to one of their templates, or make your own template. Basically you enter your ingredients, amounts, directions, tips, servings, etc. and the program creates a cookbook complete with title page,index, table of contents, nutrition information, and recipe chapters. IT IS WONDERFULLY EASY!!! And you can get all the titles at once using paragraph styles, etc. You'll need to learn more about that on your own. Try the office assistance in your word program or www.totaltraining.com for excellent tutorials.

HINT!!! When you enter your information for your recipes, be VERY consistent. If you are using raw sugar, don't say cane juice in one place and raw sugar in the next recipe. Don't use cups for one recipe and for another. Here is a list of things to keep consistent. Decide how you want it to look before you type it all out.

• All ingredients in bold (or not)
• Most extra ingredients in brackets
• Directions should include the use of all ingredients listed and be sure there are no extra ingredients in the directions
• Directions should be easy to understand
• Basic grammar
• Servings, Preparation Times, etc. are filled in
• Where there is a pkg or a can, make sure the size is listed
• In ingredients list decide if you will use the word to or a dash.  I.e.: 1 to 2 tsp salt (or 1-2 tsp salt)
• Consistency in ingredient names, such as:
  • crust (or shell)
  • vanilla extract (or vanilla)
  • B-B-Q (or Bar-B-Q or Barbeque)
  • silken tofu (not Mori-Nu Silken Tofu - which is a brand name, unless you specifically wish do to that.)
  • sea salt (salt)
  • 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, 1 cup, etc.  (not cups)
  • 3 cups, 1 1/2 cups, etc. (not cup)

So, now you have a cookbook in WORD. Now what? You need to get it proof read! And tested. Hand out copies to all your friends and get them to try the recipes. Can they figure out how to follow your directions? The best option is to hire a professional proof reader. Try doing a search online to find one.

Now you have your first draft. Will you be adding pictures? This will be your biggest expense. Food photography is said to be one of the most difficult professions to master. And you'll need a food stylist. Yes, they are the ones that make the food look good. Here are some less expensive ideas. Ask a local chef to help you in exchange for his/her name publicized. Go to a local culinary school and ask the students for help. Offer them several free books/photos once it is complete so they can use the photos in their portfolios. You can do the same with the photographer. Find a photographer who would like to do food photography, but has not had much experience in it and offer them a chance to build their portfolio. You may get the whole job done at very little cost if you get students and semi-professionals to help you with the project. If you decide to do the photo's yourself be sure to learn about photography first. You can waste a lot of food, time, and money! Check out our photography tips.

OK, you have the photos and the second draft (after proof reading). Now you need a cover and decide on the type of binding. Coil binding is more expensive but much more user friendly. The cover design is what will sell your book! The front and rear covers are almost more important than what is inside your book. Look at the latest cookbooks and see what is selling. For sure it will have lots of color, crisp food, and mouth watering appeal. The rear cover should express why people should by your book. What makes it special? What will they gain from it?

Next you have to choose if you will self-publishing or get a publisher (find out more). Publishers help you find proof readers, design your cover (or critic it), find a printer, and hopefully find a distributor for your book. They rarely GUARANTEE any sales. It can be hard to find a publisher to take on a cookbook from an unknown author. Do some prayerful research and submit your book to a few and see what happens. If you find no one will take it you may need to self-publish.

How do you do that? No question it is a lot of work. It involves getting an ISBN, CIP, finding a printer, finding a distributor (unless you plan on selling your book one by one personally), and so on.

Do we publish cookbooks here at Sette Publishing? Not at this time. But we can help you self-publish. For more info on Self-Publishing VS Professional Publisher click here.

Get your press release ready for your book. Click here to learn more.

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Last modified October 7, 2009
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