10 Things No One Tells You About Writing and Publishing a Cookbook

Writing a cookbook is a dream for many food creators, but chances are, even if you know someone who’s written a cookbook, they may forget what writing and selling a cookbook is like. The curse of knowledge truly means that once you’ve learned something, you can’t unlearn it. So, well-meaning friends and colleagues may not think to mention some key parts of the process or fully explain their importance.

Everyone’s book writing career will look different, but there are some key factors that are universal. Even if your path doesn’t include the traditional publishing route, it’s handy to know what it includes, so you can know why an alternate option may be a better fit.

Here are 10 things no one tells you about writing and selling a cookbook, so you can start your journey with a clearer picture of what you’re stepping into.

1. You need a book proposal aka a business plan, and there’s no one way to create it.

It all begins with the book proposal, not writing your entire cookbook first. The book proposal is the business plan you’ll show agents and publishers that there’s a need for your cookbook in the marketplace. 

Besides the core content (i.e. title page, proposal contents, overview, author bio, target markets, promotional plan, competitive titles, table of contents, chapter summaries, sample chapter with 6-10 recipes, and a design vision, you have one), book proposals can be mapped out in a number of ways. 

I prefer to use the above template as a guide because it creates less confusion and is a pretty standard format. Some folks prefer more condensed versions, but I’ve found that trying to cram so much into a single section can cause more confusion for writers than segmenting sections. 

Clients will come to me with an idea of what their book is about and want to dive right into writing the “fun parts”—the overview, sample chapter and vision, but these are the last sections you’ll dig into.

Focus on the competitive titles, target markets/ audience and promotional plan, and the rest will come. 

Because let’s be honest: The world has enough cookbooks. Prove readers would be missing something in their lives without your work. Show you’re an authority in the space, and you not only understand how your book will fill a gap in the market, but you know how to reach the readers who need you the most.

Some people will design their book proposals, while others stick to strictly text. A handful of writing coaches are adamant that a proposal should look a certain way, but books have been sold with proposals that range in design and complexity, so take a breath. 

Personally, I feel like including a vision board of similar books you love or how you imagine the photography to be can be spectacular information for an agent or publisher. You want to create room for the person on the other side of the table to bring their talents to the project, too. 

It’s honestly up to you and how you feel led, but just because it starts one way, doesn’t mean it’ll stay that way. As you submit to agents and/or publishers, you’ll likely be given notes or suggestions on how to tweak certain sections. Just remember, it’s all a part of the process, and your book (and proposal) won’t be for everyone, and that’s just fine.

2. Small platforms are the top reason book proposals are rejected, but it’s also an excuse.

Agents and publishers are pretty vocal about cookbook authors (and non-fiction folks, in general) needing to prove they can sell loads of copies of their book on their own. Enter the author platform. Your platform is how you reach people and the level of engagement you have from those people. 

It’s not just social media numbers, but outlets where you’ve been featured and even influential people in your circle who’ll promote your book when it comes out. But there’s no hard and fast rule on what makes a platform “big enough”. There are micro-influencers with less than 6,000 Instagram followers who’ve landed cookbook deals. So do what you can, but remember, that engagement and interest in your story outweighs 100,000 mediocre followers.

Your platform also consists of what media and industry relationships you have, so lean into your connections—you don’t have to do this alone, and the publishing world is pretty small. Reach out to people who you admire and tell them you’re working on a book proposal. You never know what could lead to a key introduction, like an agent or publisher.

Important note: Stay away from “I will” statements in your promotional plan if you’re not already doing that thing. A habit a lot of food creators get into when writing this section, is talking about all the cool things they’ll do when the book comes out—sending out a weekly newsletter, writing articles for the likes of Food52—but they haven’t sent out a newsletter in 13 months and don’t currently pitch publications now. 

Start the party now. It’s the only way to prove to agents and publishers you’ll be able to properly market the book once it’s out. You want them to see the momentum you’re creating for yourself, so they know you’re the right partner for their next project.

3. Book proposals can take 2 months or even a year to write. 

When you first go down the “how to write a book proposal” rabbit hole, you want some concrete answers, including how long it’s going to take you to write this freaking thing. 

But no one can really say. Because researching competitive titles could take you 3 weeks to really hone in on the right titles, only to realize a month later you forgot to include a pretty major competitor. You could have the perfect sample chapter ready to wake up one morning with a deep instinct that it’s completely wrong.

It took David Lebovitz eight months to complete his book proposal for My Paris Kitchen. And that’s after he made the New York Times bestseller list.

While it seems wild for a business plan to take so long, this part of the process will save you time later on. Most food creators are in a rush to finish a proposal, find an agent and get a book deal, but the point isn’t to just finish a book proposal.

The point is, you have a dream of writing a cookbook, and it matters. 

You don’t want to sit on your idea for years, but sometimes, it’s worth taking your time to get to something you’re really proud of.

4. Finding an agent is like dating, and you shouldn’t settle.

Once you have your book proposal together, you need to get it to an agent. But where do you begin? 

Well, you can start with your friends who’ve already published cookbooks and ask if they know an agent who would be a good fit. You can also flip to the back of your favorite cookbooks and find agent names in the acknowledgements. There’s also #mswl (manuscript wishlist), which is now a website with pretty much every agent under the sun with the projects they’re currently looking for. 

Want someone to take you through the entire process, so you’re clear on what your next steps are? Cookbook author and former Food & Wine editor Kristin Donnelly created Operation: Find an Agent to do just that. This mini-course walks you through how to research, find and query agents, plus a handful of bonus material that’ll empower you to make the next move.

Another great place to not only find agents, but to learn about what they’re looking for is Writer Digest’s Guide to Literary Agents. Released every couple of years, you’ll find everything from examples on how to write killer query letters to social media challenges to build your platform, along with an in-depth list of what a handful of agents are looking for.

When you find the agents you want to submit to, make sure they’re open to queries and you read their submission guidelines. They’ll let you know exactly how many pages to submit and when you should expect to hear back. 

And like anything else, make sure you vibe with them. If they don’t get what you’re doing, it won’t be fun for anyone. It may mean submitting to other agents, but it’s worth it. You’ve waited this long, so you shouldn’t be with just anyone.

5. Your agent will probably change your book proposal.

What the what. I just spent months on this thing, and it’s going to still change?!

Even if you hire someone to help you with your book proposal, your agent will probably tweak and edit it for specific editors and publishing houses. They’ll have preferences or insights on how to make your book proposal pop for key eyes. Don’t take it personally. The same thing will happen over and over again in the writing process. One person may love something as is, while someone else will want to improve it. 

The work you and outside writing partners have done won’t be in vain. Just imagine what your proposal would look like with no help. It might not have even caught your agent’s eye in the first place.

6. The biggest advance may not be the best deal, and a good agent will know that. 

Even if it’s your first cookbook, you’ve got options. From having creative control over your photography to film rights, a good agent will know what’s really important for you long term.

One reason a smaller advance may work in your favor is you can earn it out faster than you would with a larger paycheck. Also, try to focus on your paper with this. It’s tempting to chat with folks you know about their deals (which is valuable information!) and allow it to influence your own advance, but you also don’t know the full scope of their contract and why certain things were offered over others. 

Fun fact: If you’d like to do your own research on recent book sales, you can always get a day pass for Publishers Marketplace along with who brokered them and a host of other valuable information. It’s also a great place to do agent research beforehand.

Book deals include a lot of factors, and the best one for you isn’t going to be right for your friend or colleague. We all have different value sets, so it’s vital to know what’s truly important to you and communicate that to your agent. Through the process, you’ll also get to feel out the publishers and see if they understand what you’re trying to do. The clearer you are about the options and how it affects the publishing process, the more confident you’ll be moving forward with an advance that’s right for you.

7. Speaking of advances: Your agent will get 15%, and there’s a fee schedule.

Advances could be paid out in several ways, so you’ll want to make sure you understand exactly when you’ll be getting your next paycheck. There will normally be milestones like signing your deal, delivering the manuscript and publication. Most authors won’t earn out their advances, but if they do, that’s when royalties will appear. Your agent will be the keeper of all of your payments, so if you have questions, they’ll be your first stop.

Also, your advance isn’t to pad your bank account. It’s primarily used to create your cookbook. This is where you’ll want to make sure you know what costs your publisher is covering and what’s on you. Not sure? Give your agent a holler.

8. Once the deal is signed, you’re kind of on your own, and it’s not romantic.

Some book editors will be with you all the way, but largely, when you write your cookbook, it’s all you, darling. People will be available for occasional questions, but you won’t be told what to write next and the only deadline you’re given is when to submit your manuscript. 

While you may have imagined writing your book your entire life, it’s also not the dreamy going-away-to-a-remote-cabin-and-finding-endless-inspiration. Mostly, it’ll look like late nights, lots of reading and kitchen research, and people asking you about the process and wanting to scream in their face. 

There is a very real place of feeling self-doubt and isolation. It’s hard to know what’s what after staring at the same pages for so long. This is one reason people come to me as a cookbook coach. I’m an editorial sounding board for them during this creation time and can also offer emotional support in a way other people in their lives can’t, simply because they don’t know what the process is supposed to look like.

It’s also helpful to find other like-minded writing friends in groups like Cherry Bombe or the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). From monthly member meetings to annual conferences, there’s plenty of ways to find folks who can support you now and in the future.

9. Your publisher will help you with publicity…sort of.

Publicity budgets aren’t what they used to be. Actually, they’ve been limited for cookbook authors for a while. Julia Child and Simone Beck planned their own publicity tour for Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which included them sleeping on friends' couches across the country because they didn’t have the money to stay at a hotel.

But this is where you have to reach out to your network and revisit that lovely promotional plan in your book proposal. Oh, yeah. You said it, and now, you have to do it. If you said you’d hire an outside agency to work with your publisher’s publicity team, they’ll help you with this. Mentioned a handful of outlets who you’d pitch your book to for coverage? Better reach out before you even think you should.

Most authors wait until the last minute to pitch or hire people. Start at least six months before your book is coming out. 

And if you use the advice in point #2 about starting the party now, you’ll be set. It takes so much momentum to get a marketing and publicity plan into place. If it’s already part of your work process, it won’t be as intimidating as trying to throw things together at the last minute with mediocre results.

10. Fight for your work because no one cares about it as much as you do.

Even with the best team around you, this is your dream. Yes, you want input from experts, but if something doesn’t feel right, speak up. Contracts can change (before they’re signed), and people often respect you more when you voice questions or concerns about something. You can be respectful of others and the process, but remember: It’s your name on the front cover, so make yourself proud. You’ve got this.

And if you need any help along the way, you can get on my coaching waitlist here, so when the doors open up next, we can get moving towards those big beautiful cookbook dreams ASAP.