How to Get a Book Deal: 3 Steps to Fulfilling Your Food Writing Dreams
Photo by Elevae Visuals
Ask anyone in food writing “how to get a book deal”, and you’ll likely hear a lot of the same information. Have a large author platform. Get an agent. Write a book proposal. Be known for your subject.
But the step-by-step of how to get a book deal isn’t always clear. One of your friends might have an agent reach out to them before they’ve even thought about writing a cookbook. Or you might have heard of someone with a tiny platform getting a book deal just by sitting next to an agent at dinner.
So, what are you supposed to do with all of these possibilities?
First of all, use it as inspiration to keep showing up because you never know when an opportunity will pop up. And then, follow the steps below for the easiest way to get a book deal for your cookbook or food memoir. This 3-step method isn’t the only way to get a book deal, but it is the most organic way to get there.
#1 Be an authority in your space
Surprise, surprise: You have opinions. There are things you talk about with your food writing friends and colleagues over drinks or dinner that your audience would love to know. But you feel like most people probably already feel the same way, so why even bother? Or you’re afraid to share those thoughts because you don’t want to offend anyone.
So, you stick with middle-of-the-road food writing content that doesn’t make anyone mad or excited. It just is what it is.
The problem is agents and book publishers won’t be able to tell your work apart from the other mediocre food writers who also don’t want to cause waves. In acting, you’re told to make a bold choice, even if it’s wrong. People respect that you do anything with conviction. Because if you can go all in on something, it means you care.
Just as Anthony Bourdain’s opinions on brunch may have seemed innocuous, he chose to go after common trends and secrets about the restaurant industry that created a space only he could own. But it was because 1. He honestly believed it and 2. He stepped into it 100%.
The more you talk about things you care about, the more you’ll be able to refine your beliefs and authority. Yes, you may make some mistakes, but it’s worth it to get it wrong. That doesn’t mean the answer to how to get a book deal is to tear people down and be cruel just because you can be. It means some things bother you, light you up, or make you want to pull your hair out because no one is openly talking about them. That, my friend, is where you come in.
Plus, the more you’re known for something, the more the media and publishing folks are drawn to you. Brand recognition is exactly that. But people get afraid of being pigeon-holed into one thing, so they don’t create anything with a point of view and get left behind. And that’s the last thing we want for you.
#2 Building a platform beyond a single book
Part of being an authority in your space means getting your message out there. The food writing market is doused in avocado toast and sriracha—it’s hard to be noticed. And yes, one of the keys to getting a book deal is having a large platform (the ability to reach a wide audience who wants to buy your book), but it’s more than that.
Building a platform isn’t about one cookbook or memoir or even a few. It’s about building a sustainable career beyond a single book. One of the easiest ways to do this is marketing, especially using email newsletters. You don’t need anyone’s approval for it, and you can reach your audience directly whenever you want. There’s so much power in marketing (the buzz you create about yourself) and publicity (the buzz other people create about you), that it’s a shame food writing folks don’t embrace it more.
Beyond email, your platform could include pop-up events, speaking engagements, guest posts, podcast interviews, and classes. It’s making sure people can easily find you, so they can sign up, subscribe, like, and ultimately buy whatever you have to offer. And it’s about creating a connection with your audience, so you can continue to serve them over and over again.
Agents and book publishers want to know you have what it takes to promote yourself and your book for the long haul. There will be huge gaps between your book proposal being completed and getting a book deal. And even after you get a deal, it’ll be at least a year or two before it’s released. So, if you’re not nurturing your audience in the in-between, how well do you think your book will sell? And what do you think it shows agents and publishers? Especially the marketing and sales teams?
Also, you’re missing out on a lot of potential income because the more you’re marketing and focusing on publicity, the easier it is for people to find you and want to work with you. Could be brand deals, partnerships, or regular food writing gigs. Give yourself the best possible chance to make the most of your platform, and a book deal could just be icing on a heavily frosted cake.
#3 Find your dream agent
You’ve created authority within your food writing and built a platform beyond a single book, so you’re asking yourself: How to get a book deal now?
The first step for a cookbook or food memoir is completing a book proposal. It’s the business plan for your book and what agents want to look at first. If you’re writing a food memoir, you’ll need a completed manuscript too.
Then, you’ll want to follow up with any agents who’ve reached out to you or whom you’ve been introduced to through friends or colleagues who’ve already written a cookbook or food memoir. Double-check the submission guidelines on their website or QueryTracker before reaching out. If you’ve already connected with them and they said to send your book proposal when it’s completed, email them asking their preferred way for you to send it.
Some agents hate attachments and want the proposal copied in the body of the email, but some may not care. It’s also a nice way to check in before sending it, so you can get a pulse check on where they’re at work-wise.
If you have any cookbooks or food memoirs you love, look in the back of the book under “acknowledgments” and you’ll find the authors’ agents mentioned. From there, you’ll do the same thing as the above, checking their submission guidelines via their agency website or QueryTracker.
Look for people who are excited about what you’re doing and who you can see yourself working with for a long time. It’s not just about finding any agent. You want to find someone you love working with and who gets you. Once you do that, they’ll shop your book to the publishers they believe will also get it. And if all goes well, you’ll no longer be asking ‘how to get a book deal’ because you’ll have one.
Where to go from here
Now you know that to get a book deal, you need to be an authority in your space, build a platform beyond a single book, and find your dream agent. It seems easy enough on paper, but where do you even begin?
Your best next step is to join my free 5 day course, Writing Gold, here. You’ll learn how to use email marketing to not only kickstart your cookbook (or food memoir) writing, but how to grow your audience of raving fans. Plus, you’ll also get an onboarding template for new email subscribers and a customizable content calendar, just for signing up.
Let’s make the complicated process of getting a book deal just a little easier. Grab your spot in Writing Gold now.
