Are you an aspiring cookbook author? Maybe your dream has always been to publish your own cookbooks. Or maybe you are a professional or home chef who wants to boost your brand with your own published book of recipes. Whatever your motivation might be, self-publishing cookbooks is a great way to achieve your objective. Unfortunately, it can be a complicated process, rife with potential pitfalls that can trip you up.
The self-publishing experts at Izzard Ink Publishing have extensive experience in helping cookbook authors achieve their dreams. Here, we explore some of the most common mistakes that can trip you up along the way.
Mistake No. 1: Not Having a Strong Theme
One of the most important aspects of publishing recipe books is having a central theme around which you base your cookbook. Your theme can be as simple as a specific type of cuisine (Indian dishes, Italian food, German cuisine, etc.) or something less specific, such as personal family recipes.
Your theme should be broad enough that you have plenty of room to work with the types of recipes you plan to include. However, you have to make sure to narrow the field down enough to make sense to your audience. For example, you could choose to focus on specific dishes from a region (e.g., northern Italian or Tuscan dishes) or recipes using a specific set of ingredients, like vegetarian Indian dishes.
Mistake No. 2: Not Testing the Recipes
One of the hallmarks of an exceptional cookbook is including only recipes that you know will work out when someone else tries their hand at preparing them. Aspiring cookbook authors, having made the dishes themselves multiple times over the years, might not think this step is vital. However, having someone else test recipes before publication is a critical step you cannot overlook. You might know all the best tips and tricks to get great results but you can’t assume that your audience has similar insight.
Professional recipe testers have the qualifications for identifying potential issues with your recipes – and for offering real-world suggestions for resolving those issues.
Mistake No. 3: Not Having Professional Photos of Your Dishes
Although you might be laser-focused on the recipes themselves, they are only one ingredient of a great cookbook. Readers want visual imagery to go along with the ingredients, quantities and how-tos of putting a dish together. Photos of your finished dishes – and possibly even images of the preparation process itself – will be one of the most powerful selling points for your book.
Professional photographers and food stylists know all the tricks for perfect plating and presentation. They know how to stage the dish and how to light the images for maximum impact. Having the right professionals to handle this aspect of the process can truly set your cookbook apart from the competition.
Mistake No. 4: Not Having Context Along with Your Recipes
You might think that, with well-tested recipes and professional photography, you’re ready to go to press with your cookbook. Unfortunately, you’re going to need another element to bring it all together – context copy.
Context copy typically includes introductions to each category of recipes and for each individual recipe itself. This might include some history of the cuisine or dish, or even a personal story of how you discovered a particular dish.
This doesn’t mean, however, that you have to be an accomplished writer along with a great cook and recipe author. You can have your context copy professionally written based on your specifications. But, if you do want to write your own copy, you will need professional editing help to ensure that it’s as on-point and engaging as possible.
These are just some of the potential issues that cookbook authors must consider when planning for publication. The best way to avoid these and other potential challenges is to work with an expert cookbook publisher.
At Izzard Ink Publishing, we know cookbooks. In fact, we have published and sold well over one million cookbooks to date. Our comprehensive cookbook publishing program helps you avoid these and other common mistakes that can interfere with your dream to be a successful cookbook author.
Our network of professionals includes everything from art directors and photographers to experienced test kitchen chefs and professional editors. We know what it takes to make sure your book succeeds when it hits the market – and you deserve the best service in the industry to make your dream a reality.
Contact us today to learn more about our comprehensive, affordable cookbook self-publishing and full-service cookbook publishing services.
