5 Cookbook Writing and Publishing Resources
When people email me asking for how to get started learning about the cookbook publishing world, such as how to find an agent, how to write a cookbook proposal, or how to figure out who does what, I often email back with the following resources:
Your Cookbook Shelf.
If you’ve ever wondered who worked on some of your favorite cookbooks beyond the author on the cover, take a look at the acknowledgements page. Folded into the thank-yous to Mom or Uncle George or the spouse and offspring is a mother lode of publishing contacts. If an agent got the book deal, the agent’s name will be here. If a recipe tester worked on the book, the person’s name may also be here. The names of food stylists, food photographers, art directors, editors, proof readers, production managers, publicists, co-authors—those names are often also included.
Take a look at several acknowledgement pages to see if there’s any common ground. Does the same agent represent your favorite books? Google them and see if they may be a good fit for your own project. Agent websites often list the kinds of work they represent. Does the same editor work on your favorite books? See what their background is and research what books they are acquiring (you can do so on Publishers Marketplace, which I’ll talk about next). If recipe testing is something that interests you, think about introducing yourself to a recipe tester who has worked on some of your favorite titles. If they live in your area, consider offering to buy them coffee or meeting virtually so you can learn more about what they do.
Bottom line: Your cookbook shelf can help you start creating a list of names in the publishing world.
Once you have some names gleaned from your favorite cookbooks, you can dig deeper with Publishers Marketplace. The website is a hard-working resource for everyone in the publishing world, from agents to authors to editors, marketers, and publishers in every genre of book published (nonfiction, fiction, you name it). It reports book deals by category, and sometimes shares the ballpark figure for advances (the amount of money due to an author before the book is published). While Publishers Marketplace is not free, it has options for brief research dips. For $10, you can get their Quick Pass, which will give you 24 hours to do as much research as you need. You can use that time to look up book deals to see who’s publishing what, see the deals that have been struck by agents you’re interested in, look up authors you follow and see who they’re connected to, research the subjects that certain publishers are acquiring for their cookbook list, see the rough $ count for book deals. When getting started, this is all you really need. For $25, you can have the same access for a month. You can also get 6-month or year-long subscriptions, but this likely isn’t necessary. While $10 for 24 hours may seem steep, it may save you a lot of time if you’re serious about going after certain agents or publishers.
Bottom line: Publishers Marketplace gives you a deep look into who is working on what in the publishing world. And it’s fun to snoop on the deals page.
Paula Forbes has been writing about and reviewing cookbooks for years. These days, she’s funneling her specific area of publishing expertise into Stained Page News, a email newsletter that covers the world of cookbooks. Subscribe to read about macro-cookbook trends, micro-cookbook trends, big cookbook deals, seasonal cookbook releases, and other kinds of insider info for cookbook fanatics. If you’re planning to spend 10 bucks on a Publishers Marketplace Quick Pass for a day, you can stay up to date on new cookbook deals after the fact by subscribing to Stained Page news. The once-a-week newsletter is free, and paid subscribers get a second newsletter each week with extras, such as Q/As with various cookbook authors.
Bottom line: It’s hard to keep tabs on everything that’s going on in cookbook publishing. Reading Stained Page News weekly makes it easier.
Dianne Jacob’s book Will Write For Food is pretty much the manual on food writing. I bought the first edition in 2005! It’s a feat for a publisher to want to put forth a second edition, much less a fourth, and her latest, out this week, has all the updated content that a content creator in the food world needs. It is not exclusive to cookbook writing, but it’s a worthwhile read for anyone serious about a career in food media. Dianne also has a useful email newsletter that is rich in links about food writing, general writing advice, and publishing trends. If there’s a writing tip with crossover appeal in the world of food, Dianne includes it. Her blog is also a rich source of content on food- and recipe-writing tips, interviews with authors and agents, and so on.
Bottom line: If you’ve been looking for a food writing handbook to point you in the right direction, Dianne’s website and book will lay out all the information you need to get started.
Social Media.
If you have identified authors you really like, try following them on social media. Interacting in a genuine way about recipes on social media can help build up connections in the cookbook world. For cookbook authors, Instagram seems to be the leading platform of the moment, but these things always change (see later mention of Clubhouse).
On Twitter and Instagram, follow cookbook-centric bookstores. Celia Sack of Omnivore Books in San Francisco has an engaging Twitter feed here. On Instagram, follow Book Larder in Seattle and Now Serving in LA. They not only post information about the books they’re selling but also offer insight into favorite books, best-selling books, and author talks. On Instagram, you can also follow virtual cookbook clubs (they’re often indicated by hashtags) and follow them, then cook along with the monthly book selections. In the clubs, people share the recipes they love from various new titles, and it’s common for the cookbook authors chime in. San Francisco-based food stylist Bebe Black Carminito (@champagneandcookies) is involved in a number of cookbook clubs, and you can follow her to get a feel on how they work. Separate from cookbook clubs, you can also start cooking through a favorite cookbook and tag the author along the way. Who knows—the author may some day need an enthusiastic tester in your part of the world to test out a set of recipes and may want to reach out and get to know you. It only takes meeting a couple of people to get a foot in the door.
Bottom line: Genuine interaction on social media with cookbook sellers, buyers, and creators—be it on Instagram, Twitter, Clubhouse, Tiktok, whatever comes next— can translate into genuine connections in real life. It can also help you take the next step in your cookbook and food writing path.