Cookbook Proposal FAQs
(If you haven’t yet, read how to write a cookbook proposal, then come back to this post.)
In my previous post, I described the nuts and bolts that go into a cookbook proposal. It’s not the only way a cookbook proposal can be written, but it’s a good overview if you’re getting started. Here, I’ll go over some of the nuance:
Q. How long does a proposal need to be?
A. As long as it needs to be. Sorry, but it’s true! Some proposals are quite long—20,000 words or so. Others are much shorter. Most are somewhere in the 5,000-8,000 word range. A proposal in that range would still cover all of the tips I’ve shared in the previous how to write a cookbook proposal post. Proposals can be a lot shorter if a publisher asks you directly to write a book on a certain subject. Perhaps you’re an expert in cooking with mangos, and the publisher feel there’s a need for a small, focused mango cookbook in their portfolio. So all an editor may want to see is the list of recipes, a handful of sample recipes, a sample chapter introduction, and an author bio. But for the most part, proposals need to show you have a strong editorial angle and have thought through the business/marketing strategy for selling the book.
Q. How many recipes do I need on my recipe list?
A. Enough to fill a book. In the old days, cookbooks routinely had 100-150 recipes, or more. These days, cookbooks are smaller for a variety of reasons (one reason: the $35 books of yore have become the $25 books). The new sweet spot is 50-80 recipes, but it depends on your subject. If the book is all about shortbread cookies, 50 is plenty. If it’s about exploring the regional food of Vietnam, it probably needs to go well beyond150 recipes.
Q. Do I need to test the recipes that I want to include in a proposal?
A. Yes! Don’t chance it. What if you put recipes in a proposal that you didn’t test and an interested editor went home and actually cooked one of the recipes—and it was a total failure? I don’t have to tell you why that would be a bad idea. So make sure the recipes represent what you would want to put in your book.
Q. Once I sign a book deal with a publisher, am I stuck with the recipes I included in my proposal, or can I change them while writing the book?
A. A proposal is the first step in the long adventure of writing a cookbook. Along the way, you’ll learn things that you didn’t expect to learn and rethink the importance of some of the things you thought you wanted to explore early on. That’s fine, unless you are considering a seismic shift in your angle. Say you set out to write a gluten-free baking with fruit book and then discovered what you would rather write is a gluten-free grilling book. To get approval for a seismic concept shift in concept AFTER signing a book deal, have a heart-to-heart with your editor (& agent if you have one) before venturing further. You may need to come back around to the original angle.
Q. Does every cookbook need a proposal to get published?
A. Not necessarily. If a publisher comes to you with the idea, they also might have specific ideas on what they want to see. Say a publisher wanted to create a small holiday cookie book and identified you as a perfect author for the subject. They may ask you to submit a list of recipes and decide to give you a contract based on a recipe list. (If you do get a contract, you should read it very, very carefully! If there is anything you don’t understand, ask questions and consider finding a lawyer or getting an agent to review it.)
Q. How important are trends? Should I make my proposal fit a trend in food media?
A. Not really. An editor once told me that publishing is usually two years behind trends, so if your idea is too closely tied to trends, it may make the book harder to sell. The difference is whether the trend will be around for the next several years (Instant Pots, sheet-pan suppers, cooking with plants) or if it will go the way of the bacon cocktail. A short-lived trend—which I guess would technically be a fad— won’t work in publishing because it takes a long time for a book to be written, edited, published, shipped to warehouses, and sold to consumers. By the time the book is out there, the trend/fad may be gone. I read advice from a children’s author who put it this way: if you write a book for 10-year olds and fidget spinners are a main plot point because every kid wants one, you will have a tough time selling copies of the book a few years later when kids have forgotten all about fidget spinners. (In my day, it was Pogo Balls.) Some things disappear as quickly as they come onto the scene.
Q. Do I need a million Instagram followers before writing a proposal /getting an agent / getting a cookbook deal?
A. I won’t lie; it doesn’t hurt. But numbers are not the only way to get noticed. It is worth thinking about your author platform, which ultimately helps connect you with people and communities who will support your work. Remember that publishers need people to buy your book, and any kind of assurance you can build that you’ll do your part to promote your work is helpful. There is no magic number. If you have a small but loyal following, you may sell more books in the long run than someone with a flashy online presence who fizzles later. If you have a small following, though, you may need to be flexible on how to position your proposal. If you’re not well-known in the world of cookbooks, it will be tough to sell a publisher on a book called “My Ultimate Favorite Recipes.” But what if your ultimate favorite recipes were collected while growing up in Baja California or from the year you had to stop cooking with salt for medical reasons and discovered you could make food that tasted even better? Now you have an angle that isn’t dependent on whether you’re famous! Which will mean you’ll have a better chance of fitting into the grand scheme of publishing.
Q. Do I need to write a proposal before finding an agent?
A. Not necessarily, but you need to have some kind of author platform (see the answer to the previous question) or a story/experience that attracts an agent to you. Maybe you wrote a freelance article about giving up salt for a whole year and all the things you learned from the experience, and the story is now one of the most-read pieces on a reputable site. Good job! That could pique an agent’s interest who is looking for cookbooks with a health angle. Or maybe your Instagram feed is filled with recipes you learned. how to cook during your childhood in Baja. An agent may have heard that an editor is looking for a sunny, fresh take on Baja food and wants to talk to you. You can be proactive about finding an agent, too. (I’ll go into how to find an agent in a later post.)
Q. Will an agent write the proposal for me?
A. No, but s/he/they may coach you through the process by making you go through various drafts until it gets to a point in which the agent is ready to share it with publishers. Or the agent may tell you to hire someone to help you write it. I’ve helped people in this situation before, and it’s pretty is common, especially if you are still working on your writing skills, need help in learning how to write recipes for publication, and/or have a full-time job and don’t have time to craft a professional proposal in any kind of ideal timeframe. There are a lot of ways to get help on proposals. In any of these cases case, you don’t pay the agent, you pay the freelance writer/editor. An agent can connect you to people that can help.
Q. What if my book idea isn’t trendy? How do I make the marketing section of a proposal compelling? Should I give up?
A. Again, think like a publisher. Who is going to buy this book? There are perfectly successful books that are nothing near trendy but quietly amass a large readership out of the media limelight. These are books have evergreen topics or are really useful and thoughtful in some way. Say you want to write a small book about dehydrating fruit and vegetables. The book might get a small advance, but over time it becomes the go-to resource for anyone looking to learn how to use a dehydrator, and people often buy it when they buy a dehydrator. This book could steadily sell copies for the next 10 years, earning you royalties. Work hard at thinking through the business side of the proposal and make a case that people will buy your book.
Q. I wrote the most amazing proposal. It was so good it made people cry! Why was I turned down?
A. It’s not you, it’s the market. I once was told by someone very high up in the publishing house pecking order that they had recently read the best proposal OF ALL TIME. Beautifully written. Compelling story. The main character had been profiled by New York media. And the publishing house passed on the book. The reason? They didn’t see a commercial market for the book. It wasn’t for them, but the book was eventually published. So if this happens, don’t give up, and know that you’re not alone.
Q. Do I need to pay a graphic designer to design my proposal and make it look extra awesome?
A. Maybe. Some publishers will like this, others may like to decide on what a book should look like internally and won’t spend much time thinking about any design put forth in a proposal. In other words, it won’t hurt, but it is not essential to get you noticed. If you are a photographer or illustrator, though, a designed proposal may help showcase your work. If you have experience with graphic design, keep the design simple and easy to read. You can also hire a graphic designer that specializes in book design. If design is not as essential to your concept, then keep your proposal clean and typo-free (not like my blog). Use a standard font in 12-point size. Double-space the document. If you have links to important things—a popular blog with your recipes, an Instagram feed, a YouTube channel—include them.
Q. Can I get help writing a proposal?
A. Yes, you can certainly get help writing a proposal (see the above answer for “Will an agent write the proposal for me?”). I have worked with authors on proposals as well. Sometimes people need help brainstorming while other times they are looking for someone to partner with to co-write the proposal and the eventual book. Dianne Jacob, author of the excellent book Will Write For Food (this new edition is due out this year), also offers one-on-one tutoring and classes that can also jumpstart your process.
And next week: What to ask yourself before writing a cookbook