Cookbook Publishing 101

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Writing Cookbooks and Cookbook Proposals

In this course, Lisa Ekus, literary agent since the year 2000 with over 200 successful book deals and cookbook publicist for award-winning titles including The Splendid Table, The Cake Bible, The Union Square Café Cookbook, and The Country Cooking of France, and Virginia Willis, chef, food writer, and author of the critically acclaimed Bon Appetit, Y’all, Recipes and Stories of Three Generations of Southern Cooking, help aspiring authors navigate through the exciting, yet challenging world of publishing.

The session seeks to educate and inspire those who dream of writing a cookbook and examines the publishing process from all angles and perspectives.

Topics covered include:

• Helpful resources for locating and working with a literary agent
• Pros and Cons of working with a literary agent
• What exactly is a proposal and how do I create one
• Building marketing, platform, and brand
• Recipe research, writing, and testing
• Proposals and cover letters
• Crafting your Unique Selling Point
• Nuts and bolts — practical finances and what to expect
• Agent as advocate during the publishing process
• Getting to know the players in the culinary publishing world
• Organizations to network through and join

The course concludes with a Q & A session, although questions are encouraged throughout the presentation. Additionally attendees will have the opportunity to “pitch” their idea to the group for feedback. The course is designed for all skill levels; formal writing experience is not required.