So You Want To Write A Cookbook? Part IV: Getting Down To Work
By Jenny McCoy, Chef Instructor, School of Pastry & Baking Arts
Last month, we worked on assembling your dream team—from a photographer to food and prop stylists, recipe testers to a graphic designer. Your resources are now all in a row. You've got a slew of recipes developed. So what should you tackle first?
- Determine Your Deadlines
First and foremost, meet with your editor to find out your strict deadlines, since your publisher will want to see certain parts of the book earlier than others. They'll also request sample recipes and photos for marketing materials and will want your artwork delivered at a very specific time.
I've found that some editors will proactively hand you a schedule, while others will need you to coax it out of them. My best bit of advice: as soon as your contract is signed, set a kick-off meeting with your new editor and simply ask, "What do you need from me before my manuscript is delivered? And when?" Then, ask that same question about 10 more times in your meeting. From there, you can begin to formulate a plan that works for you.