Market Your Cookbook

MARKET YOUR COOKBOOK by Pam White

Divine recipes, luscious photographs – this is your first cookbook
and you look forward to those big royalty checks. So what's your
marketing plan for this book? What are you doing to increase sales?

New writers often think the publisher arranges for all publicity.
Not true. As the writer, you have most at stake so it will benefit
you most to take a proactive stance when it comes to promoting and
selling your cookbook.

Much of the research can take place while you are planning and
writing your book. Visit bookstores and study the cookbooks that are
on the shelves. Note the different types of cookbooks and who are
writing them. Discern which books are your direct competition for
sales. Create ways to make yourself stand out.

After your book is at the publisher but before it is released
contact magazine editors, ezine publishers and website owners. Ask
if they will review your book and wait for a reply before you incur
the cost of shipping.

Write articles or offer excerpts from you cookbook to magazines that
cater to your audience.

Tap your local newspaper for interviews and reviews. Pick up the
phone and ask for a feature reporter (look for bylines in the
features, lifestyle, or Sunday special sections) and offer yourself
up as the subject of an article.

Build a website using your name or your book's name as the domain.
Take all those published reviews, articles, newspaper features and
anything else anyone has said about your book and link to it, or
excerpt it. You can also use quotes from reviews in any press
release you send out.

Once your book is published call bookstores as far as you are
willing to travel and offer to do a book signing, cooking
demonstration or reading. Do not give up. Keep calling and planning
and promoting. Bring along giveaways to book signings. Have
bookmarks, recipe cards, or notepads printed up with your name,
website and book cover prominently displayed.

Don't stop with bookstores. Check out cookware stores and gourmet
shops that will stock your cookbook, and who might even welcome you
to demonstrate your recipes on a busy Saturday.

Ask all your friends to help spread the word by joining food-related
discussion lists, setting up book signings in their local
bookstores, and writing reviews of your book.

Contact television and radio stations to see if they are looking for
a feel-good news story or if you can be a guest on one of their
shows.

Having a new cookbook out or being a local published author is
newsworthy, but how do you keep the marketing effort up long term?
Find a way to connect your recipes with events. Dessert cookbooks
are easily linked with holidays like Valentine's Day, Thanksgiving,
Christmas, birthdays, and weddings. Healthy food cookbooks are great
for January (New Year's resolutions), spring (getting ready for
summer clothes) and right after a new medical report comes out about
the danger of fat, meat, sugar, wheat allergies and junk food.

If you want ongoing coverage from local, regional and national news
media send out announcements on your expertise. Include any food
science and nutrition background you have to widen your appeal as an
expert.

Donate your cookbook as a prize or to be auctioned off for charity.
Not only will the lucky winner learn who you are, but so will all
the other readers, listeners and viewers as the contest or auction
is promoted for the weeks leading up to it.

The key to marketing your cookbook is persistence. Try everything
above, then go back through the list again and again. Marketing your
cookbook successfully can be likened to making a snowball. You start
with a few individual ideas, add on more each day or week, and soon
you've got a snowball whose momentum will carry you, and your
cookbook, out into the world.


(c) Pamela White, 2006

Want to use this article in your ezine or on your website? Feel free as long as you include the following:

About the author: Subscribe to the free online newsletter, Food Writing, created for the care and feeding of food writers, at www.food-writing.com . Pamela White teaches food writing and her book, Make Money as a Food Writer in Six Lessons, is available at Amazon.com .

Six Ways To Break Into Food Writing

SIX WAYS TO BREAK INTO FOOD WRITING By Pamela White

These are the times that try writers' souls.

Publishers post guidelines for writers that require published clips to be sent with query letters. Writers cannot get published clips unless they've been published. The logic is just as perplexing when writers try to break into new niches. Food editors ask for food-related writing samples prior to assigning stories to new writers. Never fear, there are ways to conquer that old "Catch 22."

Here are six ways writers and chefs can break into food writing. Some are sneaky roundabout ways; others make use of editors' needs for new writers to pen essays and travel pieces. Combining food with another writing niche is yet a third way to acquire those valuable food writing clips.

One: Try a sneaky way to get a food writing clip. Look at your professional expertise. How does it connect with food? If you are an architect or you've worked with one to design a kitchen, use that to write an article for a handy man magazine. Include tips on how to lay out a kitchen so that food lovers or amateur chefs will be delighted with the results. Do you know a professional party planner or are you known for your gatherings? Write up a holiday event, including recipes, for your local newspaper or a regional magazine. Love the outdoors? Write about building a barbecue for a do it yourself magazine, or share tips on fileting fish for the weekend fisherman.

Two: Write a personal essay about food. It's not only professional food writers that are writing essays about food memories, favorite meals and picky eaters. Everyone has a tale to share about summer fruit, Fourth of July cookouts or first bites of TV dinners. Who is going to buy these essays? Read the food magazines. Saveur runs expressive essays on everything from bread soaked in milk to a first experience with a mango. "The Square Table," an online, non-paying market, accepts essays on dining. "Woman's Day" and "Family Circle" publish essays on food and its impact on family, life and relationships. "Parents," "Parenting" and "Child" publish advice regularly on getting picky eaters to try new foods.

Three: Report on your vacation. But instead of writing something as banal as "what I did on my summer vacation," write a travelogue, including short reviews of restaurant meals. Oh, you didn't travel to Provence last June? Write about traditions at your family reunion. Why not do a round up of five or six small barbecue joints in Kansas City? Stayed close to home? Write about the food at the water, amusement, or theme park – what was good, bad, or healthy. If you did travel abroad, I hope you took plenty of notes and photographs. Once you have your idea for a travel and food piece in mind, start looking for markets. Local newspapers in both the place you visited and where you live are possible markets. Frugal-themed newsletters and websites use articles on traveling and eating on the cheap. An article about how to dine well at amusement parks and fairs would interest readers of parenting and women's magazines.

Four: Teach a cooking class; take a cooking class. Write it up as a publicity piece for the cooking school. Alternatively, write up how to teach a cooking class as a home-based business for women's magazines or entrepreneur publications. Maybe you live in a city that has food events, like Taste of..., wine tastings, chili cook-offs, or baking competitions? Alternative newspapers, weekly newspapers and regional magazines are possible markets for articles on how to put on a baking, or cooking, contest, the best in local wines, or which restaurants offered the best bites at a large gathering.

Five: Combine food writing with another niche. Write about kitchen gardens, herbs grown in window boxes, winter gardens, starting seeds. Interview organic gardeners, local farmers, and who's selling at the farmer's market. Combine camping, RV's and fishing with recipes and quick snacks to pack that are easy to transport yet tasty. Think further – sports-minded magazines (don't forget dance and cheerleading publications) can use recipes that provide quick energy with minimal fuss. Health writers can write articles on diets that help chronic conditions: pain, yeast infections, migraines, arthritis.

Six: Pick a lesser known holiday and write it up for fun. St. Swithin's Day is an ongoing joke at our household. It falls on July 15, so we claim St. Swithin to be the patron saint of barbecue. You can pick an actual holiday -- something that isn't done to death -- or write about a special holiday your family has created.

These ideas are also starters for established food writers looking to expand into other markets. Pick one, or mix and match for your food writing success.

(c) Pamela White, 2006

Want to use this article in your ezine or on your website? Feel free as long as you include the following:

About the author: Pamela White publishes Food Writing, the free ezine for food writers from her website: www.food-writing.com She teaches food writing classes, and her book, Make Money as a Food Writer in Six Lessons, is available at Amazon.com .

Really Inexpensive & Easy Recipes - Biscuit Hamburger Bake, Spoon Bread, & Pink Flannel Hash

With so many people out-of-work and almost all of us watching our finances, inexpensive family meals are becoming more and more important. Here are some old-fashion recipes that offer you meals that are easy, inexpensive yet tasty. These recipes should be a hit with the whole family while saving you money on your food budget. Biscuit Hamburger Bake is quick, easy, inexpensive, and has meat, vegetables, bread, and dairy all in one dish. Spoon Bread is an old recipe from Tennessee for a cornbread type bread baked in a casserole dish. Pink Flannel Hash uses tuna, potatoes, eggs, etc for a quick, inexpensive meal. So take heart, and give these recipes a try to help you save money on your trips to the grocery store.

BISCUIT HAMBURGER BAKE

This recipe is from an old community cookbook in Southern Indiana where I was born and raised.

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can condensed Vegetable Soup
1/2 tbsp oregano
dash of pepper
1 can refrigerated biscuits
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet, cook ground beef with onion until meat is browned and onion is tender; drain well to remove fat. Stir in the can of soup, oregano, and pepper; heat to bubbling. Pour mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish that has been buttered. Top with the biscuits. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Spread the sour cream over the biscuits then top with the cheese. Return to the oven and bake another 10 minutes.

SPOON BREAD

This is an old Tennessee hills recipe.

2 cups white corn meal
2 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 tbsp melted butter
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 egg whites, beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Add corn meal slowly to boiling water. Let stand for 3 minutes. Add butter to the corn meal mixture. Stir in salt, egg yolks, baking soda, and buttermilk. Fold in the egg whites and turn into a greased baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

PINK FLANNEL HASH

This old recipe was a clipping I found in a box of my late mother's recipes. I have no idea where this clipping originated.

1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 cup chopped onion (1 large)
2 cups finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
2 cups Idaho frozen southern style hash brown potatoes
1 can (6 1/2-7 oz) tuna, drained and flaked
4 eggs

In a large skillet melt butter; saute the onions and peppers until crisp tender. Stir in Tabasco sauce and potatoes. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until potatoes are tender and golden (about 15 minutes). Stir in tuna. Make four wells in potato mixture; break one egg into each well. Cover and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until eggs are set. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Serves 4.

Enjoy!

For more old-fashion recipes visit http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com Also visit http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com for diabetic information and recipes. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Carol_Wilson

2 Easy Homemade Carmael Popcorn Recipes

Several years ago, my great aunt sat down and shared her favorite Caramel Popcorn recipes with me. As a child, I had always looked forward to going to her home and digging into her popcorn container. After our visit was over, she would send my brother and I back home with little paper lunch bags filled with her delicious popcorn.

I hope these 2 recipes will be enjoyed by your family.

Classic Caramel

4 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Spread the popped popcorn in a large shallow baking pan. In a 2 quart saucepan, stir together brown sugar, margarine, corn syrup and salt. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Cook for the final 5 minutes without stirring. Remove pan from the heat. Stir in vanilla extract and baking soda. Pour mixture over the popcorn. Stir until completely coated. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Once cool, break into pieces and store in an airtight snack container.

Tip: If you are concerned about sticking, lightly coat your baking pan with margarine or nonstick cooking spray.

Caramel Nut

10 cups popped popcorn
1 1/2 cups peanuts
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large baking dish, combine the popcorn and peanuts. In a 2 quart saucepan, combine margarine, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla extract. Pour mixture over popcorn and peanut mixture. Bake in a 250 degree oven for 45-60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Let cool cool to room temperature. Once cool, break into pieces and store in an airtight snack container.

Optional - You can substitute the peanuts for sliced almonds or cashews.

Shelly Hill Shelly has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989. Shelly is a Manager with Tupperware. Shelly enjoys cooking and baking for her friends and family. You can contact Shelly at: Web: http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com or visit her recipe blog at: http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelly_Hill

5 Fun Kids Cooking Activities

Do your children like to spend their time making awesome mud pies or are they constantly stirring up some of their best grass soup? Then maybe it's time to let them loose in the kitchen with these fun kids cooking activities.

1. Allow your kids to create a new recipe. Pick out 5-7 ingredients that you think might go together and can be baked in a pie pan. For example, eggs, cheese, barbecue sauce, salt, flour, garlic powder, and corn chips can go together. The kids can also try a combination of cinnamon, eggs, flour tortillas, caramel sauce, and bananas. You may need to help them figure out "reasonable" amounts of each ingredient. There's no right answer; just have fun with it.

2. Start a Kids' Recipe Book. Everyone has recipes they love, including the kids. Have your child pick out 10 of his or her very favorite recipes. Either you or they can type the recipes out on the computer in a cool font with borders and some clipart. Print them out and "laminate" them with clear contact paper. They can then put the recipes in their very own cooking notebook.

3. Give your child an easy kid-friendly recipe to prepare on their own. Kids love to spread their wings and do things "all by myself." Give them the opportunity by handing them a super easy recipe and explaining how to do it. Depending on their age and skill, talk about kitchen safety and that you will be handling the oven/stove part of the task.

4. Have the kids take pictures of each other while cooking. They can make a small scrapbook filled with photos of their proud cooking moments. They will really enjoy this now, but also after they've grown up. Looking at the scrapbook and their kids' recipe book may remind them of good family times.

5. Decorate the cupcake challenge. Most kids have no problem creatively decorating a cupcake when given the proper toppings. Add a twist to the activity by getting out any possible toppings you can think of and asking them to decorate the cupcake to look like a cat or a flower. They'll come up with some decorative toppings you didn't think of.

All these kids cooking activities give you the chance to teach your kids the ins and outs of cooking. Your children also get the chance to learn many things in an atmosphere of fun. Give your child every opportunity to be creative in the kitchen and your child will thank you one day.

Peggy is the editor of the popular Cookin' Kids Newsletter. Interesting themes, fun facts, silly clip art, easy kid-friendly recipes, kid jokes, cooking terms, and safety tips make this newsletter a hit with kids! Learn more at http://cookinkids.com and pick up some ideas for kids cooking activities while you're at it. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peg_Baron

Young kids are not a problem, they always seem to want to help you in the kitchen. Heck, they’ll do dishes, sweep floors, stir what’s in the bowl, and reorganize your Tupperware. It’s the older ones, the tweeners and early teenagers, that sometimes need a little nudge to join in the kitchen fun. Here are some ideas that just might get them interested in cooking up some food, fun, and memorable moments.

Kid in Control

This one will be become a favorite -- an evening where your child is in charge. You basically change places with them. They pick the dinner and do the bulk of the work, but they get to boss you around. They can tell you to chop the carrots, peel the potatoes, set the table, or feed the dog. They're in charge. My kids love bossing me around and I love that they're showing a little confidence in their budding cooking skills. If you try this I'm guessing they'll also tell you to do all the dishes.

One Ingredient/One Meal

Challenge your children to come up with a recipe they'd like to try using any one ingredient that you name. They can pull out the cookbooks or go to the Internet for help. There are many cooking websites that display recipes when given just one ingredient. Depending on the age of your cook, you can make it an easy ingredient like poultry or pineapple, or a real challenge with curry or hoisin sauce. This might be a good time to use what's in season -- cabbage, grapes, broccoli, basil, etc. Not only will they make a dish they've never made before, but they may actually learn a little about the chosen ingredient.

Loud Music and Personal Choice

Some kids are more willing to cook if they get to pick what they want to cook, not you. They’re also more willing to cook if they’re hungry. Give them cookbooks to look through and get ideas from. Usually they’ll pick the recipe with the most appetizing picture or fewest ingredients. Try not to set rules. It’s okay if they make omelets for dinner. They’re cooking, aren’t they? As far as the music goes – let them crank it up while they’re creating in the kitchen. If that makes them a happier cook, then that makes you a happier parent.

Kids Cafe

Remember when your children were little and they liked to play restaurant? "Mommy, you sit here and tell me what you want to eat!" Then they give you a banana, hamburger, spaghetti, and milk carton, all in plastic. Now that they're older, why not recreate the fun? With your help, have them make a very limited menu with maybe one entree, two side choices, and two vegetable/fruit choices ahead of time. You are the customer at The Kids Cafe and they get to set your table, be your waiter, and also cook and serve your food. Not only do they get to practice their cooking skills, but they get to work on following instructions, organizing their time, and learning to please a customer. So sit back and have some fun at the Kids Cafe, and don't forget to leave a tip!

Kids + Friends + Kitchen = Party!
How about a Bring-Your-Own-Ingredient Party? Pizza works well with this concept. You supply the crusts and every child brings a different topping. This leads to some really crazy pizzas and some (gasp) experimental tasting by the kids. If not pizza, the menu headliner can be a taco or fajita bar. For dessert start with some big sugar cookie crusts and see what the kids can bring to put on top. They're only limited by their imaginations. Can't you just picture their proud creations?

Invent a Recipe

Let your kids think outside the recipe. This is a natural for kids, they have great imaginations. They get to use any ingredients they want, which will usually lead to discussions of what normally goes together. Sometimes you might get to discuss the definition of "gross", and sometimes you might get into the realm of science and whether something will remain goo or become solid after baking.

Pick a Theme

It’s simple – your kids pick a theme, and every family member prepares a dish. The theme can be a meal from a different country or from a different time in history. Why not have a theme like all the food needs to be green or all the dishes have to have apples in them. There are so many possibilities, just look at what your kids are currently interested in for some ideas.

Sometimes kids just need to be pointed in the right direction -- towards the kitchen. With a little patience and a blind eye towards the mess, you can help nurture a life-long love of cooking. I hope these ideas help get your children in the kitchen with you, cooking up some good food, good fun, and good memories!

Peggy Baron cooks with her kids in Colorado, and runs http://cookinkids.com which is a website devoted to helping other parents and kids have fun together in the kitchen. Peggy is the editor of the popular Cookin' Kids Newsletter. Each bi-monthly newsletter has fun facts, recipes, jokes, games, cooking safety, and cooking terms wrapped around a different theme. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peg_Baron