“Once you make a cookbook, you live with it as your own for the rest of your life, like a yearbook.” – Alex Guarnaschelli.

Creating a cookbook will indeed stay with you forever; hence, you need to make an amazing one that would make you and your loved ones proud. Though it might sound easy to create one, there are things that a person should consider when making a cookbook and printing it, especially for publication.  

Therefore let’s shine some light on creating an astounding cookbook!

Cookbook types 

The primary aspect to keep in mind is that the type one considers choosing. The three types include community cookbooks, self-published, and distributing it through a publishing house. 

• Community cookbooks: It falls under the self-published category where recipes are provided from several individuals to raise money for a particular organization or a cause. It offers sharing recipes with a massive audience as well as receive numerous recipes to choose from, for the book.
• Self-Published: This is usually created by printing recipes for friends or family as a gift. Apart from it, one can self-publish online for appealing to a colossal audience worldwide. 
• Distribution through publishing house: If an individual’s cookbook has an immense audience, then seeking out a publishing house is the ideal way to go. Getting an agent who is influential enough to connect people to publishers will help in getting it published quickly. 


 
Things to ponder on before making a cookbook 

Though there are ample amount of things to consider, one should know the crucial six things which make a cookbook successful! These include:

1. Audience 

Creating a cookbook for selling it worldwide or just turning family recipes into a cookbook for safe-keeping; whatever the reason is, it will influence how a person will write a cookbook. From writing one for college students to vegans, or more; one will have to consider the audience as well as their desire for cooking, skill level, where they purchase their food, etc. 

2. Photographs

More than texts on it, cookbooks are known for possessing aesthetic accompaniment. Mouth-watering colored pictures of food attract the attention of the people first. Hence, most cookbooks comprise unique images that would enhance the desire of people to buy it. 

Therefore, publishers prefer working with bloggers who can photograph and style their food to make it look delicious. So, when trying to print a cookbook, you should keep in mind to choose an organization which offers excellent printing services, especially the pictures!

3. Budget 

After determining how the end product will come along, it is time for one to decide the budget and resources. If an individual has trouble pooling everything together, he/she can assemble a group of people who share this vision and are willing to commit to this work. Once this is sorted, you are ready to have your successful cookbook!

4. Compiling recipes 

If creating a cookbook is your dream, then probably you already have some recipes ready that will be included in it. Using these, one can make a list of recipes vital recipes to include as well as brainstorm how many other recipes are required to complete a book. 

5. Developing recipes and testing them 

To complete a cookbook, an individual would need to develop something beyond core recipes. Also, if required, one will have to fine-tune recipes that need some work as well as develop new ones which have to be incorporated in this book. 

After having recipes, simply don’t give it for printing; you will need people to taste it and give their feedback so that you know its worthy of putting in your cookbook. Enlist friends and family or simply get hold of recipe testers. This will provide an idea about what worked and what didn’t, what was confusing, or any other feedback that will be helpful to make the book better. 

6. Editing, layout and more

If working with publishing houses, then you will have to go through several editing processes that will aid an editor to tune the texts involved and the recipes. Also, in this process, photographs, the layout of the entire book, etc. comes into play. The copy editor will then go through this cookbook to search grammatical errors, style involved, indexer, and more to give it the required finishing touch.

Now, people who are self-publishing, it is ideal to hire an editor who can proofread the entire work so that there are no mistakes in it. However, one can also employ family members and friends for proofreading and general feedback about the book before you send it for printing. 

Considering these things in mind will help you to successfully print a cookbook whether you are doing it for nationwide publication or just a small community. So, start your preparation today for you will own your cookbook for the rest of your life!