Today I e-mailed my editor at St. Martin’s Press to re-order some copies of my first cookbook. Just cleaning up some boxes in back I realized I was down to a just a few copies. Sadly, he said there are no copies in stock, and no plans to go back on press. I totally understand… the book is 29 years old! I thought to myself, If only I had millions of Instagram or Tick Tock followers or a show on the Food Network, then there would be plenty of books. The publishing industry and the whole landscape of the culinary business is very different than when I began.
When I started collecting old Italian cookie recipes years ago, I thought how cool would it be to have them all organized and tested, mostly for my own use. As I collected, and chatted with customers ( at Sweet Maria’s) I realized there was so much more than my own family’s traditional recipes. Lucky for me, many customers shared their own recipes, or descriptions of cookies past. The point was always to recreate and honor those flavors, families, and heritages. It was also a call for anyone listening to write down and hand down their own recipes for future generations.
Once I thought about a broader audience for these recipes ( always encouraged by my family and amazing extended community) I started an outline and rough book proposal. I went to a one day seminar at the New School in NYC about how to sell a cookbook. The premise of this class was to say ” you might know how to write a recipe or book, but you don’t know how to sell it.” They were right. The marketing of books is different than writing them.
The class had an agent, a publisher and an author tell their own personal stories and advice for us newbies. It was a clear message, get an agent ! They know all the right people and publishers that might be a good match for your work. Great advise. Just get an agent…..
In the old days, I took a ride to one of my favorite places, the library, where I researched agents in cookbook land. I sent queries and outlines to numerous agencies. One agent liked the idea, and shopped it to St. Martin’s Press. Thanks Carla. The book really resonated with my editor at St. Martin’s who had a very similar Italian-American experience. Marian was fantastic and enthusiastic, and we worked on 3 more books together. All special in their own way, but nothing compares to the first. It is so special to me. It’s a tribute to my family and traditions, and validated my work in my the food industry.
I can go on about the terror of copy editing and recipe testing, ( maybe future blog posts) or how the publishing industry has changed, but today I want to take a minute and toast this book, it’s inhabitants , and any future life it may have, in hearts, kitchen drawers, dusty bookshelves or in e-books, used editions, and all. Cheers!
When your cookbook is a cake !
First Cookbook’s 20th ! great cake by Diane!