Thursday, May 7, 2009

venturing out

Please feel free to tell me if you think I'm completely nuts, but after several requests from customers, and suggestions from family and friends, I'm seriously considering writing a cookbook. It'll be a small run, of course, 100-150 copies at the very most, but I think it might be fun. I managed to put together a cookbook for my mother-in-law a few years back and I enjoyed every single minute of it. I'd like to take it to the next level, though, and do something a little more serious than that.

Do you have any experience with writing a book? I'm open for any and all pointers because aside from doing this myself out of my house, I have no clue what I'm really doing.

Am I totally crazy for even considering this? I have a small stockpile of my own recipes, ones I've created over the years, certainly enough for a book. The complete strangers who eat the food I've prepared (every Troy Night Out) suggest that I do something professional with it. I'm in no position to open a restaurant, although that is a dream of mine, so this just seems like the next logical step. I know this is going to be a lot of work, and I'm totally prepared for that. When I cook I mainly eyeball ingredients and cook to taste, rather than measuring everything out. That's going to have to change for this book.

Help! Pointers?

P.S. Those of you in the area will be thrilled because I'm going to need lots and lots of guinea pigs when I test out recipes. Get your eatin' pants on!

8 comments:

Melissa Mykal said...

oh.. and p.s. I've put together a couple little books of my own in the past... and am working on another family one right now...

You're not crazy at all!

Modernsnap ! said...

Good Lord woman! Truly awesome that you have so much ambition, I'm jealous. I say go for it. No pointers from me, I can barely keep up on my laundry.

Banana-head Pancake said...

ohmygosh, that sounds so fun!
My only tip for a cookbook is that I LOVE pictures. I have a hard time liking a cook book that doesn't have pictures.
and, well, vegan recipes. :)
I'd love to be a tester for those!

So excited for you with this idea!

Kate said...

Thanks! Hey Melissa, is this something the Troy Book Makers can do? I have no idea where to even start, but I'm ready to go.

Good Girls Studio said...

I have no pointers for you but want to wish you the best of luck on this endeavor! How exciting ; ) You can print at that on demand publishing site thing (that was helpful wasn't it...not!)

LK- Healthy Delicious said...

how awesome would that be?!?
You amaze me. Seriously. i love that you actually DO the things you want to do. Its a huge inspiration.

Melissa Mykal said...

I'm not sure what happened to my first post... why would I start with p.s. otherwise?!?!

But it is definitely something The Troy Book Makers can do. I've laid out and edited a few cookbooks... I love it. :-)

It helps that I love cooking too.

Jaimee McClellan said...

I think it's a wonderful idea...chalk me up for one while you're at it too :)

Hey, just saw a trailer for Julie & Julia movie about Julia Child...looks like a good one to me!