Cook Books | Pickawoowoo

Cookbooks

5 Things to Consider Before Making a Cookbook

Before embarking on publishing your cookbook, it’s a good idea to get organised, and to assess what type of cookbook you want to make - before you start.

Photography: use good photography – let prospective readers taste the book with their eyes! Be warned - Beautiful pages of full-colour photos can be expensive. That said, not all cookbooks require photos. Some of the most iconic cookbooks rely on illustrations, or words alone. Figure out early if any visuals will play a part in your book.
Audience: Are you turning recipe cards into a keepsake family cookbook, or selling this cookbook nationwide? Your intended audience will greatly influence how you write and publish your cookbook, whether it’s vegans, college students, or owners of pressure cookers. You’ll need to consider your audience’s cooking skill level, desires, and where they buy their food.
Budget: Once you have a vision for what you want your cookbook to be, budget your time and resources. Do you need help to make this book? The answer is probably yes. Assemble a team of people who understand your vision and know what kind of commitment will be involved.
Simplicity: Simple is everything. Readers must be able to follow along easily. Do not assume anything, not everyone has your culinary skills.
Consistency is key: Every page must be designed consistent with previous pages ... first time authors try to over design with too much text. Readability is paramount and too many graphics distract and clutter the layout.
Functionality - think about the functional aspects of the book – Square 8.5 x8.5 books are easier to keep open on a kitchen bench than a traditional A4. Gloss paper resists staining and so forth.

Cook book publishing is very competitive and can be one of the most time consuming genres to publish.

Cookbook Print Options

These days, we offer clients two printing methods for cook books.

1. Print on Demand (POD) - which saves time, costs and trees but has limited options for bells and whistles. This option is definitely more budget orientated with less financial risks involved. It also provides the author/publisher the opportunity to print library quality hard back books, as many as initially required, and the ability to test the market with full online distribution.

POD does have some good options to avoid the overhead and logistical issues of a large press run but there are also quite a few limitations i.e. no gloss interior paper or customised covers.

2. Offset Press Print Run - A top shelf option. With a sizable press run, you’ll have special cover design and interior paper choices available that wouldn’t be feasible with print on demand. For coffee table books, both the visual and tactile quality is key, and the cover should be a central consideration. Items like emboss/ deboss are a popular cover design option in which add depth and contrast that can highlight certain features. NOTE: if you don't have a distribution channel organised, this could be a significant investment in time and resources - plus take many years to recuperate.

Low risk low entry costs = Print on Demand

High risk high entry costs + Offset Print

Regardless of your printing choice we work with the author/publisher to create a custom-tailored plan that meets your specific needs, goals and budget. Our team has many years of experience in design and editing for traditional publishers, so self-publishing authors can reach the same level of quality, and compete with books from major publishers.

Pickawoowoo are here to help you taste success.

Case Study 1

A client came to us with a problem - they needed a solution so they could meet worldwide demand. Their cookbook had a niche market locally and globally. But the cost to distribute / post the book to outside of Australia made the book unfeasible and very expensive (nearly $100 to post to US). After converting their hardback book to print on demand they opened up a significant market share globally and have been able to provide a resource to all clients, particularly in the US where the book has made significant impact to its readers.

Case Study 1

Recipe only cookbooks are text driven and can be produced at significantly less cost than a high end photographic book. Great for family favourite recipes.