I'm chairman of a cookbook committee - any advice?

[cmd]

Our county women's dem club is planning to publish a cookbook this year. I inherited the chairmanship. Do you have any advice about publishers or problems?

[Tab]

1. Are you planning to print them up and sell them locally?

Or are you looking to get them into national bookstores?

If you're just looking to sell them locally, then what you just need is a printer/binder, and that's not a big deal. If you're looking to really publish, then that's another thing entirely.

I have some suggestions for both, but first I need to know what you had in mind.

[cmd]

3. We'll just sell locally.

We're shooting for 400 recipes and haven't decided how many to order. That will depend on how many pre-orders come in with the recipes.

[Tab]

10. Publishing/Print on Demand is what you want

Most of my work (not cooking) has been through a traditional publisher, but I've looked at doing some smaller-run stuff through a publishing-on-demand site, and the one I liked the best was iUniverse.com, which will also let you get an ISBN number and people can order it through Barnes & Noble and Amazon. However, they use a royalty model (although I've never looked at them for just printing/ordering).

What this means is that if you want maximum flexibility and least financial exposure, something like that would be best.

On the other hand, if you want to maximize financial returns, then you want to just get a printer/binder and place a pre-order. You pay for the printing, but you'll be stuck with the books if they don't sell, but if they can Publish on Demand, then you can just order the minimum you think you need and ask for another, say, 50, when you want. That way you get to keep all the $ (less actual printing cost).
For instance: http://www.cafepress.com/

A few other ideas:

Call up your local newspaper - they often do custom (outside) print work and can often recommend someone if they can't handle the job themselves (you'd be surprised what some of them can do, and it often has nothing to do with printing newspapers).

If you live near a large university, get in touch with their print room. Many have university presses and, particularly if it's a state university, might do a damn good job for practically nothing.

Check out a local graphic design / print shop. They may help you lay it out, if nothing else, and/or can do a small binding run relatively affordably. In fact, if you don't mind, you could offer them ad space in the book or on the back cover in return for a reduced print rate (but see what they would charge normally and then ask after that).

Ask at Kinko's / Staples - they do this kind of stuff. You might even be able to get the rates online.

Also, if you don't know how to make a .PDF file, and I assume you aren't familiar with the DP programs, and if you're not an expert at laying out in Word, ask your club members. If you have enough people to put together a book, then SOMEONE must have graphic design / layout experience.

Although I would say if you do the PoD route, many of them will take your basic stuff and help you with the layout (some for a fee).

Good luck! Any questions, just ask

[cmd]

12. Thank you,

I'm so glad I posted my question. I've learned a lot and appreciate the help. cmd

[Stinky The Clown]

2. Look into self-publishing

It isn't hard these days. Send Sparkly a private message, as she's got lots of specific experience in doing this and can give you some printers who she's worked with.

Surely, as chairman, you can find a volunteer facile in graphics to do the work.

Are you planning to test the recipes? My bitch about this sort of cookbook is that some of the recipes simply don't work well. If you cook a lot, you can usually figure it out, but for some readers it could be a real problem. That's puts them off not only on the cookbook, but maybe on the organization who has its name on the cover.

[cmd]

4. I had not thought about testing the recipes

This is all new to me. I inherited it as vice president. I think the club used one of the national cookbook printers for their last edition. That was before my time. I'm glad I posted this. I have lots to think about.

[Dora]

5. Don't use one of those cookbook printers

All their cookbooks look the same.

I don't have any experience in this area - but I know I don't like the "look" of those generic fundraising cookbooks. Blah.

[Stinky The Clown]

7. Blah is right!

If you follow the self-publishing route, the pages can be anything you want them to be .... for no extra cost. Many of the printers today will accept PDF files as the camera-ready art. If they do laser printing (more costly than offset, but also far easier for the self-publisher/amateur typesetter to do) you can even have color pictures.

[cmd]

9. We're dealing with mostly senior citizens

like me. I don't know a PDF file from my left toe. Are you sure this is something we could do?

[Stinky The Clown]

11. Making a PDF file is simple

And, indeed, you have encountered them if you surf the internet.

Making them requires Adobe Acrobat software. But making them is not the issue. Making a good page design is the issue. Making a PDF is, literally, as easy as pressing the 'print' icon in a piece of software.

As I said above, if you're not comfortable doing this, look for a volunteer who can do it for you. I am certain there's someone in your group who is capable of it.

[SoCalDem]

6. If you make sure the recipe submitters use their names,

I don;t think you need to test all the recipes. My clubs have done these books over the years, and people do not submit recipes under their names that are not the best of the best,, especially when they know their friends will know whose recipe it is :evilgrin:

Honesty in cooking..a good thing :)

[cmd]

8. The names are a recommendation for me

I pay as much attention to the contributor as I do to the recipe. I know who the best cooks are, and always want to try their recipes.

[Blue Gardener]

13. This is who I used

http://www.cookbookprinting.com/

They did a great job on the cookbooks we put together at my workplace.