Endorsements give your book credibility and can boost sales. They provide third-party validation that your book is worthwhile, and as a result they are so much more powerful than any publicity that comes directly from you.

Yet many writers are bashful about asking for them, or they ask the wrong people. Here’s how to make the most of the opportunity:

1. Think about endorsements at the proposal stage.

As a coach, I like to get the process going at the book proposal stage, even though doing so sometimes strikes fear in the writer’s heart. “How can I ask someone famous to endorse my book when I haven’t even written it yet?” they counter.

No problem. Just ask if they will agree to review your book for a possible endorsement, when it’s ready. That makes it easier to say yes, because they’re not committing to writing a positive blurb from now. And it gives your proposal more weight to have these commitments up front.

While writing my proposal for Will Write for Food I emailed cookbook author Deborah Madison (met her at the Greenbrier), restaurant reviewer Michael Bauer (I had interviewed him for my sample chapter on restaurant reviewing), and literary agent Lisa Ekus (I knew her professionally). I explained that I was writing the book and would be honored to include their names in the proposal as potential endorsers. I explained why I thought they were a good match for the book. All agreed.

Another kind of endorsement is the foreword. This is a larger commitment, where someone writes an essay inside the book, instead of a sentence or paragraph. Often publishers pay the writer a fee. A respected name, mentioned in the proposal, can impress agents and editors.

2. Pick the right names for the job.

I find that people sometimes go down the wrong path. They think of whom they admire, instead of who the reader admires, or people in their town who are not known nationally. They name obscure professors or writers of books that influenced them but are not on target for their own book.

Think about it this way: Who is an admired authority on the broad subject of your book, in the mind of the target reader? Not in your mind. If you’re lucky and you’re a good networker, you might already know these people, or you have a connection. If not, it’s just a matter of asking them.

For example, Craig Priebe, the chef with whom I co-wrote Grilled Pizzas & Piadinas, decided that restaurateur Wolfgang Puck was the ultimate authority on gourmet pizzas and that our target readers revere him. So Craig bugged his assistant (politely) for weeks until he got the endorsement. You can read it in the photo above, on the back of our book.

3. Tracking people down is easier than ever.

These days everyone who’s known (and you want that kind of person) has a website, a Twitter feed, or a Facebook page. They want to be found. Or maybe they’re members of an organization you belong to, which will make them even easier to find. Sometimes you can go through their book publisher or agent. Read their book’s acknowledgements to get the right names.

When you find them,state your case politely. Explain what your book is about and give them a timeline, if possible, so they know what to expect.

4. Make it easy for the endorsers to give you that blurb.

Once you have a book deal, your publisher will ask you to list names of potential endorsers. Make a long, ordered list. Some people won’t have time, some might be away, and some might decline, so you want at least eight or nine names.

When your manuscript gets to the galley stage (that’s when the book is bound but not published yet), the publisher will send it out for review to potential endorsers. Sometimes they send a PDF by email.

Some publishers help you find the contact information, and some don’t. You might have to supply it, and even manage the process. You may have to let people know when the galley or PDF is coming, and follow up to see if they have sent their blurb to the publisher. Keep on top of the process to ensure that you get the blurbs you want — and deserve.

5. Believe you have something to offer.

Savvy big names like to endorse books, because their name appears prominently, often with a title of their book, restaurant or sometimes even a website URL, on the front or back cover. It’s free marketing to their intended audience, if you chose correctly.

So if you’re worried that you have nothing to offer these big names, think again. Your book can be a billboard for their own publicity.

I know, firsthand, that all you have to do is get up the nerve. I emailed Anthony Bourdain to ask him to endorse Will Write for Food,  and he did! My editor and publicist said they did a little dance. Aim high. You have nothing to lose.

Got a tip or a story about how you got a terrific blurb? I’d love to know.

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What is it like to sell more than 300,000 copies of your self-published cookbook? It’s rare. Extremely rare.

But Martha Hopkins did it, starting when she was 25 years old and didn’t know any better. Her 1997 erotic and visually stunning cookbook, InterCourses, is still selling, especially as a wedding gift.

Martha will be speaking on self-publishing and marketing (see her fantastic website) at a March 27 full-day class in New York, Creating and Selling Your Dream Cookbook, along with food stylist and cookbook author Denise Vivaldo, photographer Jamie Tiampo, and myself. I was so impressed with her success that I thought I should share it, as a preview of what she’ll cover in the class:

Q. You were so young. How did you hit upon this subject of aphrodisiacs?

 A. Honestly, my business partner and I went through a whole slew of ideas over the phone. We thought about an Oaxacan cookbook because I spent a summer there, and then we thought about aphrodisiacs. Food and sex! Sounds like fun, I thought.

We picked aphrodisiacs that tasted good and would look good in photos, like asparagus and strawberries. We needed a color balance of greens, purples and reds. We wanted food set on the backdrop of a human body.

Since my dad’s a Baptist minister, there would be no nudity. Part of the reason the book was so successful is it walks a very careful line: sensual without being lewd.

Q. How did you find the models?

A. Randall and I found the majority of our models off the streets of Memphis, where we lived. Since we couldn’t afford to go through a modeling agency, I hit the streets with a Polaroid camera and an idea of what type of body we needed for each shot.

Uh, not your typical cookbook photo. (Photo by Ben Fink)

For the new images in our 10th anniversary edition—ginger, seafood, and salmon—we posted on Craig’s List for models interested in being a part of our new edition. Every model showed up on time, with a professional attitude and a willingness to try any of our crazy ideas. This time, we paid the two we used.

Q. What was your budget, originally?

A. We had one, but we kept going over it. We didn’t have any money, so poverty is the mother of creativity. We paid the models with books. We did all the design, writing and editing, except for the feedback people gave us from recipe testing that was incorporated in the book.

We printed 10,000 copies in Hong Kong and flew to the East Coast to present to our distributor’s sales representatives. For our meeting, we made chocolate cakes and blads (print promotional pieces) for the reps.

Q. Why was this book so successful?

A. I guess it was successful because everything I owned and my future was wrapped up in this book, so it motivated me.

My dad said to make a business plan. Randall and I went to seven banks. Everyone turned us down. We went to more banks and finally, my dad agreed to co-sign. We would have to pay him $500 per month if we failed, plus interest. But we never had to borrow a penny. That is a miracle of good timing.

Q. What is your best advice for cookbook authors about how to promote their books?

A. Before you write a word of the book, prepare a proposal and learn how to market the book. For example, so many editors wanted to write stories based on our appendices (Aphrodisiac Usage Guide, Aphrodisiacs by the Hour, Stages of the Relationship), and they were in our proposal. Editors love tidbits and sound bites. I somehow understood that and promoted them as separate story ideas.

Q. Why did you do a new edition?

InterCourses co-author Martha Hopkins

A. I had become a better recipe writer and wanted to change the the recipes. I wanted an excuse for the media to cover it again. I made it newsworthy by retesting the recipes, finding the original couples, and adding 50 percent new content.

Q. Is Valentine’s Day your biggest day for promotion? What did you do this year?

A. Yes, because it’s the one time of the year people are not going to flinch at the word “aphrodisiac.” But we sell more books at Christmas and as wedding gifts. This year, on Valentine’s Day, I taught couples’ cooking classes in Savannah at 700 Kitchen.

Q. What is the number one thing you’ve learned about self-publishing?

A. Randall and I got to do it our way, however we wanted. Of course, you can fall flat on your face, but so can a traditional publisher.

Q. What’s your advice for people who are envisioning self-publishing, including established authors?

A. Be both extremely pragmatic and comfortable about how much money you can lose. Be extremely visionary, and have no expectations, all at the exact same time. Be limitless in creativity. Be fearless — don’t be afraid to call anyone or ask for something. Most of all, do it because it’s exciting and fun.

* * *

I hope to see you at our New York Dream Cookbook class. Please help us spread the word if you know people who would like to write their first cookbook. I’ll also be attending the International Association of Culinary Professionals annual conference later in the week. For more on what food stylist Denise Vivaldo will cover in the class, see this post.

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A former student, Cheryl Sternman Rule, whose first cookbook, Ripe, comes out next month, asked, “How do I know when my book is successful?”

Good question. I told her she had to define it for herself, that everyone thinks something different, and some never feel success, no matter how many copies they sell or awards they win. She decided her book would be successful when she sells past the first print run.

Fair enough. I thought about my definition. While I’ve won two awards for Will Write for Food since it came out in 2005, I think it’s successful because people are still buying it.Then I wondered what other authors, publishers and agents would say.

One of the authors I asked was Michael Ruhlman. First he said, “I believe a cookbook is successful if it inspires someone to cook; if it advances our understanding of food or our skill in the kitchen. For the cookbook writer, it’s successful if convinces a publisher to give you money to do another one!”

Then he was so taken by the subject that he asked his Twitter followers what they thought, and created an excellent simultaneous post  about cookbook success. It was fun to work together on our posts.

Now, let’s see what the others have to say:

“When the publisher asks you to write another?” – Paula Wolfort, cookbook author

“First, reviews: if the book receives no attention online, in print or in broadcast media, then it has obviously failed to reach its audience. For sales, if the author is a relative unknown, 15,000 to 20,000 copies sold in the first year would constitute a success in my book. Obviously, if the author is someone who has written other cooking titles or who has an ongoing presence in print or other media, the benchmark of success would be higher. –Rux Martin, senior executive editor at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

“I asked my first editor that, and she said, ‘When you’ve made back your advance!’ — David Lebovitz, cookbook author

“There are several measures of success: Critical success, as exemplified by many good reviews. Popular success, as evidenced by strong sales, documented by best-seller lists. Financial success, wherein a publisher’s advance earns out and royalties flow. This last ties into the estimation of the potential of the book’s sales at the outset. If a book’s first print run is 5,000 copies and they all sell, this can be deemed a success. However, if the first print run is 10,000, and only 5,000 copies sell, the perception could be the book is not a success.

“If an author gets a big advance upfront, then earn out of royalties is less meaningful. Sometimes large advances are paid in a competitive environment, which signals the value of the property at acquisition, but the eventual sales don’t ever earn out the advance. If the book reprints several times, then I would say this is a good measure because the book has ongoing sales. Ongoing ebook downloads would be a similar measure. — Kirsty Melville, publisher, Andrews-McMeel

“When you get a check!” — Greg Patent, cookbook author

“I went to a second printing for Basic to Brilliant in less than two months, but it’s that not-so-favorable review on Amazon that I’ll think of the most for at least a little bit.

“A good out-of-the-gate response is very important. Media coverage is important. Industry buzz is important. With my first book the respect of my peers and receiving the IACP nomination indicated to me that it was successful.”

“Success is a bit like pain management. For some folks their pain threshold is at floor level and for others it’s the ceiling. The success – or pain – is as equally relevant and real to that person as to the other.” –Virginia Willis, cookbook author

“It is usually a good measure of success that a book sell through its first print run.” — Bill LeBlond, editorial director of food and wine, Chronicle Books

“I suppose for many people stellar Book Scan or Amazon sales figures defines a successful cookbook. For me the cookbook needs to be timeless and to consistently sell well over the years. Foremost, are the recipes, which must be reliable with tips or technique information that enable the reader to achieve delicious results. What distinguishes a successful cookbook is its originality, that unique voice and passion particular to an author. Without equal, it enlightens food traditions, culinary practices, and captures the essence of a cuisine or food subject.” – Grace Young, cookbook author

“I don’t particularly consider my book successful, even though it won the Julia Child Award, and it’s in it’s second printing. I think when I’ve paid back my advance, I’ll consider it successful. Accolades are gratifying, but in the end this is a business.” — David Leite, cookbook author

“I think a successful book is one that makes the author feel good about what they have produced, and also when the author can see how their work helps other people.” – Monica Bhide, cookbook author

“There are many definitions of success. Did this book bring you financial opportunities to further build your career? Did it make your second book easy(ier) to sell? Has publishing this book made you an influencer? Are you now a resource for the media? Was your publisher pleased (Ask for feedback!)? Probably the more important question is what were the goals of your writing this book and were they met?

“The variables of who published your book and in what format, distribution, etc will all influence much of the measurables,   such as University Press vs. Commercial publisher.” – Lisa Ekus, literary agent

“There are, of course, the objective measurements: sales numbers and whether your book “earns out”. But there are other, more intangible signs. I consider a book successful when it finds an audience, whether large or small. If I see that a book of mine has gained a dedicated audience that really appreciates it, that uses it and cooks from it, then that to me is a successful book.

“I also look to whether it is well received by my peers. For example, my second book, Big Night In, has been a slow seller. However, it was selected by Food & Wine as one of the 25 best cookbooks of the year when it came out, and it was carried for a time by Crate & BarreI, and I continue toget great feedback from those who cook from it. So, to my mind, that book was a success.” — Cookbook author Domenica Marchetti

“You know your book is a success if it accomplished what you wanted it to. It could be different things: selling a lot of copies; getting a lot of print; launching a next step, like a movie; informing and inspiring people; righting a confusion.

“I think of books I’ve written that have sold a lot and those that have gone out of print or haven’t earned back. Local Flavors, for example,has never earned out but is, miraculously, still in print. It was a little ahead of its time, but as the interest in farmers markets has caught up with it, it has really come into play; I’m asked to weigh in on articles on the basis of the book, it’s given away at conferences and farmers markets,  so I consider it a success even if by some standards it isn’t.  Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone has been a success financially, but what’s most important to me is that it has introduced people to vegetables and other plant foods whether or not they’re vegetarian, and when I get e-mails and letters from readers expressing their appreciation for that, I am so gratified. The book did what I hoped it would.

“Another book in which I had a mission was in print only for a little over a year. I feel it was a failure even though it was a good book because it didn’t get to do what I had hoped, which was to focus on fruit and inspire people to understand and offer ways to enjoy it that were more health supportive than usual. So when you’re writing a book and visualizing your audience and thinking about what it is you want the book to say, and if it ends up doing that, it’s a success.  If it makes a lot of money and gets a lot of print at the same time, that’s also a success. But if it’ doesn’t, it’s not  necessarily a failure.

“The internet has been a great tool for feedback. Sometimes I feel discouraged about the apparent lack of success of a book, but then I get an e-mail from someone who is a die-hard fan of that book and who really understands it, and that makes it feel like a success.” – Deborah Madison, cookbook author

“This might not surprise you, but it’s sales, and for a book to be really successful, longevity. Look what happened with Mastering the Art of French Cooking after the Julia movie came out!

“Sales not only provides return on investment, but it proves you’ve reached an audience. But, good sales don’t necessarily mean bestseller numbers.  I was researching sales for the food science category recently. I noted that Jeff Potter’s book, Cooking for Geeks, sold somewhere around 35,000 (through Bookscan). Some might say those numbers are just OK, but hey, he’s not a household name. Though some of the sales were from his blog audience, I bet a good portion weren’t, so those numbers are very impressive and show me that a first-time author was able to make a good dent in a category that’s not an easy sell. (Yes, food science is trending, but it’s still scary to many people and NOT a slam dunk topic.)

“Another important point about sales is that it doesn’t have to happen out of the gate (though that’s nice). Sure, consumers’ attention spans quickly move on to the next shiny object, but a writing a book that has legs, as we call them, is pretty fine.  But there IS a segment of books that are slow and steady and there’s a lot of good that comes with that–you’re keeping your name and your book out there, may just be seen as an authority on that topic. (You probably know something about that, Dianne.  )

“Keeping your book out on the market also affords you the chance of opportunities that might not have been present during your book’s initial release. I remember a title from my time at Houghton Mifflin that released in April one year. First time author, great book. It got little media and the sales numbers were slow until the fall, when the author went on QVC. Her appearance spiked numbers on Amazon and then the book took off. She’s gone on to have a very robust career. At the Roger Smith Conference, a few booksellers made the point that for a successful event for a first time author, it often pays to have the event once the book has been out for some time (for media to reach consumers). Jennifer Reese, the author of Make the Bread, Buy the Butter, noted that was her experience.– Lori Galvin, senior editor, Cook’s Illustrated

“Two of my little books, Delicious Dips and Skinny Dips, keep selling and selling. I get lots of feedback from readers, which is always rewarding. They are prominently displayed at stores like Crate & Barrel, and they continue to do well on Amazon with very positive reviews. Skinny Dips was featured in Oprah’s “O” magazine, which certainly was exciting.

“Book awards are elusive and very few get to have those honors. I would certainly deem it a “success” factor, but it is not one that one can count on. If you ask publishers, they will tell you that just because a book wins an award–such as an IACP or Beard award–that does not automatically translate to a best-selling book.

“Being monetarily rewarded beyond a book advance with ongoing royalty checks is pretty great. It makes you happy, it makes the publisher happy, and it means you get to keep writing because your publisher is making money from your work. One can’t ignore the numbers game. First-time authors might get a small advance because they are a risk, but if that book does well then they will be rewarded downstream with royalties and will likely grow their audience as the book gets better known.

“Finally, success can be felt when a book turns the author into a go-to source for their deep knowledge on a particular subject. For instance, my two Thanksgiving books and numerous articles on the holiday have made me a go-to source for Thanksgiving. Even quite a few years after my books have been published, I get e-mails for radio interviews and newspaper quotes. It is very rewarding and, in turn, keeps the interest in my books alive.

“In conclusion, I think “success” is multi-faceted, but definitely a combination of monetary reward and perception in the marketplace.”  – Cookbook author Diane Morgan

What about you? What do you think makes a book successful?

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Has anyone not heard of David Lebovitz? He’s a super successful American food writer blogger living in Paris. He’s also a gorgeous photographer, author of five cookbooks and one memoir, and author and co-author of two apps.

I first met him on email in 2005, when he endorsed my book, Will Write for Food. Recently we spoke about his success and philosophy on food blogging, writing cookbooks, social media, and how he finds the time to get it all done:

Q. Why do so many people adore your blog? What is it about you and your subject matter?

A. It’s a combination of things. Part of it is I started a long time ago so I’ve had a long time to practice, to learn about blogging and build a site. Part of it is I live in Paris and that interests people. Plus I worked as a professional chef, which is part of the mix. People say they feel my blog is very personal; they know the person behind it.

My blog is largely about cultural differences because I’m a foreigner living abroad, and the longer you live somewhere, the more it gives you more credibility. And perhaps people can relate to being an “outsider.” Years ago I was more of a critic of certain aspects of French culture, but now I’m more of an observer and I try to be more neutral. The longer you live somewhere, the more you understand how people are and I’ve become more integrated, too, and understand the culture better.

Q. How has your blog changed since you started your website in 1999? What kinds of posts do you no longer do?

A. Now I microblog on Twitter (105,000+ followers) and Facebook (26,000+ followers). I used to do link round-ups on my blog, but now I’ll put links and short things on Twitter, and pictures on Flickr or Instagram.

Q. How do you decide what to put on Facebook and what to put on Twitter?

A. Facebook is more about linking. Twitter is more about thoughts. When I’m out and about I can easily tweet a social observation or a photo of a bakery. I find that when people link to too many things their Twitter stream becomes less interesting because it’s no longer about them.

Q. How many times should a blogger refer to his or her most recent post on social media?

A. Once. You’re allowed to do it twice, but only if you sincerely believe people missed it and it’s a truly exceptional, amazing post that will revolutionize the world of food blogging.

Q. What was the turning point for your blog, when you knew it was successful?

A. The day I actually ran my fingers through Michael Ruhlman’s hair.

Q. Right, I was there! It was at the Food Blogger Camp in Mexico.

A. Yes, it was. Actually, I don’t look at statistics very often. It’s kind of a waste of time. When I was selling my current book, I saw that they were looking to base the advance somewhat on my online readership so I did check then. In general, book sales have been healthy because of my site. That’s what every author wants.

Chocolate Mint Brownies (Photo by David Lebovitz)

Q. Are your posts getting longer and longer?

A. My goal is to write a post that someone can read in 3 minutes or less. Even if it seems long, there are a lot of photos that people can scroll through. But I aim to write something readable in a relatively short amount of time.

Q. What’s the most important change you’ve made on your blog in the last year?

A. Moving to WordPress and switching servers. WordPress is so much easier to use, compared to Movable Type — which is for developers, because you have to know code. I had a wonderful web guy who was a Movable Type expert and then he stopped working with clients and I couldn’t find anyone who did Movable Type work, which led me to change.

Q. Which is your first love: writing books, blogging, photography, or social media?

A. I actually like blogging. It’s more fun than writing books because I can write something and post it the same day. I like the immediate feedback. And I can go back and edit things.

Cognac press trip (Photo by David Lebovitz)

Writing a book is interesting, though, because the process is longer and I learn a lot when I’m developing recipes. It’s difficult in a small apartment to deal with the recipe paperwork and the notes, though. And, of course, all the leftovers!

Q. Do you have one post that you think is amazing?

A. My posts on food blogging, food photography, and Paris information get lots of feedback.

Q. On your post about food blogging, you suggest bloggers “find your niche.” Some people worry that they will get bored with their niche. How do they avoid that? Can you chance a blog into something else?

A. You have to start a blog about what interests you. Now I’m branching out doing more savory recipes, because there are only so many desserts. I don’t make chocolate tarts every day.

People should blog about what their life is about. You can start or stop a blog, but I never get bored with my blog so it’s not been an issue.

Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream (Photo by David Lebovitz)

Q. I was at a conference recently where someone told me that recipes are meant to be shared, so what’s wrong with sharing them on a blog?

A. Music and movies are meant to be shared, too. But you can’t copy and redistribute them. If you have nothing to add to the recipe, you should just link to it. That’s sharing. Otherwise you should adapt it and write it as you made it.

Q. My sense is that you are interested in technology and often one of the first to jump on new media. Is that essential to be a food blogger or social media maven?

A. If you mean apps, my publisher provided my first app. For the Paris Pastry app, I wanted to do a pastry guidebook back in 1993 when I first moved to Paris. (It’s amusing because I still have those notes!) So when a friend who is a publisher approached me, we did it together. But in terms of being a techie, I can’t read CSS, I have no idea what it is, and I have no idea how to switch servers.

Q. Do you hire technical people?

A. Yes. They oversee my site, dealing with any technical stuff like WordPress upgrades, changing a font, cleaning up pages, or having something redesigned to be cleaner to read. I’ve hired web developers since 1999 and I think they’re a worthwhile investment.

In 2000, just after I started out, someone else who was starting out said they wanted to do it all themselves. I said, “Do it yourself and you take that time away from your baking and writing.”

Q. Let’s talk about product placement. How do you decide which trip to take or which product to feature, such as cognac or a ride on the Queen Mary? Are you bombarded with offers?

A. I only do things that I would really want do on my own, or that give me an opportunity to learn.  For example, I didn’t know much about cognac. It’s part of life in France and visiting the region makes me learn and understand more about not just the item, but the culture and terroir surrounding it. I’ve been on a few press trips, which are important in France, because it’s very hard to get access to places unless you’ve had a formal introduction. It’s much, much easier to go see a place, and meet the people, if all the arrangements have been made in advance.

As for products, if someone wants to send me a spatula to try out, I would take it if I were actually interested in it. (Especially because it’s often extremely complicated to get something delivered here.) I was interested in green non-stick pans, and the Actify fryer so I gave them a try, and put my impressions on my blog.

Most important is that there’s nothing worse than losing the trust of your readers. It’s not worth a spatula, a piece of kitchen equipment, or a bag of nuts if readers get the impression you are just trying to get freebies.

Q. How do you feel about sponsored posts?

A. I’d feel funny about having a company pay me to write something on my site. If I wanted to make a lot of money or have a lot of visitors I would do three chocolate desserts a week instead.

Q. Of all your ads, which is the best moneymaker?

A. BlogHer ads. Like the line at Costco, it’s important to stick with something for a while and not jump around to what looks to be better elsewhere. I don’t judge it from month to month. The thing I like about them is that they’re bloggers. All my interactions with them have been extremely professional.

Lime Meringue Tart (Photo by David Lebovitz.)

Q. You have other ads and affiliate programs too.

A. I have a BlogHer ad between posts, plus Amazon, Google Adsense, and Platefull in the sidebars. The ads are geotagged and only show in the US so I can’t see a lot of them. A lot of my readers are outside the US and I don’t make money from those that appear outside the US, but I love working with BlogHer.

Q. How do you carve out time to start a new project?

A. It’s very challenging. I’m starting to write a book now, and the blog takes up a lot of time, and I live in a country where there’s a heavy amount of administrative tasks. Life is a little more difficult here day to day. Things take longer. For example, if you need an orange or a sack of sugar for a recipe and it’s 9 p.m., there’s not necessarily somewhere nearby to get it. You need to wait until the next day, or when your market is open.

It’s hard to find the time, and it’s something I struggle with. For my last two books, I’ve gone out to the country for a couple of weeks where there’s no Internet access just to finish things without distractions.

I don’t have a schedule for writing. Today I started at 5:30 a.m. and I tested a recipe this morning. It took 1.5 hours to prepare and cleanup took 1 hour. It’s been in the refrigerator for 8 hours, and now it’s probably ready to taste. It’s the fourth time I’ve made it. Doing the math, you can see how long it takes to get work done!

Since I work a lot with the US, people there are waking up at 5 p.m. my time and they expect me to respond to e-mail. I have dinner at 8:30 p.m. and then I don’t want to go back to the computer, so I have to log off. Otherwise I make myself crazy.

Q. Do you think people really know you as a result of reading your blog? Or have you invented a character?

A. It’s really me. I’m writing about my life. I’m probably more open about certain things than other people are, like flushing meringue down the toilet. I’m often presenting a realist view of the city I live in. I feel like I’m pretty open and honest about everything on my site.

Q. Any final messages?

A. Food bloggers should think of themselves as part of a community. Don’t swipe material from other blogs. It’s not “passing along information.” Create your own content for your readers, and link to other people. That’s what the world wide web is all about.

You might also like:

• David’s post on Writing Your Own Cookbook
• David’s posts on Food Blog Alliance

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People who want to write a cookbook contact me all the time.

Often these potential authors have no background in writing, cooking, teaching, or any other credential that would make them appealing to a publisher. But they’re passionate about cooking.

Don’t write a book first, I suggest. Start with a blog.

But but but, they protest. Whenever they bring their chocolate-bacon cupcakes into the office or serve their lamb shanks scented with cinnamon, people tell them they should write a cookbook, because their cooking is just that good.

Great, I say. But it’s not that simple. Enthusiasm from friends, family and fellow employees is not what excites a publisher. What turns on publishers is a cunning idea, writing chops and a platform. Now if these potential authors would start a blog instead, they might get to a published book.

Literary Agent Lisa Ekus, who represents only cookbooks, said recently at a blogging conference that more than 80 percent of book queries to her agency come from bloggers.That’s perfect. The bloggers who contact her are writing about their passions and expertise in a blog, and they’re building a community of followers. Blogging gives them a cunning idea, writing chops, and a platform. Sense a pattern here in what I’m saying?

A book is not the only way to express a love of cooking. In fact, it’s a ton of work and can take several years, by the time you solidify the idea, create a proposal, find an agent or publisher, write the manuscript, and get it published.

A blog, on the other hand, has three main benefits:

1. It’s immediate. You launch it and it’s out there. Boom. You’re published on whatever you’re passionate about.

2. It helps you figure out what to write about. Some people start a blog and have no idea where it’s going, other than that it’s about food. After a few months, a theme emerges. They sharpen their ideas, zero in on a topic, and a solid focus emerges that might become a book.

3. You engage with future buyers of  your book. If you start a blog on the subject of your book, you start a relationship with readers who might buy it. A former student just got a book deal. When she began the book proposal a year ago, she started a blog at the same time.

“By the time the proposal was in, the blog was well underway and became part of what sold the project,” she wrote me in an email. ” The blog has also been a great way to connect with my audience and get to know what their needs are in a cookbook.”

A blog delivers on the main reason people want to write books: It gets their writing published, immediately. So why, do you think, is there so much resistance?

You might also like:

• Pile of Food Blogger Cookbooks in the Works
• Why Authors Need a Platform More than Ever
• 5 Tips on what Makes a Killer Cookbook Idea

(Photo by Stuart Miles, FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

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My highest compliment: A marked up first edition of my book. (Photo by Jo Stougaard)

You’ll probably get on a plane soon, off to see grandma, friends or kids. Why not spend your plane time reading a how-to book?

No, not the ones about making money or dieting! I mean books about writing and publishing. Put your tray table down and furiously underline, fold pages over, add sticky notes, and fill pages with highlighter. The only hard part is adding a beverage without spilling.

It took me years to mark up my non-fiction books. Now I take it as the highest compliment when readers tell me they’ve violated Will Write for Food in the same way.

Although sometimes it sounds a little extreme. One reader told me she tore the book in half so she could read the unread part on a plane!

After the first edition came out in 2005, Jo of MyLastBite, a respected Los Angeles blogger, sent me the above two photos of my book, with an email about her mark-up system:

“My copy of your book is never far from reach. When I read books, my system for flagging specific pages are: 1) Flagged page on top means “great quote.” 2) Flagged page to the right means “action” or “get more info.”

“After I read your book (the first time), my husband made fun of me because almost EVERY page was marked with a flag on top, AND on the right.”

What a huge compliment. And I encourage you to do the same with whatever book you’re juggling on your tray table. How-to books are made for destruction, and we authors don’t mind.

Here are five books to improve your writing and knowledge of the publishing industry, from the classics to the newcomers:

1. Bird by Bird: Some instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott. I never tire of recommending this book, just as I never tire of re-reading it. And most importantly, Lamott is the one who came up with “shitty first draft.” I never tire of using that term as a writing coach and teacher, either. It always gets a laugh, but mostly because people recognize themselves and their drive for perfection.

2.Writing Life Stories: How to Make Memories into Memoirs, Ideas into Essays, and Life into Literature, by Bill Roorbach. Blogging, particularly, is about personal stories and memories. Learn how to set scenes, develop characters, and do the exercises to blast into memories you hadn’t thought about in years. I’ve even marked up my hardcover edition.

3. On Writing, by Stephen King. I was prepared not to like this book, because I’m not into horror fiction. But hey, the guy has written more than 30 worldwide bestsellers, and surprise — he knows what he’s talking about. What I admired most is his dedication to his craft, and his approachable style. It’s a great read no matter how advanced of a writer you are.

4. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Book Proposals & Query Letters, by Marilyn Allen and Coleen O’Shea. I always say you have a 5 percent chance of success with a book idea. These two literary agents say it’s only 1 percent! They are hard core. But they also offer tons of practical, expert advice and guidance, with samples of proposals and query letters so you can see exactly what they mean.

5. Thinking Like Your Editor: How to Write Great Serious Nonfiction — And Get it Published, by Susan Rabiner and Alfred Fortunato. Having been an editor for most of my career, I love this title. Editors decide what gets published. Here’s a book on understanding what turns them on, why they’d buy your book, and what happens once you get the contract.

And to be completely self-serving, I’d also be thrilled if you would get and mark up a copy of Will Write for Food. Send your photos to me at dj@diannej.com and I’ll publish them in a future blog post.

Happy marking and underlining! And don’t forget to pack a good snack or lunch for the flight.

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After Mary Goodbody left Cook’s Magazine (now Cook’s Illustrated) in the 1980s, she got her first opportunity to co-write a cake decorating book for a packager. She took the job and never looked back. Since becoming self-employed in 1984, the food writer and editor has collaborated on close to 50 cookbooks.

She lives in Connecticut, inherited a 200-acre sustainable farm in northwestern New Jersey with her seven brothers and sisters, and blogs about her visits there.

We spoke recently about collaborating on cookbooks and her long career. I have collaborated on a cookbook (Grilled Pizzas & Piadinas) and edited recipes for publishers. I wanted to learn more about these jobs as careers for freelance food writers:

Q. How do you define the job of a collaborator?

A. I’m the project manager. I make sure the book gets done. I’m pretty detail oriented and I work and think in a linear fashion, which helps the authors keep their deadlines. The author might do some writing, but I edit it. I keep in touch with the

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In the last few weeks, I’ve heard from lots of food bloggers who are getting calls from publishers, asking them to write books.

It’s thrilling to get one of these calls, but they didn’t necessarily know what questions to ask the publisher.

And of course, there’s no reason why they should know, since they have never been in this position before.  So I compiled a list of questions, in case a call like this comes your way.

The most important thing is to not make commitments during the initial call. Get the answers to these questions, and then think it over.

1. What is the advance? The advance is the amount of money you are paid up front to write the book. If the publisher offers you $10,000, and your royalty rate is $1 per book (that’s high, so see No. 2. I’m just making the math easier), then you earn $1 per book after you sell 10,000 books.

Beginning advances for first-time book authors range from $3500 – $25,000, unless you’re a star. Most of the time, they’re offering you too little, but often they won’t budge. It doesn’t hurt to ask for more. “It sounds a little low” is a good response.

2. What is the royalty rate? The typical rate is 7.5 percent of the book’s retail price. One food blogger said the publisher wanted 350 recipes and no advance, but would give her a 10 percent royalty rate. I wouldn’t write a book for a zero advance. I’ve read that 80 percent of authors never see any more money after the advance. So I want as much as I can get up front.

3. How long is the manuscript? If a publisher has a book idea in mind, there might be specs. Most cookbooks have a minimum of 100 recipes. Some might give you a word count, such as 50,000 words. Envision 250 words to a typed 8 1/2 x 11-inch page, double spaced. That comes to 200 double-spaced pages. If the publisher wants you to provide the idea for the book, you will have to estimate the book’s size.

4. What is the deadline for the manuscript? I heard from one blogger who said the publisher wanted a finished manuscript in 6 months, and from another who said the publisher wanted 50 recipes in 4 months. That’s pretty crazy. See if you can get at least 9 months, unless the subject is so trendy that they want it done ASAP.

For some bloggers, this deadline is the date their photography is due as well. Which brings me to…

5. How many photographs, and what is the fee? Not may bloggers have photos good enough to entice a publisher, but if they want yours, make sure you get paid a separate fee. Determine what you should make per photo, based on time and expenses. I can’t tell you exactly what that is, but professional photographers often charge $20,000 – $30,000 per book. If you will not be the photographer, ask whether you can weigh in on whom they choose. Better yet, suggest someone whose work you like.

6. Will my byline appear on the cover? If the publisher wants you to write a cookbook not tied to your blog, it’s a valid question.

7. Will my bio, photo, and blog address appear on the book jacket? You want to make sure.

8. When will my book come out? Most publisher have two seasons for book launches: spring and fall. Gift books come out in the fall.

9. How will you promote my book? Does the publisher send  out copies for review? What else will they do for you? Will they pitch your book to bloggers, print publications, and websites for review? Will they pay for you to do a book tour (most of the time, no).

Once you get past this list of questions, and you and the publisher come to an agreement, you will receive a contract. There’s more to negotiate. (And if you join the Authors Guild, you get a free review of your contract.)

The most important thing is to take lots of notes and push back for the things that are important to you. Don’t just be “honored” that a publisher called you, because it’s a ton of work to produce a book.

My last tips: Ask people you know who’ve written a book for advice. Finally, don’t feel like this is your only opportunity for a book, because it will make you desperate. You don’t want publishers to take advantage.

Okay, all you experts who have already signed a contract: What other advice do you have for these bloggers?

(Photo from freedigitalphotos.net)

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Prolific food writer Melissa Clark writes cookbooks, freelance articles and columns, and a blog.

If you looked up the opposite of “slacker,” you’d see Melissa Clark‘s name highlighted in bold.

The prolific freelancer writes weekly recipes for the New York Times and Gilt Taste, among other freelance gigs. She has also written 32 cookbooks. Many are collaborations with chefs including Daniel Boulud, David Bouley, and White House Pastry Chef Bill Yosses. Her latest cookbook, out in October, is Cook This Now: 120 Easy and Delectable Dishes You Can’t Wait to Make.

Oh, and in her copious spare time, she takes care of her young daughter and writes a blog.

In an interview, she spoke about her career as a food writer, including advice for those who want to be as successful:

Q. You’d been working as a cook and a caterer in New York. What made you want to become a food writer?

A. I always wanted to be a food writer. I started a catering business when I was in grad school. Food was in everything I wrote. It was my metaphor. This was the 1990s. People knew of restaurant critics and cookbooks writers, but food writing wasn’t a viable career. I felt like I was on an uncharted path.

Q. Is a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) in writing a good way to learn about freelance writing and cookbook collaboration? Would you recommend it?

A. No. It’s a good way to find your voice as a writer. People don’t think about that. It’s just as important.

Q. As a freelancer, don’t you have to write the voice of the publication?

A. If you don’t even know who you are and what your voice is, it’s really hard to figure out how to make your voice fit into other molds. Voice has to have a point of view, the perspective that the piece is coming from.

It’s really good to know how to write in different perspectives (first person, second person, third person). You learn all different perspectives when you get an MFA.

I recommend that people take writing classes. It helps stretch you as a writer. It’s really good to challenge yourself.

Q. What was your first big break as a freelance writer?

A. I wrote for websites about food, including once a month for Hearst magazines. I wrote tons of content for Cuisinenet. They paid me real money. I could support myself if I catered on the side.

I also developed recipes for IMP, which put out recipe cards that went out in the mail, where they asked people to subscribe to a recipe club. They had bought (food) photos from Sweden, and they would give me a recipe in Swedish. I made a lot of coffeecakes and French pancakes.

If I were doing it today, I would start out blogging, because that is the path. The path (I described) is gone.

Q. Regarding collaborating on cookbooks, how difficult is it to convince great chefs to let you redo their recipes for home cooks?

A. Depends on the chef and their ego level. Some cling very tightly and want their food to be made exactly the way they make it. Other chefs are wiling to let go of it. I want to work with chefs who let me work with the recipe.

Q. How did you get your regular freelance column for the New York Times, “A Good Appetite?”

A. I started writing for the Times in 1998, doing general assignment reporting.

They came to me with a column in 2007. They wanted people to see into the mind of a confident cook who finds her way, how you get from point A to dinner. They said, “Let’s try it for 10 weeks.”

Q. What’s your the best advice for someone who want to freelance?

1. Work really hard on your writing
2. Write in different voices
3. Make deadlines, have clean well-edited copy, be nice, be accommodating. Get back to them right away. That’s just as important as being a great writer
4. Take (writing and cooking) classes
5. Don’t think that people should come to you because you have a blog
6. Intern, stage, and make yourself much more valuable
7. Don’t say no. Just say yes and make it work.

Q, What would you tell someone who wants to write a cookbook?

A. It’s hard to sell a cookbook without a platform. Really work on that. (If you’re a blogger), editors care about how many readers you have and how many people comment. You have to build it.

The idea doesn’t have to be original. Everything is put through the lens of you. Really focus on your voice and market that.

I’m still learning. Every time I do a cookbook I have a new tutor.

Q. What’s the hardest thing about developing recipes?

Tips -- like why to grate a tomato -- and recipes appear on Clark's blog (Photo by Melissa Clark).

A. I’m always humbled by what I don’t know. I try to learn when there’s something that doesn’t work and I don’t know why, especially with baking. I don’t take anything for granted.

Sometimes I make something and it doesn’t blow me away. How do I make it better? It’s always a fun challenge. But it can also be humbling when it doesn’t work.

I have a little trick that I always use. I retitle the recipe. So, if I burn the pasta in a pasta dish, I call it “browned garlic pasta. “

Q. How important is it to have a background as a professional cook, to become a food writer?

A. No one’s going to read you if you’re not an authority. You need to know more than the person next to you because you’re going to teach them. It’s all about improving your skills and your knowledge.

Q. What would you like to tell someone who wants to be successful?

A. The old Einstein quote: It’s 1 percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration. I work really hard. Also, don’t be so brittle. Criticism is good. It helps you. It makes you grow.

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“So many food bloggers have books coming out right now!” declared Amy Sherman of Cooking With Amy. She, Cheryl Sternman-Rule of 5 Second Rule (on the list below), and I were gabbing on the phone, preparing for our food blogging panel at the Book Passage Travel and Food Writing and Photography conference this weekend.

I had not counted how many, so Amy whipped up a list and emailed it to me. I added a few names, including writers I coached on book proposals (so proud!). And she’s right, it’s a pretty impressive list.

I happen to know that the advances on this list range from around $3500 to six figures. (A book advance is the amount the publisher pays you upfront.) Regardless of the advance size, there’s no doubt that cookbook editors think food bloggers are hot enough to follow, befriendand even comment on their blogs.

Food bloggers have tons of advantages as book authors. They come with their own list of potential readers. They’ve not only created a community but often they’re part of a larger community of bloggers that supports them when the book comes out. Food bloggers probably know more about marketing and social media than the average writer. And sometimes they take their own photos for the book, a two-for-one deal.

Most of the people on this list do not just define themselves as food bloggers, anyway. They are also freelance writers, journalists, cooking teachers, chefs, and recipe developers. All these skills help broaden their platform, experience, and credibility.

So take a look at this list of blogs. As you scan it, you’ll see asterisks at the end of some blog names. They indicate links to posts I’ve found about book deals or about writing the cookbook itself:

• Shauna James Ahern and Dan Ahern, Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef*
• Emma Christensen, blogs for the Kitchn
• Glen Detwiller, Chef’s Notebook*
• Tammy Donroe, Food on the Food*
• Lisa Fain, Homesick Texan*
• Matt Finarelli, Deglazed*
• Aran Goyoaga, Cannelle et Vanille*
• Sandra Gutierrez, Sandra’s Kitchen Studio*
• Jaden Hair, Steamy Kitchen
• Kristin Jackson, It’s Not You It’s Brie *
• Lindsay Landis, Love and Olive Oil*
• David Lebovitz
• Marisa McClellan, Food in Jars
• Beatrice Peltre, La Tartine Gourmande
• Deb Perelman, Smitten Kitchen* (Also this recent interview I did with her)
• Elise Pierce, Cowgirl Chef
• Adam Roberts, Amateur Gourmet*
• Jeanne Sauvage, Art of Gluten Free Baking*
• Nancy Singleton Hachisu, Japanese Farm Food/Indigo Days
• Shauna Sever, Piece of Cake*
• Cheryl Sternman Rule, 5 Second Rule
• Molly Wizenberg, Orangette* (also read this post on procrastination*)
• Susie Wyshak, Nutty Fig

Know of another food blogger with a book deal? Let me know.

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