This past weekend two cookbook editors from Chronicle and Ten Speed told an audience at Book Passage bookstore in Corte Madera, CA what they’re looking for in a cookbook. I thought you might like to know.
One of Chronicle Book’s biggest sellers.
Let’s start with Amy Treadwell, an editor at Chronicle Books. She’d love to find another book that will do as well as Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans, which has sold more than 100,000 copies. That book led to more cupcake-based products: the Cupcake Kit and Cupcakes Deluxe Notecards.
Treadwell said she’s looking for three things:
- Cookbooks that tell a story, versus just a collection of recipes. She gave the upcoming The Commonsense Kitchen: 500 Recipes Plus Lessons for a Hand-Crafted Life as an example. It’s based on a college that teaches men to cook.
- Targeted single subject books, such as the one on Whoopie Pies she co-wrote in six months to capitalize on a trend.
- Blog-to-books such as the upcoming [Read more…] about Want to Write a Cookbook? Top Editors Reveal Best Subjects and Formats
