Bonnie is a fellow RD and has just self-published this beautiful cookbook about Passover. She was kind enough to take some time to share her thoughts about writing a cookbook and self-publishing.
What is the name of your cookbook?
The name of my cookbook is Passover the Healthy Way: Light, Tasty and Easy Recipes Your Whole Family Will Enjoy!
Is this your first cookbook?
My first cookbook is called Recipes to Remember: Heart Healthy Can Be Delicious.
Did you have a food blog prior to writing your cookbook?
No, I did not. I started the blog 5 months ago.
What compelled you to write a cookbook?
The reason I wrote this latest cookbook is because of 4 common concerns I hear year after year each Passover from my clients. First, “I never get out of the kitchen; I am always cooking and baking”. Second, “I always gain weight over Passover”. Third, “Passover recipes contain huge amounts of eggs and oil”. Fourth, “I serve the same recipes year after year with little variety”. I wanted to show people that they can serve traditional holiday recipes with a healthy twist, which are easy to prepare so they can get out of the kitchen and enjoy their company.
What advice do you have for an aspiring cookbook author who wants to self-publish a cookbook?
Take the time to research and speak to colleagues who have self-published. Don’t rush the process. It takes time but you will be very proud once you have finished the book.
What was your biggest challenge in writing your cookbook?
My biggest challenge is that I was under a tight deadline. I wanted to finish the cookbook, and have it published enough time before Passover so I can sell it. This is a niche book and if I wanted to be successful in selling, I had to have it available at least 2 months before Passover, when most people will begin to look for recipes and new cookbooks. There was a lot of pressure and late nights.
You self-published, so what was your biggest challenge in that process?
The biggest challenge in the publishing process was the editing. I did not hire an editor…I did the proofing myself. Every time a new PDF was sent to me from the publisher, I had to print all the pages (a lot) and proof each page. Inevitably, I missed some things, and after it was published, I did do an update and made those corrections. Next time around (I am working on my 3rd cookbook now), I think I will hire an editor.
Any thoughts you’d like to share on the marketing and sales of your cookbook?
The self-publishing company I went with was charging a fortune for marketing. So, I decided to do the marketing myself. It is very time consuming. This year, I have some nutrition interns who are helping me with the marketing. This has been very valuable. I have also started using social media (Facebook and Twitter) for promoting my book.
Does your book have photos in the interior? If so, who took the photos and how did that affect production? What about photo on the book cover?
I do not have photos of the recipes in the book. I have some black and white photos on the chapter/section pages, for example a picture of a chicken dish on the page with the title “Poultry” and other “Meats” section etc. I purchased those pictures through istock. The cover photo and back photo are color, and I also purchased those from istock. The front and back cover was designed by the self-publisher I used. There were several rounds of edits on that until they got what I wanted. One thing I did learn – people like pictures. So, for this next book I am working on, I am taking pictures of all finished products. I have several nutrition interns working with me and we have become quite good at food photography. Here’s a link to Bonnie’s website: www.passoverthehealthyway.com and www.brghealth.com.