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Writing (and Selling) the Cookbook Only You Could Write

Course is closed.

WHEN
Thursday, September 29, 7-10 p.m.

WHERE
America Film Institute (AFI)
2021 N. Western Ave.
(between Los Feliz Blvd. and Franklin Ave.)
Hollywood, CA

WHO
Ideal for food lovers, or anyone thinking about writing a cookbook

PRICE
$65 ($50 for )
more info

Course Details

If you?re a writer who loves food?and, more particularly, enjoys cooking and does it well?chances are you?ve thought, even if only fleetingly, about writing a cookbook. No doubt some of your thinking along those lines has included visions dancing in your head of Martha Stewart?s millions. This seminar will aim to equip you with the basic inside information you need to start turning your fantasy into reality (including, mind you, the down-to-earth reality of what most non-Martha cookbook writers actually earn).

Although food-industry professionals will certainly be welcome, the course will begin with an in-depth discussion of a key factor necessary for a non-chef to sell a first cookbook: a concept uniquely and particularly linked to the author?s personal food history. You?ll be encouraged to talk about any cookbook ideas you might have as part of a classroom discussion in how to focus a concept. Then we?ll track the typical cookbook concept through its stages of development: creating the book proposal, finding an agent and publisher, developing and writing recipes, researching and writing narrative text, finishing the manuscript, and?finally?publishing and promoting the book. Guiding you all along the way through this process will be Norman Kolpas, someone who has completed the journey more than 40 times as an author and hundreds of times as an editor.

In this seminar you can expect to learn:

  • How to conceive an airtight cookbook concept based on your own experience
  • How to develop a solid book proposal
  • How to find an agent and a publisher
  • How to develop and write recipes
  • How to write authoritative narrative text
  • What you need to know?and needn?t concern yourself with?regarding photography and illustrations

We invite you to bring in a cookbook idea which we can workshop during class.

Instructor Bio

Norman Kolpas's Courses

No courses available at this time.

Norman Kolpas
Norman Kolpas has worked exclusively (and made a living most of the time) as a freelance writer for more than half of years since he graduated from college in 1973. He writes widely about food, dining, travel, art, architecture, and interior design. He has written several hundred articles that have appeared in publications including Bon Appetit, Home, Sunset, Food & Wine, Southwest Art, The Economist, The Times of London, and the International Herald-Tribune, among many others. He has also written and published more than 40 nonfiction books, many on food, including the recently published The Quick Grill Artist; Practically Useless Information: Food & Drink; Pottery Barn's Style Recipes: Cocktails; and the soon-to-be-published The Fearless Gourmet.
As an editor, he led creative efforts at four different magazines, and was involved in the creation of Williams-Sonoma's phenomenally successful cookbook-publishing program. During his last corporate gig, from 2001 through 2003, he worked as Senior Vice President of Media Content for Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, and he continues to collaborate with Puck on the chef's weekly syndicated newspaper column.

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