| You don't need to be a top chef to write and | | | | must have a wealth of information to pass on |
| publish a cookbook on the internet. You just | | | | and although this has been done already, |
| need the will, some great recipes and the | | | | there is still room for improvement. |
| occasional helping hand. | | | | |
| | | | One idea that springs to mind is a cookbook |
| Writing a cookbook is no different to | | | | on using the leftover coals of a charcoal |
| producing any other kind of do-it-yourself | | | | barbecue. It has always struck me they could |
| manual, because in the end that's really all | | | | be used to slow bake some pies, or bread or |
| it is. | | | | whatever and a recipe book based on that |
| | | | would, I am sure, get read. |
| No matter how many recipes it contains, or | | | | |
| cooking lessons, or simply cooking hints and | | | | Cookbooks don't have to be based on the |
| tips, in the end it's pretty much a formula | | | | latest trend in food preparation, far from |
| that you can easily follow. | | | | it. Collections of recipes from previous |
| | | | generations, World War 2 cookbooks and even |
| What you do need to do is write something | | | | books on old kitchen methods, especially if |
| that is original in content and will grab the | | | | they can be made to seem relevant to today's |
| imagination. | | | | modern cook, all find a ready audience. |
| | | | |
| The last thing the world needs is just | | | | You don't even need to have all this |
| another recipe book. If that's all it is | | | | information at your fingertips. There is a |
| people won't buy it. It has to have something | | | | vast amount of it freely available on the |
| extra, such as an interesting and original | | | | internet and in your local library's |
| niche. | | | | reference section. What you do not already |
| | | | know you can learn, compile into a |
| As an example, a couple of years or so ago | | | | comprehensive whole and publish. |
| Southern cooking was all the rage and people | | | | |
| were buying up ebooks about cathead biscuits | | | | Just be sure to do a little research to see |
| and collard greens. But that's over now and | | | | what your competition may be. You could be in |
| the internet's cooks have moved on. The trick | | | | for a surprise. Your family recipes might be |
| is not to follow them, but to lead them to | | | | not only unique, but an excellent way of |
| something fresh. | | | | filling a gap in the market. Some of the most |
| | | | sought after cooking articles are on |
| As a cook yourself you probably have an area | | | | diabetes, picky eaters, budget cooking, |
| of cooking that you particularly enjoy, or | | | | nutrition, cooking for the sick and elderly |
| which may be an extension of something else. | | | | and so on. |
| For example, if you are a trout fisherman you | | | | |
| might be able to combine a book on how to | | | | If you have any expertise at all in any one |
| cook trout with hints on trout fishing. | | | | of these niches you will find a ready market |
| | | | for your book. |
| Someone who does a lot of outdoor cooking | | | | |