I like anniversaries….On March 2, 2010 it will be exactly one year since I was laid-off from my corporate job. And what a year it has been. Let’s face it…getting laid-off is not easy.

But… I decided to take the “high road.” First off, I had to be honest with myself. I knew in my heart I wouldn’t be getting another job. I had way too much going on to do that.

There was too much at stake. I believe getting laid-off at the time I did was God’s way of freeing me to do my best work.

And I accepted the challenge, along with the responsibility. What was to come was truly amazing…

All I had to do was BELIEVE. Not always an easy thing to do when money suddenly becomes very tight. Not always easy, when you’re doing all the work yourself. Not always easy, when you sometimes wonder….What am I doing?

But…I now had all the time in the world to do whatever I wanted…Everyday…at exactly the time I wanted to do it. How liberating!

Being an entrepreneur is very challenging. It’s a HUGE responsibility, and not for the faint of heart. But when you truly embrace the freedom it offers, and allow yourself to create…

You can even “shock and awe” yourself. Yes…I exploded onto the scene. I’ve even exceeded my own expectations. I’ve gone from being LAID-OFF to LAUNCHING AN EMPIRE!!!!

I’m mentioning this because I’m hoping I can encourage and inspire you to believe in your dreams to a fault. To believe with so much commitment and conviction, that you begin doing things almost without thinking.

It’s as if you are on “automatic pilot.”What it’s really called is…Being GUIDED. GUIDED by the true source; the very source of creative energy. The ESSENCE.

I never would have been able to accomplish what I have over this past year had I still been employed at a JOB. And let’s not forget how much I have learned and grown. WOW!

Why? Because… never once did I say “no.” Never once did I doubt that if I had an idea…then it must be so.

I truly believed and continue to believe that if I get an idea, that I am capable of achieving it simply because I’ve been given the idea.

Because the ideas…Come from the SOURCE. It’s that simple. When you embrace this type of possibility thinking…You become unstoppable.

I have yielded to the SOURCE, and I eagerly await my next instructions!

Writing my first cookbook was the best thing I have done in a long time.

I’ve chosen to build a whole group of companies, just from writing one cookbook.

Having my own cookbook has opened me up to all kinds of opportunities I would not have experienced without my book.

I wanted to talk about some of those things today in case you have been considering writing a cookbook, but just can’t seem to get started.

For starters, when you have a book you are considered to be an “expert.”

Having a book creates new opportunities, like speaking in front of groups.

You can also create ancillary products that you can sell, creating an additional stream of income.

Or, you can donate part of the sales of your book to a cause you believe in.

If you are in the food industry, you can sell your book to your customers.

Personal chefs do very well when they have their own books.

If you have a small restaurant, it is great to have a cookbook available for customers to purchase on their way out.

Those customers may also purchase your cookbook as a gift for someone who lives in a another location.

And those people may visit your restaurant when they are in town, because of your cookbook.

Your cookbook can become part of your unpaid sales force to advertise your place of business.

If you love to cook, and have lots of great recipes accumulated along with photos you should create a book.

Don’t just share them on recipe sharing sites, make some money with what you have created!

These are just a few of the ideas and opportunities having your own cookbook can bring.

If you have questions about how this can be accomplished…I have a Cookbook Authors Boot Camp starting on March 3, 2010.

I look forward to hearing about your cookbook idea!

For more information visit: You Can Write a Cookbook

WOW! It sounds like a good time was had by all at the first ever Paris Cookbook Fair.

The fair was held last weekend in conjunction with the Gourmand International Cookbook Awards.

This will be an annual event and the event will make its home in Paris.

I can’t think of a better reason to go to Paris next year!

I’ll be attending as the Founder of my new membership organization – the International Association of Cookbook Writers – IACBW, and as a publisher for my new publishing company.

I am encouraging all of my students to take advantage of this tremendous opportunity and get their cookbooks completed!

If you have been thinking about writing a cookbook, make it happen this year.

I will be taking manuscripts with me to next year’s Paris Cookbook Fair!!

From the sounds of it, there were not that many American publishers in attendance.

So let’s sharpen up our French language skills, and let’s go. How much fun would that be?

Is anyone game?

If you need help getting a cookbook started….contact me!

YouCanWriteACookbook

Having you own cookbook can change your life! I want to show you how easy it can be!

Are you struggling with your cookbook project?

Have you set it aside?

I know exactly how you feel, but the good news is – I’ve developed an easy-to-follow, proven system to get your cookbook started, and keep you going until it’s completed!

Do you dream of writing a cookbook, but talk yourself out of it by saying…

“I just don’t have the time!”

Do you think you don’t have  enough knowledge of the publishing industry?

Do you feel you don’t have the “expertise” to write you own cookbook?

Do you think you don’t have the money to put a cookbook together?

Do you keep telling yourself you’re ready to make some money with your recipes?

Did you say all of this last year…

And in 2009 did you say….I’ll do it next year?

Well, it is next year. and time is now wasting.

February will be over in a blink…

If you truly want to write a cookbook this year, I suggest you get going..

RIGHT NOW!

Like it is really time to TAKE SOME ACTION!!

I’m working on a new cookbook right now, and I’m still interested in getting you to write your cookbook?

Did you ever wonder why that is?

Because I have gained so much happiness from having my own cookbook, that I want to do it again….and I truly want to help you do your book also.

A whole world has opened up for me since I wrote my first cookbook.

Let me show you how you can do the same thing…and get started on a new adventure that you will not regret.

As a matter of fact, once you are done with your book, I’ll bet any money that you will say “I don’t know why I didn’t do this sooner!”

I can almost guarantee it!

I’m taking sign-ups right now for the next Cookbook Author’s Boot Camp which will start on Wednesday March 3, 2010.

You can get more information and sign up at YouCanWriteACookbook

Just follow down to the bottom of the page, and don’t miss the extra bonuses I am offering for early sign-up!

Are you ready for an easy-to-follow, step-by-step system
to get your cookbook self-published?

If  you answered yes, then you’ll need to read my Special Report about “The 7 Secrets of a Successful Self-Published Cookbook!” I have taken all the guesswork out of writing and self-publishing a cookbook and if you decide to work with me, I  will give you all the necessary tools to get your cookbook project going even before you finish your book! To get your copy of this information-packed FREE Report, simply go to http://CookbookCoach.com

You’ll also receive a free mp3 of a recent teleseminar I recorded with my friend Chef Linda Galyean. You will also see her on my website! I look forward to helping you make your dream of having your own cookbook a reality in 2010!

Have you been waiting for the “right time” to get to work on your cookbook? I would like to tell you that there’s no time like right now to get going. And if you start now, by the time it’s the New Year, you’ll have a head start and have some momentum to keep going! If you start now, your cookbook can be a reality in 2010. If you procrastinate, telling yourself “It’s the holidays,” you will miss a really good opportunity. What excuse will you have in January? You have to decide to move forward, and that means no matter what. Just TAKE ACTION, and get started!

Here are my Top 12 Great Tips for getting your cookbook project going, and building your “author’s platform.” Take note, these are NOT marketing tips; I’m just showing you how to live as you “step” into your greatness! Start these good habits now so when you do really go into “turbo” in January, you will be rid of time wasters, negative habits and energy robbing situations.

1. Schedule regular time slots to work on your cookbook and your “author’s platform” and get to work. If you’re a morning person get up an hour earlier and create as the sun rises. The hour right before the sun rises is one of the most powerful times of day. If you’re a night owl, stay up late to get it done. Either way, give yourself a regular slot of at least sixty minutes per day (2 hours is even better) five time per week. But if you are a night owl, make sure you get enough sleep. You may need to catch a nap during the day. If you have children, schedule your time to work when they are doing their activities. Enlist the help of supportive friends, or your parents who can help you by taking the kids off your hands for a couple of hours. Find a way. You just have to stick with the program. Don’t use your children as an excuse for not writing your book. They are the reason you should write your book…think Legacy!

2. Determine your soul purpose in life, and post it on your computer. Once you figure it out, surround yourself with it whenever you can. This is your larger job in life. It’s not a task, per se, but the general gift that you are meant to give to others, such as ‘help people feel more gratitude,’ ‘help people to eat more healthy,’ ‘wake people up to the power of nature’ or ‘remind people of their compassion,’ ‘awaken passion in others.’ You get the idea! It can be uncovered by journaling, or even meditating on the question. Your soul purpose in life is the basis for your “author’s platform,” It’s where your cookbook comes from, and where the “hook” lives and breathes.

3. Recognize five time-wasters and put an end them – right away! If you are constantly checking your email, STOP! Other time wasters include spending too much time on the phone, sitting in front of the TV, and reading the paper from start to finish. Take a clear look at how you spend your time, and honestly assess your time usage. You won’t have time to do your cookbook if you continue to engage in these time wasting activities. And believe me, the thing I hear most often from would-be authors is “I don’t have enough time!” And guess what…that’s why they remain “would-be authors.” Not enough time? BS, make the time! If you are truly committed, you will make time for something you truly desire. If not, then you are just kidding yourself.

4. Politely and elegantly opt-out from at least three situations or relationships that waste your energy. Energy wasters only leave you feeling depressed, frustrated, annoyed, unappreciated and vaguely used or even “beaten up.” YIKES! Who needs that? Get them out of your life right now, and you won’t believe how much energy they free up for your cookbook! For instance, “doubters”, if you have people in your life who do not believe that you can write a cookbook, get rid of them. It’s that simple. Friends who want to take up your time and energy, but don’t give – I call them “energy vampires.” Relatives who like to call you up and pick fights or volunteer you for opportunities-tell them you are writing a book, give them the message that for the time being, you no longer volunteer, at least until you book is completed. And please, don’t feel bad about this; your cookbook is a much greater gift to society as a whole than helping your friend’s, cousin’s, cousin’s, friend move! Get the picture? Stop trying to be nice to everyone and be nice to yourself! It’s called self-discipline!

5. Find a support buddy, group, or a coach if you have trouble sticking to marketing tasks. Think “accountability partner.” This is simply an ally (or a group of them) who really gets behind you and your vision for you and your cookbook. You can connect via email, phone or live meetings to share inspiration, support, triumphs, disasters and ideas. This is especially helpful if you’re a procrastinator. Get in touch before AND after you get your work done each day. I’m working with an accountability partner right now. It’s no big deal. We email or speak for a few minutes almost every day. Trust me, it works! Remember, do no spend time with anyone who is not 100% supportive of your book project and your efforts. If you work from home already, you can determine 2 days out of the week that are strictly devoted to “business development.” I go into this is great detail in my “7 Secrets of a Successful Self-Published Cookbook.” And if you hire me as your coach, I’ll be your accountability partner!

6. Create a beautiful workspace you love. A great creative workspace can be a separate room (preferably) or a devoted corner of your living space that has ALL the tools you need. Clean this space until it shines. Include inspirational helpers, like visual props, pictures, quotations and anything else that gives you positive feelings. Design it with the same care as you’ve planned the work of your cookbook and your “author’s platform.” You’ll be spending a lot of time in this space, so make sure it is a nurturing space that is organized and gives you energy!

7. Eat right, drink lots of water; keep power bars or shakes in your creative workspace. Take time to prepare delicious, nutritious meals. They do not have to be complicated to be healthy. Eat fresh vegetables, salads, and fruits. Always have a glass of fresh water at your finger tips when you are working. For energy boosts, I favor Isagenix products. Cliff bars, Luna bars, Power bars, spirulina shakes and the like all provide great bursts of energy when you’re burning the midnight oil. Don’t forget them! Keep them handy. These snacks honestly give you more sustained energy than caffeine, without rattling your nervous system and keeping you awake when you need to sleep. Remember, the brain needs nutrition and sleep. You are asking it to do a lot of work!

8. Dedicate a weekend to completely de-cluttering your home and creative work space. Sell off or give away ALL the unwanted but usable stuff. Clear out all the accumulated stuff you’ve jammed into drawers, shelves, corners and assorted nooks and crannies. Don’t be afraid to discard, or make great bags for sale or give away. Clear out your clothes closet and give those usable clothes to a worthy cause. This act releases energy that gives you a great boost for your cookbook writing and “author’s platform” building.

9. Exercise every single day – at least five times a week for 20 minutes a day. Whether it’s a sweaty workout on the treadmill, going to the gym and pumping, going for a long walk with your dogs, swimming, skiing, yoga – anything that gets your heart rate going. I really enjoy kick boxing. It really gets me going! You need to generate energy in your body in order to be able to energize your platform and bring people to you who want to know about you! You need fresh air and oxygen. You need to get up from your computer and stretch and walk around every hour also. Get up and just walk around the block if you are working many hours in a row. Go out into the backyard. Just breathe in some fresh air. Your brain really needs the extra oxygen, because you are working hard!

10. Build a daily social media presence. Start or end your day with a blog post. If you don’t have a blog, you need to get. Preferably a Word Press Blog. Why Word Press? Because it has tools and awesome plug-ins you can easily install that enable your blog post to automatically upload to Twitter as well. Go to ‘Pages’ on Facebook and make sure your RSS feed to your blog is set up so it automatically posts to Facebook. Add recordings from a potential Podcast to your weekly uploads to your blog. Add video to you blog. Circulate in the blogosphere and find blogs that reach your market and get to know those people and start to ‘cross-pollinate’. Drive people to your Facebook Fanpage. If you don’t know how to use social media, please ask me. I can help you! I can also help you learn how to feed the “Google monster” so everyone knows what you are doing. By the time your book is ready, you will be known. That’s one of the reasons you need a Word Press blog rather than a regular website. Websites are static. No one can interact with you on a website. But they can on a Word Press blog. Word Press blogs are “dynamic.”

11. If you have a day job, bring your lunch to work. That way, you can spend your lunch hour on your cookbook or your “author’s platform.” That’s what I did when I was writing my first cookbook in 2007. Realize that going out for lunch while you are in the middle of writing a book is a time waster. Also realize that this is temporary. You will have plenty of time for wonderful lunches with friends when you cookbook in completed! So close the door and shut the workday out. Then pull out your sandwich from home or heat up your pasta and get busy on your important work. If you do have to heat some food, slip out to the microwave a few minutes ahead of time so you don’t waste time waiting in line to use it. During this lunch hour time write your promotional emails, get your social media going, identify your time-wasters and develop a plan to drop them, etc. And don’t open the door for anyone until that sacred hour has passed! This time is yours! Make the best use of it! Don’t let anyone rob you! If you don’t have a door and are working from a cubicle and absolutely feel you must go somewhere else, do so, but go alone to a nearby café or coffee house where you can use your laptop. This also applies if you cannot access social media sites from you work computer, some companies do not allow it. So just work with your situation. Don’t use it as an excuse to get nothing done.

12. Start Speaking up. As an author, you are going to have to get used to being in front of people, telling them about your cookbook. Standing up in front of a crowd can help you spread your mission AND make you big bucks – even at small, unpaid gigs. Your speaking expertise will help you sell books. Speaking is THE single most important thing you can do to get known by hundreds or even thousands of people fast. But it’s not just about the content of your talk; it’s about how you close your talk. There will be more opportunities for this type of training when I launch the International Association of Cookbook Writers, IACBW, in January 2010. So stay tuned for that.

If you begin implementing these hints into your life now, you will be well on your way to success! So good luck, and get going!

Remember, my system, “The 7 Secrets of a Successful Self-Published Cookbook,” is a step-by-step, easy-to-follow system that will get you writing your cookbook in no time! For more information on my system or working with me visit:

http://www.cookbookcoach.com/

If you have questions or want to discuss working with me, contact me at:
info@cookbookcoach.com

We can set up a FREE 30 minute phone consultation.

So you’ve decided that you want to write a cookbook and self-publish your work. Great! But-you’re not too sure how to get started. You want to know “how to write a cookbook.” One of the biggest mistakes new or first-time cookbook writers make is thinking that they just have get on with the recipes and writing, and everything will work itself out in the end. The truth is that initial planning and marketing of your cookbook deserves a lot more attention than it gets.

Starting to write a cookbook is no different from starting to write any book. That means the best way to start your cookbook project is by asking one simple question: Why? That’s right…why? Consider this—if you were submitting your manuscript for publication through a traditional publisher; you’d be required to submit a detailed proposal.

One of the important components of the proposal includes explanations about why your book should be published and, why anyone would want to read it. This can seem harsh to a newbie, but it’s important to know. When you submit a proposal, you’re actually asking for a chance to “sell” your book idea to the publisher. What they really want to know is if you can tell them why they should bother to read your proposal and your manuscript. So—you have to be really clear on why that is, or you’ll get nowhere fast.

But maybe you’re wondering how this applies to self-publishing. You need to know the “why” for yourself. So you can be sure of your project’s worth from start to finish. If you don’t know why you’re doing it from the beginning, you may wake up one morning wondering why the heck you’re putting yourself through writing a cookbook to begin with. That could cause you to give up when the going gets tough. Further, if you don’t know why you’re writing your cookbook you probably won’t be able to identify your “target market.” And that spells disaster for any cookbook project.

If you want to self-publish a cookbook and you want it to be successful, you owe it to yourself to go through the exercise of writing a book proposal. By doing so, you’ll learn everything you need to know about your cookbook. The book proposal becomes the written business plan for your cookbook. When completed, the book proposal will serve as a compass to guide you through the entire process. You’ll know where you’re going with your cookbook and, you’ll know how to get there. You’ll know everything you need to know about your customer and, you’ll know what you have to do to market your cookbook.

When you become clear on the WHY, you’ll be empowered. This will support the strong inner belief you’ll need to carry you through the duration of your writing project. You’ll also be able to speak about your cookbook confidently and intelligently when you begin marketing. And whether you’re doing that online or face-to-face, communicating effectively will come in very handy. So gather your recipes, do your research, write your stories, and type to your heart’s content, just know why you’re doing it!

The most important thing to consider when creating a brand for yourself is that “you” are the most important product. The way you position yourself in the marketplace will determine how hard you have to work in the future to get the results you desire.  You want to work smart, not hard. You want to attract the right customers and clients that want what you have.

If you’re an entrepreneur, you want to be able to have the freedom to work when you want, and have the freedom to choose the clients you want to work with. If you’re a business owner, you need to realize that your brand and your business are connected. Neither one can truly succeed without the other. So, the success of your brand will depend on how true it comes to the real you and, how well you manage and communicate that image to the marketplace. Either way, you’ll need to know who you are, what you stand for, and what qualities make you unique.

A personal brand is exciting because it tells the world about you, your values, and your beliefs. When properly crafted, your brand will allow your customers to know, like, and trust you. This feeling will build into a relationship between you and your customer, giving them the confidence to expect the same quality experience with you every time.

Once you’re clear on your brand, you’ll have so many choices about the ways you can communicate that out to the world. The middlemen are gone. By embracing social media as the incredible tool that it is, you’ll be able to maintain and expand your brand and reach millions of people with a few keystrokes a day!

Branding for Brilliance!
Your Book, Your Brand, Your Brilliance!

I am happy and so pleased to announce that I have launched a new organization, the International Association of Cookbook Writers – IACBW. This is a dream come true for me, and just like the Cookbook Advertiser site, it is something that I wish existed when I was first struggling to write my first cookbook.

I’m hoping to be positioned to help many authors now by offering education, encouragement, and empowerment to anyone who dreams of writing their own cookbook.

The International Association of Cookbook Writers (IACBW) invites anyone who is truly interested in writing their own cookbook to connect and learn; and become truly focused and inspired about writing, publishing, and marketing a cookbook. Writing a cookbook can open many new doors, and the IACBW will show you how to navigate successfully in today’s rapidly changing market.

The goal of the organization is to offer training and encouragement to cookbook writers so they feel empowered and energized to develop their cookbook idea and bring it forth into the marketplace. The organization supports their efforts with education, resources, and community.

Some writers begin with blogs and eBooks, and move onto hard copy. Some writers will self-publish and move on the publishing deals. No matter where you are in your journey, the IACBW can help you reach your goal.

You may be a professional chef, personal chef, caterer, or other food industry professional. Or, you may be someone who just loves to cook. Perhaps you have a group of family heirloom of recipes you would like to publish. Or maybe you work at a non-profit organization. All are welcome, and IACBW will provide you with the individual support you need.

The IACBW will continually offer workshops, teleseminars, and interviews with writers and industry experts in the areas of writing, publishing, self-publishing, marketing, social media, speaking, branding, and internet marketing skills.

It’s an exciting time to be an author. There are so many possibilities now. If anyone reading this has thought of writing a cookbook, I would strongly encourage you to do so. Having your own book really can change your life. My path has definitely taken a wonderful turn, and I believe I owe that to my first book.

Please visit the IACBW and review the incredible membership benefits we have put together. I’ve made sure that this will be a high-value experience for everyone involved! Visit at:

iacbw.org