I get this question over email, Instagram, and text. 

“I want to get a book published. How do I do it?” 

Part of the reason I get this q is because yes, I’ve written my own cookbooks as well as books for others. But I’ve also taken a deep interest in the publishing business and ask my own agent zillions of questions. Over our fifteen years working together, I’ve seen behind-the-scenes of many of his deals.

Plus, as a former magazine editor, I know how to spot talent and have a keen sense when someone is ready to write a book. I’ve even played matchmaker between some colleagues and agents before. 

But first, you might be asking…

“Do I even need an agent to get my cookbook published?”

The short answer: Of course not! There are more great tools than ever to help you self-publish your book and smaller publishers have long purchased books from authors without agents. 

So why sign with an agent at all? 

For better or worse, literary agents help validate your work as an author and signal to publishers they should take a close look at your proposal. 

There’s also a human nature component: People like to do business with people they already know and like. Good agents maintain solid professional relationships with editors and know the ins and outs of the publishing world, making life easier for editors and authors alike. 

Plus, in reality: Agents often help you get a better deal. Yes, they take a commission on every book they sell, but they earn their commission by negotiating for higher advances and better terms. 

When you try to sell your book without an agent, you often have no idea if you’re getting a fair advance and royalty rate. Or if publishers are overstepping on the rights they’re asking for. 

How do I know when I’m ready for an agent?

In the second episode of Everything Cookbooks, agent Rica Allannic says she seeks authors who have at least two of these three factors:

• An incredible writing voice. 

• A compelling idea. 

• A solid platform

Voice

For the voice, agents are looking for uniqueness. Yes, the writing should be well-crafted, but it also shouldn’t sound like anybody else. As with anything, it’s our uniqueness that will make our work shine. 

Idea

Contrary to what you might think: Your idea does not need to be completely new. In fact, agents and publishers are often seeking different versions of books that they know are successful. Sometimes, successful books hit on trends while other times, publishers look for new twists on evergreen topics, like cooking for family or Italian food.

So while your idea doesn't have to be novel, it should be distinctive. If your idea hits on a trend or covers a topic that's not widely out there, you want to be able to speak to why it's a book to publish now.

Platform

A question I always get asked: Do you need hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram, Tik Tok, or YouTube to get a book deal? Lots of followers don’t hurt, but they are only one piece of your following.

Your platform is essentially your potential audience for the book. The larger your current audience, the easier it can be to sell a book. But Instagram is just one way to build a platform. 

Some other questions to ask yourself about your platform:

• Do you have an email list? 

• Are you well-connected in a community that would love your book? 

• Do you write for well-known publications that would be likely to cover the book? 

• Do you have a beloved business that could sell the book? 

• Are you a frequently quoted expert in your field? 

• Do you speak often about your book topic at conferences? 

These are all part of your platform. When you write your proposal, you’ll want to keep these in mind.

Some agents prioritize these categories differently. For example, yes, some agents won't consider you with a small Instagram following while others will look past that if they fall in love with your writing voice.

Either way, if you have a small platform but desperately want to write a book about a certain topic, I'd advise you to start building your platform right away! 

How do I find one of these mythical agent people? 

Finding an agent (as well as a publisher) for your work can feel so challenging because you can’t wave a magic wand and make it happen. In the end, you need to put your work out there, potentially sell yourself a bit, and wait for someone else to say, Yes, we agree that your book is worthy of publication.

Here, some tips for seeking out an agent.

First, remember, agents are looking for authors as much as authors are looking for agents. 

Agents make money by selling books and need authors to write them. If you’re an aspiring author who wants an agent, your goal is to make it evident that you’d write a book that would sell well or, at least, impact the world. 

Up-and-coming authors with smaller platforms will probably have the best luck with up-and-coming agents. 

My agent, Jonah Straus, took me on as a client when I was an assistant editor. Why? First, because he was playing the long game and assumed my career would grow and evolve, which it did. And second, he was a relatively new agent just starting to sell cookbooks, and he could list having a Food & Wine editor as a client. Having me (and, more accurately, someone in my position) on his list gave him more street cred in the food world to help him attract more culinary clients. (For the record, this worked.)

Put yourself in the right place. 

I can’t emphasize how helpful it can be to go to places where you can meet agents in real life. For example, in the culinary world, many authors find agents at one of the annual IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) conference. If you’re looking to write a book in another genre, seek out conferences related to that genre because agents often attend those. 

If you can’t be somewhere physically, be easy to find online. Share your work widely on your website and on social media platforms. Pitch your work to other publications so you become “known for” certain topics or types of food.

Want to know more about finding an agent?

While you can’t control whether or not you’ll find an agent for your work, you can control how you look for an agent, how you reach out to them, and how you present your work. 

I pulled together everything I know about the publishing biz and all I’ve learned from my own agent as well as others into a mini-course called Operation: Find an Agent. 

If you want to write a cookbook (or really any other non-fiction book), it’s going to help you: 

• Get to know the publishing business like an insider. 

• Find agents who are perfect for your book. 

• Use back-door methods to reach out to agents. 

• Craft a query letter an agent can’t resist. 

And best of all — it’s not a long, drawn-out course. It’s fast. You’ll get what you need to know within an hour. There are a few assignments to help you narrow down your search. There’s also a bonus list of agents who specialize in cookbooks.

With this mini-course, you can start your agent search feeling more confident than ever.