Good morning!
As you may have seen in my 11 in 2011 resolution list, one of my goals for 2011 is to write a vegan cookbook proposal and sell the idea to a publisher. During Project Food Blog, I was contacted by a few literary agents and I am currently in the process of figuring out my next steps.
I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed with the idea of ‘where to start’ with my cookbook proposal and these feelings have taken me back to my thesis days. My undergraduate thesis and my Master’s thesis were both huge undertakings and I remember how I used to feel so overwhelmed whenever I had to take the first step and get started.
For me, starting a big project has always been the most difficult part.
Once I have started and I have a plan, then it seems to get a bit easier. That is just how I work.
My fear of beginning large projects has something to do with the high expectations I place on myself. I tend to put off big projects for fear of not doing a good job; if I can put it off, maybe the right idea will just ‘hit me’ and then I can move forward. But, that is rarely the case. It takes work, and lots of it, to get big projects off to a good start. Sometimes, I wait and wait for the ‘perfect’ idea, when I already have very good ideas to work with. Every project needs a solid foundation and while they shouldn’t be rushed, procrastination doesn’t do any good. I am really guilty of procrastination with large endeavors.
I mentioned ‘once I have a plan’ things seems to flow more smoothly. Having specific and attainable goals are always present in my life, but every good goal must have a plan to go along with it too! The reason why I have felt overwhelmed with my cookbook proposal is that I did not have a plan to guide me.
Every specific goal must have a specific plan to go along with it.
I would like to share my experiences with this process as much as I can. I also want my book to be largely based on your feedback. What types of recipes do you want to see in a vegan cookbook? What ingredients do you like to cook and bake with? What questions do you have about vegan cooking and baking? All of these things are things that I think about and I hope to address many of these things as I go through the process. (Don’t worry about answering the questions now as I will be creating a survey at some point). I want the book to be not only a reflection of my fun approach to a vegan diet, but also a reflection of what types of things you would want to see in a vegan cookbook.
I thought I would show you how I was finally able to get this project off the ground and running.
I have been brainstorming cookbook ideas for over a year now, but my brainstorming never translated into much more than that. I finally realized that I needed to take the next step and create an outline, so I started a Word document and I created a chapter outline of how my cookbook may look. What sections do I want? What would I call them? What types of recipes do I want to focus on? How many recipes per section? How would the order of the sections flow?
While I always do my brainstorming on paper, I prefer not to use pen and paper when doing a large outline. I find an electronic Word document is much cleaner because I can easily delete things and have a clean looking document at all times.
I have half a notebook filled with brainstorming ideas from Project Food Blog!
and weird diagrams apparently! haha
Don’t ask. I really don’t know what’s going on in these diagrams. I think I wanted to make a raw layered pumpkin pie at one point. Then I realized the challenge was to make a BAKED good. Doh!
I worked on my outline this weekend and I am already feeling so much better about things. Once I planned out the chapters in my book, I started to place recipes or recipe ideas underneath each chapter that I may want to include. Over time, this is how my cookbook proposal will grow. Of course, what I plan now will likely change many times over, but at least there is a plan there to guide me and that is all that matters in the initial stages!
Do you have any big projects looming in 2011? Do you suffer from procrastination or fear of failure when big projects loom? Have you ever been intimidated by a large project? How did you begin?
I thought, from the very first time I read your blog, that it would be great if you did a cookbook. I like that your approach to vegan cooking is so friendly – you don’t tofu in every recipe (I’m not a huge fan) and you use clean, whole ingredients that one can actually find in stores. I’m so excited to see what you do with this – and no doubt I’ll be one of the first in line to buy this cookbook!
I definitely hear you re: intimidation! I’m exactly the same way, waiting for “perfect.” I’m writing my MA thesis right now and it has stretched and challenged me in so many ways.
Have you read “Mindsets” by Carol Dweck? It has great advice on how to approach challenges in a really positive way. I’ve found it hugely helpful.
No I haven’t but I will be sure to check it out! :) Thanks
I agree with Amanda – having lots of vegan cookbooks in my collection, most of them require ingredients that are not readily on hand. Plus I don’t like how they tend to rely on mock meats, tofu, seitan or tempeh as the main source of protein.
What you do is give us whole food recipes that are not only easy to make, but are actually nutritious. People think that once you go vegan, you must be super duper healthy – but I have the veggie pot pie from last night’s dinner to prove that this isn’t always the case.
A unique approach would be to incorporate your strategies and history with disordered eating. Not a “diet” book – but an actual book that tells us it’s ok to eat foods such as almond butter and avocados because of what they do for us. Really, you make food fun again!
(and just a comment about black-eyed peas – I’m the same way with black beans. I basically make one dish a year with them, and then they go back into the pantry! Oh and that dish is your enchiladas – which I really do like!)
I’m thinking along these lines too. Thanks for your feedback!
I agree with Kaleigh too many books rely on the processed protein. I would like a book that actually has the recipe for the entire dish there is nothing more annoying than to have a recipe where most is made from pre packaged products. So healthy, whole foods made totally from scratch is what I would like to see. Also in the recipt list in the back I prefer when they list the types of food like “soups” then list the recipes rather than just an alphbetical list of recipes because you do not always know the name of what you are looking for.
I’d like to ditto Kaleigh’s comment about relying on ingredients not readily on hand. I”m not vegan, but I still enjoy vegan recipes – so long as they don’t have really expensive/hard to find items that I’ll only use for one or two recipes (although this isn’t limited to vegan recipes, I feel this way about all recipes).
I’d also like to see meals like the Protein Power Goddess Bowl (that may well have changed my life) or Back on Track Wheat Berry and Bean Salad – I really love simple, wholesome meals that are flexible in their ingredients and can be made with lots of readily available produce. The fact that you make them look so beautiful just makes them all the more appealing.
Another idea I’d be REALLY interested in is a cookbook sort of document your vegan journey – like early recipes you relied on, vegan re-creations, general tips/discussions about the learning process of vegan cooking – even if the tips are just little notes placed throughout.
Any recipe you include will be amazing, but I think my favorite OSG recipes are the ones with few ingredients. Especially baking recipes. Vegan baking is fairly challenging in my opinion, but I love the recipes you have that simplify the process and make it fool-proof. One favorite is the everyday spelt pancakes. I’ve used this so many times.
I like to think of my blog as a big project that just keeps on going :) Also, volunteering with GOTR will be huge but it will be consistent and scheduled, which will help. Good for you! I would love to write a book, so that’s always something I’m working on in my head :)
I’m A LOT like you when it comes to big projects. It’s as if I’m not only afraid of failure, but of success. By putting things off, we delay the inevitable life changes that come with the completion of such a huge endeavor. Attempting to get steady acting work in Hollywood is one of those ongoing “projects” that unfortunately lacks a clear cut plan. It’s a matter of persevering- sticking with it despite the constant negativity staring you face. I myself am going to try yoga/meditation to help release some of the pressure I put on myself… Me being so type A in such a chaotic world! I have no doubt your cookbook will be a smash success. Looking forward to the survey :)
I’m totally with you on this! I struggle just the same.
What I’ve found really helps me is brainstorming and removing the grooming fact that I have to DO something with the information. For example:
I go to a comfy part of my house (or office, depending on where I am) and sit in quiet for a bit. Breath in and out and relax. Let go of your fears and expectations. I know you said meditation was part of your resolution too, so treat this like a meditation in a way.
When you’re ready, open your eyes, open your pad of paper and write down your goal. What do you want to accomplish by doing this? Okay… now that you have that. Just start writing. Anything. Don’t let anything get in the way. I like to call this a “brain dump”. Get it ALL out. Don’t get caught up with rules, can/cannot, just write.
If you get caught up with your fears again, go back to closing your eyes, get situated in calm, and start again.
After you’ve done this for awhile (40 minutes is usually my breaking point) you should have a couple of pages of pure GOLD. What I like to do is go through it, sort through ideas and organize them on the following piece of paper.
You’ll be amazed with what you’ve come up with when you just LET GO and use the talent that you obviously have…just let go, be creative, and let YOU flow through.
That’d be my advice, hope it works for you as it does for me :) Good luck Angela!
Wow this is so helpful! I love the idea of meditating before beginning…what an amazing idea!
Ive heard of the ‘brain dump’ approach before and I love it. No expectations, just thoughts on paper.
I love this idea – I really need to try it. I put so much pressure on myeslf to come up with something amazing and daren’t put anything to paper before that, that I end up not doing half the things I want to.
Angela I think your goal is awesome (wrote about it back then…that everyone better look out b/c your cookbook will rock!) and it’s natural for me to feel apprehension and anxiety before diving into something big like this. Sometimes it takes me a day, a week, a month to really commit myself to diving in…but once I do, I have a onetrack mind and cannot STOP working on that goal until…I do, and it’s done.
I am all or nothing many ways on my goals. And once I decide to do something, consider it done. I guess that would be stubborn, fixated…or else just dedicated and determined :) All depends how you wanna look at it.
I know once you get started you are just gonna rock this goal!!!
Thank you for asking ppl (in advance) what we want to see in a cookbook. That is SO SMART.. Rather than just writing to write, writing for an audience in mind. Thank you :)
SO psyched for you Angela! You deserve it so much. And I ike seeing some other posts than recipes again, not that I don’t love those of course (I make one of your recipes about every day haha, no kidding).
I am the same though, starting something big is scary and daunting, but once I am started there’s no stopping me.
go girl!
Oh and I had a question since I am about to purchase a Garmin: do you also run with the heart rate strap? And was it hard to calibrate it? thanks :)
Thanks for your comments! Im trying to mix up my posts a bit more b/c I kinda got into a rut (sure it had something to do with what was going on in my life, but hey it happens).
About the Garmin: I have the 305 and I do not use the heart rate monitor anymore. I did at one point, but then I just kinda forgot about it and fell out of the habit. I do think the HR info is useful when training so I shoud bring it back…
I dont remember having to calibrate it. I think I just put it on and made sure that the HR function was turned ON in the watch settings.
hm that’s interesting, does it then track your speed by GPS or what? because it needs to be able to track speed somehow haha! I have a dingy one that needs calibration and I couldnt get it to work 2 years ago, which is why I am apprehansive of such devices.
thanks for replying and yes I totally get where you’re coming from. I just wasn’t sure if that was maybe a concious decision, in which case I would’ve been bummed ;). GREAT news on your grandfather, I wish him all the best :)
I may be mistaken, but I believe that it tracks speed via satellite.
I’m so glad to hear you’re starting the cookbook b/c I think we’ll all buy one!! As long as you include the same things from this awesome blog in your book, I’ll be super happy! I’ve shared your site w/ so many other people who all get addicted to it. I think what sets you apart from many others is the “real” approach to vegan food. It’s easy and delicious and satisfies most cravings that all of us share. I’m rootin’ for you!!
I need to find a job for the summer & I keep putting it off because its such a big undertaking and I have no idea what i want to do. Its a very stressful feeling :-/
Your goal is amazing Angela, and I literally have no doubt you’ll acheive it, and that your book will be a huge success! :D
I currently have a huge looming running project, in which I have to dramatically increase my speed in just a few months to qualify for something. It’s definitely daunting, and I think about how I mught fail every day, but I’m trying to stay positive and focused on my goal! :)
I can’t wait. I think your cookbook would be great just as your blog is. The fun, simple approach and the ingredients that I already have is what I enjoy most.
I’m planning my fiance & my wedding in August. Although it’s fun and exciting, it’s also nerve-wracking. There’s 6 1/2 months to go and I feel like I’m in the weird period where it’s still far enough away but it’s also going to come so fast. I almost am waiting for it to be closer and then ill be in a time crunch and have to do things quickly.
In the past, with big projects that felt overwhelming.. I would leave things to the last minute so that if I failed at something, I could use the excuse “oh well, if I wouldve had more time.. i couldve done better.” <— after really looking at my habits, I found this out about myself.
I am determined to start getting things done and not letting myself be overwhelmed. One task at a time.. :)
I'm so excited for your cookbook… you're photography, the way you write out recipes, your humor… would be perfect for a book. I've tried a couple of your recipes and although some look challenging, you make it easy (by step by step pictures) for people like me to follow recipes and make amazing dishes that are healthy too, at home!
Congratulations on your first steps with this cookbook! I always like to start my outlines on paper even though the paper inevitably turns into a mess, and then transfer to a computer. I am shifting slowly away from paper, but somehow it still makes a difference to me in the planning stages. This is so exciting!
I love your blog and have made a ton of your recipes and am really excited about a cookbook! One of my favorite things about your recipes is the tips you give about the actual cooking process. I’m still a fairly new vegan and I’m experimenting with a lot of new ingredients and many cookbooks/recipes don’t give enough detail about how to work with them. You’re really good about giving tips about things like consistency and texture, cooking times, making substitutions, and not having things stick to the pan! This is great because not only do I end up with good food but I learn a lot more about cooking!
YES I suffer from procrastination when it comes to big ideas. I’m starting my own consulting business this year, but I don’t know what service I’m going to focus on or how to offer them, which is the same thing I’ve been saying for a year. Now I have no job and it’s becoming a little bit more important so I’ve started developing a plan
You should devote an entire chapter to LENTILS. Just sayin’! ;)
Good for you!! I look forward to seEing you succeed in this and to read and try your recipes from your cookbook out!