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’m happy for you! What an opportunity, and how it must feel so in sync with what you desire to do and what comes naturally. All I can say is this is one of my “go-to” sites for recipes. I am a vegan and my boyfriend is extremely fussy (well, ‘refined palate’ might sound nicer!) and everything I try based on your recipes goes over so well. You make *me* look like an awesome cook, and for that I must thank you, and reassure you that you already have all the talents and resources you need to make an awesome cookbook. It’s just a matter of overcoming those twin demons of overthinking and procrastination, and letting the Awesome out to play!!
Thanks for such a nice comment!
Awww, the problem of being a perfectionist: if you can’t do it perfectly, why even start? I struggle to get over this type of thinking because it isn’t healthy or productive. I love that you’ve started an outline just to make a simple start. Even spending a few minutes a day working on a giant project is a good idea. Keep up the good work!
I’m currently writing my masters thesis and I swing between feeling I’m never going to hand anything in, to being totally pumped and on top of it all (sometimes within the same hour!)
With big things like this I think half the challenge is mentally getting your head around the goal, and breaking it down achievable chunks!
I cannot wait to buy your cookbook! It’ll save my computer from being spattered with batter when I bring it into the kitchen with me. Good luck!
hi angela! i’d love to see a cookbook that incorporates how to change regular recipes to vegan recipes, so possibly including non-vegan recipes alongside the same dish vegan recipe. does that make sense? i think that would be so cool!
Angela, although you did not win the Food Buzz Blog top prize, I love your recipes and look forward to the book! And…. I nominated you for a Stylish Blog Award!
thanks Silvia!
I just wanted to applaud you for taking the steps you HAVE taken! This is an exciting goal to work on! I find that if I tell myself that the outcome is insignificant, whether I fail or not, whether it is good or not, doesn’t matter and won’t affect anything or anyone in a life changing way. When it doesn’t feel like a big deal, I can relax and enjoy the process which let’s the creative juices flow too!
This is so great, Angela. I wish you the very best of luck!
SO EXCITED FOR YOU!
Im assuming the majority of your blog readers are predominantly female.
And a lot of vegan cook books seems to be aimed at females (my brother would never pick up “the kind diet” for example)
I think it would be great to have a chapter on how to make the “manly meat-eaters” of the household (or maybe just those who are afraid to try vegan cooking like *cough* my brothers/dad/uncles etc) enjoy vegan cooking (maybe talk about how you got eric to enjoy your healthy life style habits?)
I want my dad to be able to look at a vegan recipe and not think “how can I add meat to this dish?”
haha I hope this comment kind of makes sense ;)
that is a great point…thanks!
I do the same thing! I keep waiting for inspiration to just strike me or for some idea to just pop into my head before getting started. But almost always the work has to start before some of the best ideas come through.
Personally I’d love to seen some vegan gluten-free recipes. I am not that creative when it comes to recipes and I seem to find a ton of meat-heavy gluten-free things or yummy looking vegan things that are in no way gluten-free.
“Starting a big project has always been the most difficult part.”
SO true! Congrats on making a start on your outline! It’ll just get easier from here now. :D
I love your recipes – and although blogs are great, a cookbook is something tangible and real, that you can hold in your hands and look back on! It will be very exciting!
I’ve got one question. You use Earth Balance an lot in your cooking. But Earth Balance uses palm oil, which is often-times horrific product that is decimating the orangutang populations in South East Asia. It’s a very ethically dubious product (I’m not entirely sure it is vegan… given that it is directly responsible for the Orangutangs deaths…). Would it be possible to include a vegan alternative to Earth Balance?? Or perhaps, Earth Balance uses organic, or ethically responsibly produced palm oil (I couldn’t find anything on their website)?? In which case it might be a good idea to include a note on that (It’s something that is a big issue, particularly in Aus/NZ etc because we are closer to SE Asia).
http://www.palmoilaction.org.au/index.html (a link on palm oil)
I get SO intimidated by some projects, for example my term paper due tomorrow…let’s not talk about that;)
But what I find especially helpful is doing bites and pieces at a time instead of attacking it all at once. For example, when I write papers I often to little tidbits, sometimes writing a paragraph, sometimes finding information, etc. When you stop and look at your work, eventually, you realize you’ve done a ton! It just goes to show that “it all adds up” :)
I too love that approach!
HI Angela :)
I would have a little blurby of
1: why it is okay to be vegan. 2: how to slowly become vegan. 3: how you can get a glow by being vegan (You have really inspired me, I must say :)). and a list of swaps.
You could have it like this:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert, Snacks, Sauces
or
Hot, Cold, Anytime, Downtime.
or
Baked, Bubbled, Raw.
The best thing is to catch the eye. A big bold title and a little “why this is special, etc etc” and then if possible, I’d lay it out how you do it here in the blog – recipe blat. and then the little details (where you shine and we sort of get to know you better!). Then maybe see if you can have a picture of the finished product on each recipe. (this might be very costly though).
I would like to see everything. like a little on breakfasts, a few green monster recipes, a few sauces, a few main meals, a few raw.. etc etc. and then maybe put together a few meal plans or “this goes really well with THIS….” etc.
I hope some of these helped. :)
I think some comments have eluded to this, but one thing I love about your blog is the elaborate, beautiful recipes. That being said, in a cookbook, I’d like a nice balance of elaborate and easy to whip up vegan meals.
And, I’d love to see some “on the go” delicious lunch options that a full time office working person could make in the early morning or the night before to take to work with them. I’m often envious of yours and Ashley’s (edible perspective) beautiful meals and then remind myself that you do this stuff for a living in addition to loving it. ANywho, just an idea to pass on.
I just recently started reading your blog and I have already made 2 of your recipes (Lentil Walnut Loaf and Vegan Alfredo sauce – both delish!!!). A cookbook would be a terrific idea. I am not into fake meats and other processed vegan foods, I prefer vegan whole foods and recipes. I am looking foward to your cookbook :-)
This is really neat to read – thanks for posting! I am so impressed!
I am a HUGE procrastinator (same thing with the being overwhelmed at the size of some projects), but once I get going I am a one-track mind. :)
So exciting!! I would love to have a cookbook that would teach me how to use the vegan substitutes/ingredients. So if I saw a regular non-vegan cookie recipe or a mac & cheese, I would know how to change it and incorporate the vegan ingredients! Also, I work in a corporate environment and pack my lunch almost every day… quick and easy meals would be good too.
I think my husband and I cook one of your recipes at least once a week if not more, so I can’t wait to see what you come up with! :)
Yay! I’m sooo happy to hear that you’ve been contacted….your cookbook will be awesome! I love your recipes, and the fact that you don’t depend on make believe meat. I like tofu, and have no trouble finding it in my small town, but I can’t find tempeh or seitan (unless I order online or make it myself). I tend not to eat them in many recipes (except the tofu bacon that my family LOVES that is super simple).
I would love it if you would include some sections that are allergy sensitive (I am allergic to tree nuts (almonds,walnuts, cashews, etc..). I’ve figured out some substitutions on my own, but it would be nice to be able to turn to a recipe and follow along without having to think about substitutions.
How exciting! I think you could write a fabulous cookbook :-)