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’ve been reading your blog for about a month now and tonight finally tried one of the recipes (I’ve printed off about a dozen). Angela, I have to tell you that if your recipes for the book are all as delicious as your Holiday Soup for the Soul, then you will sell a million copies. This soup is truly magical. I think it’s the best soup I’ve ever made. Thank you!
I know you haven’t written/ completed it yet, but I will totally be buying your cookbook. I have made so many of your recipes, and they always turn out perfectly.
I think it is important for cookbooks to have pictures and sometimes ingredients that carry through (if I have to buy an expensive ingredient for one recipe, it would be awesome if other recipes in the book used the ingredient too).
I am so excited for your book because I know it will be incredible! You are amazing at everything you do :-)
I don’t have any specific projects on the horizon, but I do know the feeling of having big things on my plate and no real idea where to begin. I feel that way at the beginning of every semester when I get all of my syllabi and see everything in front of me at once. What tends to really help me is to break it down into smaller parts and write everything down. Organization is most calming for me, and then I begin to see that everything will happen in time, and that I have plenty of opportunities to succeed. :)
As for your cookbook, I’m so excited for you and I’m sure it will be amazing- I have always had great success with every recipe of yours I’ve tried, especially the baked goods. Everyone is always amazed that the baked goods are vegan!
I am very excited for your cookbook :) I really enjoyed reading your project food blog! You did a great job
Angela, you’re such a star! I can’t believe how organized you are when it comes to your life. I went back today and re-read your ‘A Year Can Change A Lot’ series. I’ve been contemplating a change in my life, but I’m so worried – mainly about what my parents will think, and then about what I would actually do with my life if I made said change. Sometimes I feel like such a chicken, and sometimes I feel like I don’t truly know who I am – I hope I can figure it out because I don’t know how long I’m going to be here for and I want to say, when I reach those pearly gates, that I enjoyed my life and what I did with it. Thanks for having such an accessible blog and for being so real. You’re definitely someone to look up to!
I’m GREAT at starting big projects… but not so good at finishing them ;)
Good luck on the cookbook! I’m sure it will be amazing. Everything you create seems to turn out fantastic! :)
First of all, you have the BEST recipes and ideas. So, I would love to see a Vegan cookbook with an emphasis on Entertaining. Kind of like Martha meets Eat Drink and be Vegan. I LOVED your Thanksgiving meal ideas, mason jar cakes, etc. So basically, a Vegan Domestic Goddess cookbook :)
To me, a big project is just like an essay — once you get a strong “thesis,” the process get a lot easier. :)
Congrats on starting such a big project!! It must feel so good. :) Wishing you the best of luck in getting a book deal. I definitely know you can do it! xo
I want EASY (you asked). My favorite cookbooks are 4-5 ingredient cookbooks with simple ingredients. Good luck!
Oh man, big projects can feel overwhelming, but I bet the payoff will be amazing.
I have just recently turned vegan (which I am so happy about), but I am also a soon-to-be graduate with an inevitable financial burden to bear. Perhaps a chapter about affordable healthy living would be cool? Just a thought.
Much peace and best wishes to you! Thanks for the inspiration.
Hey Ang,
come check out my blog…you got an award today :)
In my experience most people suffer from procrastination and fear of failure. I think it’s something you just need to keep working on improving and over time it does.
I have one trick which has got me very, very far and I always share it with clients: just start. The thing is the best ideas come from taking action, not just thinking about what to do. Once you start something, even if the idea isn’t great or you are not sure where you are going with it, more and often better ideas come up and form the project/task even better. It’s all about momentum really.
I think of it like life…you never do know what is going to happen so just start and then the next step will come to you.
Awesome job on doing the chapter outline!
So excited for you!!
I think having a list of simple substitutions would be helpful–milk, eggs, butter and their vegan equivalents. I’m in agreement with everyone on using easy to find ingredients. And while you market yourself as a vegan baker, I have always appreciated the fact that you are accepting of other lifestyles and that you don’t ram any hardcore PETA vegan ideology. You keep it light, fresh and accepting of all. This is your appeal. A lot of us who read OSG aren’t vegans or even vegetarians, but still love the focus on healthy, fresh food. Oh, and also some dishes that could be prepared as a veggie side dish (in conjunction with whichever protein is used) would be amazing! So excited for you. I know the execution of this will be flawless, as usual.
I just recently started my own blog and I think I have already linked to your page at least twice! I just love your blog so much!
Hi Angela! How about include some video links for the cooking process (especially difficult recipes)? I’m sure your cookbook will be a major success. All the best :)
Hiya!
What a fantastic idea!
In norway we have an expression: “the threshold mile is always longest” meaning that it’s always most difficoult to make a start. once you’re over the “threshold mile” it’s not as hard or as much work as you thought it would be.
I love your blog! as a recent follower i’ll definatelly continue following.
My oppinions are as follows.
Personally, i quickly loose interest in a cookbook if it’s only got recipes and if the recipes repeat themselves by continually using the same ingredients.
Someone above mentioned a scale of how difficoult and timeconsuming each recipe would be and i second that.
I would also like a chapter on child-friendly recipes as my daughter has acute food-phobia in some periods and refuses pretty much everything so a section where kids can help cook and the results are tasty and visually apetizing would be a big plus as most cookbooks totally ignore families. Advice on child nutrition and other things parents worry about would be helpful too. Not many raise their children vegan, but many wish to add variety to their childrens diet and food experience. expand their horizons you might say.
The stykle of your book ought to be like your blog. Interspersed with anecdotes and small snippets about healthy living in general. That is how we all know and love you!
being a vegan book you really need a nutritional advice bit too so people who use your book are aware of what a animal-produce-free diet entails. (just in case a few newbie vegans buy it…)
I am too much of an omnivore to ever become fully vegan but I would welcome your book as a suplement to my growing range of various recipes and to get some variety into my life.
I think i read somewhere that if all western people dropped one meat-dinners a week the pressure on meatfarming and the environment would drop enough to stop the devastation of the rainforest for pasture. That freaked me out a bit…
keep blooging tho. we are all right behind you!
Hugs
Marit
This might be my favorite post of yours. (And that’s saying a lot because I’ve been reading it for as long as I can remember.) I feel like it’s speaking right to me. Big projects are daunting. At the same time they are exciting and motivating. We all know you have the talent, drive, and confidence to publish an amazing cookbook. All you have to do is start.
I have a few massive projects on the horizon for 2011 and am facing the same challenge of getting each one started in the proper way. I sat down with a huge binder and wrote out a business plan with goals, methods to achieve the goals in the short and long terms. Give yourself a schedule; but, be flexible. Remember, it’s a creative project and sometimes you can’t rush creativity.
Good luck.
I am sure you`ll do great! i love the way you present your recepies, and i will definately buy the book! I wish you all the best with this project!!!
Hi Angela,
I have been using your blog to help myself and my family (Hubby and 3 boys under 6) on our path to Vegan.
Your recipes and advice have been invaluable and many of your recipes are regulars every week – we ‘eat oh she glows 5 out 7 days easy’.
The boys love to look through your site and pick what to make and then follow the pics whilst we (well, mostly I) cook – although I am not quite at your level of presentation !!
I have said to my husband a million times you need to do a book so I can easily find recipes (sorry, but unless I print up a recipe as soon as I see it I find it difficult to find again – time is always short in my house!!).
I agree with the others that your niche is your whole approach to food as part of a positive lifestyle, eating a wholesome, well rounded diet that makes food fun and not the enemy.
And thankfully you don’t rely on TOFU !!! eeergh!!
I think your book will be fantastic, Best Seller !!
P.S.You also converted my boxed cereal addicted husband to VOO, he is disappointed if I don’t do them in a Tupperware for him to take to work – Result !!
The kids are finally getting their greens thanks to your Green Monsters – and think its a treat!!
It would be no exageration to say you are largely responsible for helping improve the lives of 5 very appreciative Dubliners (Ireland)
Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words!