I appreciate this post, and from the perspective of an author, want to share that this feels like a conundrum for authors. It also confirms the decline in publishers representing authors in marketing and PR, and putting that responsibility (along with photographer fees) on the author. Yes, I agree audience is crucial, but given there is an *extremely* low conversion rate in sales on IG and other social platforms, it is a huge ask for authors (who may not have marketing or SM content creation skills!) to put in the ENORMOUS amount of unpaid effort it takes to build a social platform. (This coming from someone who’s been at it for years and has barely seen the needle move.) In many ways it feels like a detriment to skilled authors who have something impactful to say, to insist that their focus is on marketing and social media. I get it’s the world we live in and I don’t know the solution, but as an author, it feels disheartening to be valued by the size of social platforms. And, the flip side is that influencers with major platforms (and very moderate cooking and/or writing skills and experience) are getting book deals because they have a higher chance of selling it. I know publishers are also struggling and following financially viable options, but man, it would be beautiful if the industry was guided by different values that centered works of he(art). I feel very lucky to have had published two cookbooks despite my small platform. I think one advantage is that my platform is diversified between various businesses and online outlets (and engaged), and I suppose that is the advice I would give to authors who are starting from scratch. I know you mentioned engagement as an important piece, and don't want to discount that valuable advice!
I totally hear you. Yesterday as this newsletter post was sitting in my drafts I was having an existential crisis about how the demand for platform is killing creativity. I like to hang out on the side of hope though and I am going to work towards the diversification of audience meaning that we are deepening the connection we have to the smaller/direct lines to various audiences. Perhaps smaller groups will mobilize in ways that reframe the attention publishers (and agents) will take. It is disheartening to be in this social media climate. It is also why I still stand by true expertise breaking through the noise. In virtually every publisher meeting I have now it is clear that the tides are shifting back/towards deep expertise. Will it change overnight? No. Will publishers still open the door to publishing faster with a large following? Yes. Is there opportunity to dig in, dig deep and be a true expert? YES.
This was a tough read for a gal who doesn't have a huge social media following but wants to publish a book. I appreciate you writing this because it keeps it real. I totally 'get it' and I want to push past the need to have an extremely large social media presence and still sell a book. It's hard out there! xx Kristen
Thanks for being here! There are some wonderful self and hybrid publishing options for cookbooks. There’s a lot of cr*p out there too so be careful. Excited to see how your journey unfolds!
Great advice. I particularly appreciated the section on how published authors can squeak out more social media traction with book reviews/recipe features etc. That’s been a big question for me, now that my book is out in the world.
I have a question and would love your professional opinion… particularly for the food creator turned author, is there a benefit to changing your established blog or creator connected social handles to your personal name? Is it better for exposure or brand awareness in regards to publishing? So, example @straighttothehipsbaby -> @jessiesierra?
I had someone in the PR world suggest that I should change everything over to my actual name, instead of my blog’s name, now that I’m published. They explained it would look more professional to publishers and agents? I’m a little hesitant and I’m curious about your take.
Rather than thinking about it as professional vs not professional, I would encourage you to think about what your goals are long-term for your brand and writing career. If you intend to write more books, I would say that thinking strategically about transitioning to your name probably makes sense.
Personally, I find that I am looking to connect with people not handles. So the more that I can find someone by name or start to recognize their engagement with my platform via other name rather than their handle means that when I see them IRL or talk to them via some other form of media. I’m more likely to remember who they actually are.
So many good nuggets in here Sally - thank you! I am almost, down to the letter, doing everything that you suggest and it is still brutal out there. Honestly, I have days when I just don't know if it's worth it (glass half empty) but then I look at the book I wrote already and am reminded by others (and myself!) how awesome the work I am doing is and the glass becomes half full again. Yesterday I had a 20 something tell me I'm ahead of my time with my multicultural family recipes. Whether the publishers are getting it or not, I know I'm relevant, the work I do is relevant and excellent and on most days, I refuse to give up. And as hard as it is, I am pondering which social platforms to spend time on and planning to evolve because nothing stands still in social media and I can't either. Also thinking that a little break from social is not a bad idea! I do frequently notice that between my blog tech/SEO requirements and social posting, I am spending so much less time creating than I used to. I am in this business because I am passionate about food, not because it's the highest paying career I've ever had. So if I lose the joy, I'm cheating myself of the main reason I do what I do. Anyhow - so much thoughtful content Sally - thanks again.
Ugh I hear you!! I’m so glad you are finding ways to remind yourself that the glass can be half full. I truly don’t think we need to be endlessly on social and that breaks are CRUCIAL. This hamster wheel is ruining creativity. We can’t let that happen. We work with food for goodness sake!
Love the photo of you on a landline! Having been through such a gamut of publishing experiences over a few decades, I don't know which is better (or worse) — the pre-social media days when an author had so little control over promotion (unless you were a really big name), and publishers often over-promised and under-delivered.
Or now, being able — and expected — to do much of your own promo via social media channels. I don't enjoy being on either end of social media. I don't have time to scroll through people's stuff and honestly I can't understand how other people have time for it, either. I think that's one of the reasons I like Substack — people sign up to hear from you and it lands in the inbox, where most people are still paying attention.
Despite being an introvert (which so many writers are), I've always found one of the most effective ways to reach an audience is to sell books in person. I've sold so many of my books at library talks and other events (of course, this was severely curtailed because of Covid). But that's not something you can quantify in a proposal. Word of mouth is still quite effective, too. I'm looking forward to once again emerging from my cocoon and selling my next books at events, fingers crossed that this country doesn't completely fall apart by then ...
As always, wonderful information and so well said, Sally. You make Tuesdays special!
I love that you reminded people that before the demand for social platform authors were left to the unknown devises of their publisher’s often poorly communicated plans. That’s a helpful reframe and reminder!
And YES to events. The pull away from social media is absolutely increasing the interest and renewed engagement of experiences. In person. The last best seller we had at the agency was from sales that mostly happened during a good old fashioned book tour with tons of events.
I do remember getting a crash course from someone to explain Twitter to me 12 years ago! I can only imagine how creative people got with your March madness Twitter style. Love that.
I read somewhere(!) that email numbers have 10x the impact of social media. That is, if I have 5000 email subscribers, it’s like having 50,000 on a social media platform. I find that perhaps exaggerated, but I’m wondering if you have some thoughts on this?
I love this! I have no idea if this is "true" but based on the knowledge I have about which authors have robust email lists and successful book sales, I can see how this is true. That said, these are also authors who have very large social following. I wonder if as we move towards a time where email newsletters are more emphasized, we can start to track smaller email lists and what that means for book sales.
If there is anyone reading this who has an email list under 10k and low social media numbers, that also happens to have a book that has sold over 10k copies in the first year, please weigh in!
I have an email list under 10K and a cookbook that has sold close to 20K, including hardcover, ebook, and revised/retitled paperback edition. My social media numbers are small.
I did, however, have a very active blog (now defunct). I believe my sales were mostly due to the blog, from which many signed up to receive automatic emails every time I posted. I also think that giving people truly useful information (versus the chatty/"social" parts of social media) was what drove sales. For me, anyway.
I've switched from blogging to Substack. It's the only platform that has truly worked for me. Likes/comments are slim, but opens, shares, views, and paid subscriptions are very encouraging.
So I'm thinking that if one looks just at the obvious numbers (followers/likes/shares), they could be missing something. Or maybe I'm an outlier!
I appreciate this post, and from the perspective of an author, want to share that this feels like a conundrum for authors. It also confirms the decline in publishers representing authors in marketing and PR, and putting that responsibility (along with photographer fees) on the author. Yes, I agree audience is crucial, but given there is an *extremely* low conversion rate in sales on IG and other social platforms, it is a huge ask for authors (who may not have marketing or SM content creation skills!) to put in the ENORMOUS amount of unpaid effort it takes to build a social platform. (This coming from someone who’s been at it for years and has barely seen the needle move.) In many ways it feels like a detriment to skilled authors who have something impactful to say, to insist that their focus is on marketing and social media. I get it’s the world we live in and I don’t know the solution, but as an author, it feels disheartening to be valued by the size of social platforms. And, the flip side is that influencers with major platforms (and very moderate cooking and/or writing skills and experience) are getting book deals because they have a higher chance of selling it. I know publishers are also struggling and following financially viable options, but man, it would be beautiful if the industry was guided by different values that centered works of he(art). I feel very lucky to have had published two cookbooks despite my small platform. I think one advantage is that my platform is diversified between various businesses and online outlets (and engaged), and I suppose that is the advice I would give to authors who are starting from scratch. I know you mentioned engagement as an important piece, and don't want to discount that valuable advice!
I totally hear you. Yesterday as this newsletter post was sitting in my drafts I was having an existential crisis about how the demand for platform is killing creativity. I like to hang out on the side of hope though and I am going to work towards the diversification of audience meaning that we are deepening the connection we have to the smaller/direct lines to various audiences. Perhaps smaller groups will mobilize in ways that reframe the attention publishers (and agents) will take. It is disheartening to be in this social media climate. It is also why I still stand by true expertise breaking through the noise. In virtually every publisher meeting I have now it is clear that the tides are shifting back/towards deep expertise. Will it change overnight? No. Will publishers still open the door to publishing faster with a large following? Yes. Is there opportunity to dig in, dig deep and be a true expert? YES.
With you!!
This was a tough read for a gal who doesn't have a huge social media following but wants to publish a book. I appreciate you writing this because it keeps it real. I totally 'get it' and I want to push past the need to have an extremely large social media presence and still sell a book. It's hard out there! xx Kristen
I know, I know. It’s brutal to write it. Please read through the other comments. You’re not alone and also there truly is opportunity in this too.
Enjoying your tips and posts as I embark on self publishing a cookbook on Filipino home cooking. Thank you!!! Also, I don't have Tiktok. 😆
Thanks for being here! There are some wonderful self and hybrid publishing options for cookbooks. There’s a lot of cr*p out there too so be careful. Excited to see how your journey unfolds!
Great advice. I particularly appreciated the section on how published authors can squeak out more social media traction with book reviews/recipe features etc. That’s been a big question for me, now that my book is out in the world.
I have a question and would love your professional opinion… particularly for the food creator turned author, is there a benefit to changing your established blog or creator connected social handles to your personal name? Is it better for exposure or brand awareness in regards to publishing? So, example @straighttothehipsbaby -> @jessiesierra?
I had someone in the PR world suggest that I should change everything over to my actual name, instead of my blog’s name, now that I’m published. They explained it would look more professional to publishers and agents? I’m a little hesitant and I’m curious about your take.
Thank you for your thoughts!
Rather than thinking about it as professional vs not professional, I would encourage you to think about what your goals are long-term for your brand and writing career. If you intend to write more books, I would say that thinking strategically about transitioning to your name probably makes sense.
Personally, I find that I am looking to connect with people not handles. So the more that I can find someone by name or start to recognize their engagement with my platform via other name rather than their handle means that when I see them IRL or talk to them via some other form of media. I’m more likely to remember who they actually are.
Thank you for the excellent insight. I think you hit it with the connection aspect. That makes a lot of sense!
So many good nuggets in here Sally - thank you! I am almost, down to the letter, doing everything that you suggest and it is still brutal out there. Honestly, I have days when I just don't know if it's worth it (glass half empty) but then I look at the book I wrote already and am reminded by others (and myself!) how awesome the work I am doing is and the glass becomes half full again. Yesterday I had a 20 something tell me I'm ahead of my time with my multicultural family recipes. Whether the publishers are getting it or not, I know I'm relevant, the work I do is relevant and excellent and on most days, I refuse to give up. And as hard as it is, I am pondering which social platforms to spend time on and planning to evolve because nothing stands still in social media and I can't either. Also thinking that a little break from social is not a bad idea! I do frequently notice that between my blog tech/SEO requirements and social posting, I am spending so much less time creating than I used to. I am in this business because I am passionate about food, not because it's the highest paying career I've ever had. So if I lose the joy, I'm cheating myself of the main reason I do what I do. Anyhow - so much thoughtful content Sally - thanks again.
Ugh I hear you!! I’m so glad you are finding ways to remind yourself that the glass can be half full. I truly don’t think we need to be endlessly on social and that breaks are CRUCIAL. This hamster wheel is ruining creativity. We can’t let that happen. We work with food for goodness sake!
Love the photo of you on a landline! Having been through such a gamut of publishing experiences over a few decades, I don't know which is better (or worse) — the pre-social media days when an author had so little control over promotion (unless you were a really big name), and publishers often over-promised and under-delivered.
Or now, being able — and expected — to do much of your own promo via social media channels. I don't enjoy being on either end of social media. I don't have time to scroll through people's stuff and honestly I can't understand how other people have time for it, either. I think that's one of the reasons I like Substack — people sign up to hear from you and it lands in the inbox, where most people are still paying attention.
Despite being an introvert (which so many writers are), I've always found one of the most effective ways to reach an audience is to sell books in person. I've sold so many of my books at library talks and other events (of course, this was severely curtailed because of Covid). But that's not something you can quantify in a proposal. Word of mouth is still quite effective, too. I'm looking forward to once again emerging from my cocoon and selling my next books at events, fingers crossed that this country doesn't completely fall apart by then ...
As always, wonderful information and so well said, Sally. You make Tuesdays special!
I love that you reminded people that before the demand for social platform authors were left to the unknown devises of their publisher’s often poorly communicated plans. That’s a helpful reframe and reminder!
And YES to events. The pull away from social media is absolutely increasing the interest and renewed engagement of experiences. In person. The last best seller we had at the agency was from sales that mostly happened during a good old fashioned book tour with tons of events.
So many great tips, Sally, thank you!
I do remember getting a crash course from someone to explain Twitter to me 12 years ago! I can only imagine how creative people got with your March madness Twitter style. Love that.
It was a wild time. Still is!
My GenX self loves to refer it to the ticks and the tocks.
I write memoir and really connected with this. So many wonderful tips!
thank you! my goal is to share information that goes beyond cookbook authors so I am really pleased to hear this resonates with you too!
Definitely! Thank you for sharing and I can't wait to read more.
I write fiction, but I found this to be helpful to learn about. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for reading and commenting! I am thrilled that this resonates beyond culinary. That's the goal!
That email list is gold! Substack has been wonderful to grow my community
Thank you, this means the world to hear this feedback!
Always appreciate your wisdom and tips, Sally. I think your elimination round proposal would make a great exercise in succinctly pitching a book!
Feel free to try that on for size! Distilling a book idea down to 140 characters led to some incredible pitches!
working on it right now; great way to kill the darlings
I read somewhere(!) that email numbers have 10x the impact of social media. That is, if I have 5000 email subscribers, it’s like having 50,000 on a social media platform. I find that perhaps exaggerated, but I’m wondering if you have some thoughts on this?
I love this! I have no idea if this is "true" but based on the knowledge I have about which authors have robust email lists and successful book sales, I can see how this is true. That said, these are also authors who have very large social following. I wonder if as we move towards a time where email newsletters are more emphasized, we can start to track smaller email lists and what that means for book sales.
If there is anyone reading this who has an email list under 10k and low social media numbers, that also happens to have a book that has sold over 10k copies in the first year, please weigh in!
I have an email list under 10K and a cookbook that has sold close to 20K, including hardcover, ebook, and revised/retitled paperback edition. My social media numbers are small.
I did, however, have a very active blog (now defunct). I believe my sales were mostly due to the blog, from which many signed up to receive automatic emails every time I posted. I also think that giving people truly useful information (versus the chatty/"social" parts of social media) was what drove sales. For me, anyway.
I've switched from blogging to Substack. It's the only platform that has truly worked for me. Likes/comments are slim, but opens, shares, views, and paid subscriptions are very encouraging.
So I'm thinking that if one looks just at the obvious numbers (followers/likes/shares), they could be missing something. Or maybe I'm an outlier!
That's my two-cents!