Publish your own Family Recipe Book

By Bobbi Ann Johnson Holmes

            My first self-publishing project was the Great-Grandma’s Recipe Book. After my grandmothers passed away, I had in my possession a collection of their handwritten recipes. I wanted to share the recipes with family members and friends, yet first the recipes needed testing, as many only included ingredients with minimal instructions. They then needed typesetting, on an old-fashioned typewriter. It would be a few years before I got my first home computer.

Copy Machine Self-Publishing

            While there were printers for family recipe books and fundraisers, I only wanted about thirty copies of the book. This was in 1982, before print-on-demand online options. I utilized my layout skills learned in high school journalism class, and in college, where I majored in communications.

            I printed off the pages, using standard copy paper and my dad’s copy machine, printing four pages on each sheet of paper (front and back). I designed a cover, using press on letters and heavy stock paper. After cutting the pages in half, I took the pages to an office supply store and had the books spiral bound, thus creating the Great-Grandma’s Recipe Book.

            You can also create a family recipe book, to give to your family members and friends, yet unlike my first book, you have more options.

Print-On-Demand for Cookbooks

            My second recipe book was Recipe Traditions. Instead of a typewriter, I formatted the pages using a word processor and created a PDF file, which I uploaded at Lulu.com. While I initially created the book for my family, I sell Recipe Traditions online, at my Lulu.com bookstore.

            If you want to create a cookbook as a fundraiser, and don’t want to hassle with the formatting, another option is a publisher like Morris Publishing. Morris Publishing works with non-profit organizations to create original cookbooks, and some packages allow the non-profit organization the ability to pay for the printing after selling the books. They also provide artwork and additional copy for the books.

            I’m a bit of a control freak, so I prefer a print-on-demand company like Lulu.com, where I design the entire book. I did use Morris for Where the Road Ends, yet I did not utilize their cookbook package. Although that was over ten years ago, I enjoyed working with Morris Publishing.

            Self-publishing your own recipe book is ideal as a Christmas gift, family reunion project or fundraiser. If you decide to do the book on your own, there are a few things to consider. Decide how you want to format each recipe, and use that format consistently throughout the entire book. Organize your recipes into sections, and create an index and or table of contents to include in the book. Visit the library and check out other cookbooks, to compare the formatting and layout. You could also read a book like Self-Publishing Handbook, for self-publishing tips.

Why you should Self-Publish a Book