Want to Land a Book Deal Soon?

Join a small group and increase your chances of success, whether for a cookbook, memoir or non-fiction book.

(Photo by Yannick Pulver on Unsplash.)

What is your book’s path to publication?

Do you know how it all works?

Do you have a book idea that would excite an agent or editor?

Unsure of the answers? Take my upcoming Jumpstart Your Cookbook Proposal class.

It starts soon on Zoom. Classes begins October 21 and continues October 28 and November 4. It goes from 4-7 p.m. PT/ 7-10 p.m. ET. That’s three online 3-hour classes and 9 hours of instruction and discussion. The cost is $425.

I restrict this class to 10 students. That way I have time for lots of questions and feedback, and time to discuss whatever comes up about the book you’re dying to write.

Why You Need This Class

Maybe you’re excited about writing your book, but you’re not sure where to start. If you want to be traditionally published, you must write a detailed book proposal. This proposal outlines what your book is about, of course, but it’s also a sales pitch and business plan.

It tells agents and editors

·      Who you are

·      Why you’re the right person to write this book right now

·      And who should care.

It details

·      Which books compete with yours

·      The target audience

·      And how you plan to promote it.

It’s everything agents and editors want to know, rolled into one document that could be as long as 50 or 60 pages. It’s also a great way to develop your focus for the book.

Book proposals have an extremely low acceptance rate. This class teaches you what agents and editors expect, thereby increasing your chances of success.

I’ve been coaching people on writing their proposals for decades. Here are some of my clients. Several agents and editors have signed my clients and students. Major publishers have signed those I have coached and taught. They include Chronicle Books; Little, Brown; Ten Speed Press/Random House; Running Press and Simon & Shuster. Book advances for my clients and students have been as high as six figures.

You’ll get lots of insider information and handouts, including about how the publishing industry works. All of it is to increase your chance of success to get a book published, whether a cookbook, memoir or food history.

And best of all, you start writing the proposal during class. You’ll have homework that I and the rest of the students will give feedback on. By the end you’ll have a rough draft of your proposal, and notes on how to shape it.

Other things to know: If you’re not sure about your book idea, or you have more than one, we can discuss that too. All three classes are recorded. If you missed one you can watch it. And if wonder if you should self publish, we discuss that too.

Here’s what two students say about this class:

“One of the things that taking Dianne’s class taught me was that I CAN make the time to write. I have her book and try to do the writing exercises. Sometimes I freeze because I am unsure of my writing. This class was the first time I spoke about the book to anyone that didn't know me, let alone a Zoom full of women writers. It was definitely validating and the push I needed to get this project going.” — Shachi Mehra, chef and owner, Adya restaurant 

"Dianne teaches an incredibly practical, thoughtful, and interactive course. You will leave the class with a big head start on your proposal, plus the framework to get it done. During the course, you'll connect with your classmates who will provide thoughtful feedback and encouragement on your cookbook-writing journey.

I highly recommend this course for anyone who's ever thought about writing a cookbook. You won't regret it." — Martin Sorge, @martinsorge on Instagram, winner of The Great American Baking Show.

This class gets results! Soon afterwards, Martin landed an agent (Sally Ekus) and a book deal. He is currently working on his book.

My classes fill up fast, and there’s often a waiting list.

So prioritize your goal to get a book published in 2024. Let’s get going on your dream cookbook or memoir, together.

Thanks,

Dianne

P.S. Got a question about whether this class is right for you? Just respond to this email or email me at dj@diannej.com, and I’ll reply with a confidential message.