The You Shouldn't Write a Book Episode

Not everyone who wants to write a cookbook should—and as a cookbook coach, Amanda Polick knows when to say so. In this episode, Amanda shares the red flags she watches for when aspiring authors apply to work with her: the family friend who insisted his wild game cookbook was "all in his head," the woman who tried to negotiate rates while planning to spend $8,000 she didn't have on self-publishing, and the applicant who sent her a Canva movie in French. Listeners will discover: Why "it's all in my head" is the most dangerous phrase in cookbook publishing The platform-building work aspiring authors must complete before writing a book proposal How to know if you need a coach, ghostwriter, or just more time Red flags that indicate someone isn't ready for the publishing process Perfect for: Aspiring cookbook authors, food creators considering traditional publishing, home cooks wondering if they should turn their passion into a book Amanda Polick is a cookbook coach who helps food creators develop book proposals and navigate the traditional publishing process. Shownotes: Newsletter: Weekly insights on writing and creativity Connect: Instagram @amandapolick | amandapolick.com Work with Amanda: Apply here

You can listen to The You Shouldn't Write a Book Episode online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

The You Shouldn't Write a Book Episode is an episode from Babe Cave by Babe Cave.

This episode is 36:01 long.

This episode was published on Jan 28, 2026.

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