Have you ever considered writing your own pizza book?

Maybe you're sitting on a gold mine of pizza recipes you'd like to share with consumers, or perhaps it's marketing and business tips that you want to share with fellow pizzeria operators. Whatever the topic may be, it's easy to self-publish your own books and e-books.

In the past, you'd have to print hundreds of copies and risk having leftovers stacked in the garage. Nowadays, you can print on demand or offer e-books and Kindle versions that readers can download right onto their computers and phones.

With online self-publishing companies you can literally have a book online in a matter of hours. Some of the more popular self-publishing outlets include Lulu, CreateSpace, Blurb, Book Baby, Kindle Direct Publishing and Xlibris.

However, before diving into any book project–online or print–plan for some of the basic costs, and consider your marketing.

Costs: There will always be the basic costs that accompany printing and royalties. But even before those, consider the cost to develop the book, which includes photography, editing, cover/interior design, etc. If the book doesn't look good, or if it's filled with errors, sales will struggle and you risk hurting your reputation.

Marketing: Plan your marketing attack before you even start writing the book. What's your end goal with the book? Will you use the book to grow your customer base or build your status as an expert in the industry? This will directly affect your marketing plan, which should include free copies to media/select customers, promotion on social media, your website and more.

Time: You're probably thinking that you don't have a lot of extra time on your hands to write a book. You're probably right. If you need help, there are ghostwriters who can help put your words on paper. Sites such as Upwork and LinkedIn have thousands of freelancers at the ready.

The Payoff: First of all, how cool would it be to tell people you've published a book? Beyond the cool factor, your book can act as your new business card at speaking events, networking mixers, gifts at the pizzeria and more. You will instantly gain more credibility and others will seek you out for advice.

 

So what would you write about if you took the publishing leap? Have you already published your own book? Let us know in the comments section.