Publishing a cookbook, fostering a community, and creating a work-life balance with Danielle Walker

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Welcome to episode 479 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Danielle Walker.

Danielle’s journey to becoming a cookbook author is anything but ordinary! From a chance encounter with a publisher to releasing her seventh (!!!) cookbook, “Make It Easy,” she’s learned so many valuable lessons along the way that have propelled her into the successful cookbook author she is today.

In this episode, Danielle shares her insights on building a strong community, understanding your audience, and prioritizing mental health and work-life balance. You’ll discover how these strategies have helped her create successful cookbooks and maintain a fulfilling career. For aspiring cookbook authors and anyone looking to build a successful online community, this episode is for you!

• The unconventional path to cookbook publishing: Early on in her journey, Danielle had a publisher reach out to her to work on a cookbook, and this unexpected opportunity led her to the world of cookbook writing. She’s learned so much along the way and shares some valuable lessons from her early experiences in this episode — from the necessity of advance payments to the importance of hiring an agent.
• The importance of building a community: Danielle used Kajabi and Substack to connect more deeply with her audience and gather valuable feedback for her cookbook. By fostering a sense of community, she was able to better understand her readers’ needs and preferences and shape the content she created for them.
• Prioritizing mental health and work-life balance: Danielle discusses how important it was for her to take a step back to reevaluate her work to ensure she brought value to her community and have a better relationship with her work. You’ll learn about how she’s been able to find a healthy balance between her professional and personal life — no easy feat!

Resources:

• Danielle Walker’s website
• Against All Grain
• Episode 443 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast: Why David Lebovitz Switched from Blogging to Substack
• Danielle’s latest cookbook, Make It Easy
• 1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly
• Meals Made Simple by Danielle Walker (her first cookbook!)
• Episode 191 of The Food Blogger Pro podcast: Building a Better Bio with Ryan Walker
• Follow Danielle on Instagram and Substack
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Yoast and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors.

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