Q: Can individuals or families publish a cookbook?

Yes, most families publish their cookbook as a keepsake and not for fundraising. The only processing difference is in the payment terms. Individuals and families are required to pay one-half the cost at the time the order is placed, with the balance due before the books are shipped.

Q: How much money can we make?

That all depends. A small order of 200 books can earn around $850, whereas a larger order can earn up to $50,000 or more. See our price charts for costs and suggested selling prices.

Q: Can we publish fewer than 100 cookbooks?

Morris Press Cookbooks does not accept smaller orders. However, our sister company, Simply Cookbooks™, allows you to publish anywhere from 12 to 96 cookbooks.

Q: How many recipes are in the average cookbook?

The average cookbook contains 300-400 recipes.

Q: What is the Starter Kit?

The Starter Kit contains material to help you assemble and create your cookbook, such as Recipe Collection Sheets, Category Envelopes, a Cover Information Sheet, and Personal Page Sheets. This material is not included in the initial Cookbook Kit. To receive this material, contact us or print it from our Download Center.

Q: We want to type our own recipes. How can I get a copy of typensave®?

If you have our Cookbook Kit, typensave® is on the interactive CD, or you can download it. You can also create an account and submit recipes online at www.typensave.com. We recommend our online method because all members can enter their own recipes. Plus, the online system offers more features.

Q: We have entered our recipes in typensave®. Now what do we do?

If you used typensave® online, submit recipes online and mail the rest of the material. Include your typensave® account number on the order form. If you used typensave® software, save your recipes to a CD and mail it along with the order form and other necessary material.

Q: Do recipes with more than one part count as one recipe?

Yes, as long as they are part of the same recipe, such as icing with a cake recipe. They will not have titles or appear in the index. Exceptions are starters (e.g., sourdough starters) or other recipes that are the base for several recipes; each use of the starter is counted as one recipe. We average 2–4 recipes per page. A recipe may be counted as more than one recipe, based on its length.

Q: If a recipe is too long for one Recipe Collection Sheet, what do we do?

You can continue the recipe on another Recipe Collection Sheet or blank sheet of paper of the same size (front only). Staple them together. Do not use the back of a Recipe Collection Sheet or fold a large recipe that's taped to a Recipe Collection Sheet.

Q: Must we use your Recipe Collection Sheets?

No, you can use plain paper of the same size or your own recipe forms. Include only one recipe per sheet (front only) and follow the our writing guidelines. Recipe Collection Sheets are provided our FREE for your convenience in our Starter Kit or you can download (PDF) them.

Q: Can we put Recipe Collection Sheets in any envelopes?

Yes, you can use any envelopes. After grouping your recipes into categories and sorting them in the order you want them to appear within each category, number the Recipe Collection Sheets and place each category in a separate envelope. Label each envelope with your organization name, category title (e.g., Soups & Salads), number of recipes in the category, and position of the category in the cookbook (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.). Use our Recipe Category Sheet (PDF) to assist you.

Q: Must recipes be typed?

No, as long as the recipes are clearly printed in ink, not in pencil, and recipes are legible. If you can't read them, chances are we won't be able to either.

Q: Do you edit our recipes?

Only if errors are obvious and we are typesetting your recipes. Otherwise, we typeset them exactly as they are written. We do not edit any metric measurements. Please note: If you submit your recipes using typensave®, we do not edit your recipes. Regardless of who typesets your cookbook, you will always receive a FREE proof to check all recipes before we print your cookbook.

Q: Can we use brand names in our recipes?

You may use brand names (Jell-O®, Hershey's®, Nestle®, etc.) in your ingredients list. Do not submit any recipe titles that are trademarked. See next question for more details on trademarks.

Q: Can we use recipes from magazines, newspapers, or other cookbooks?

You may submit recipes from various sources. A list of ingredients cannot be copyrighted, but substantial literary expression – a description, explanation, or illustration that accompanies a recipe – can be copyrighted. You will be infringing on a copyright if you use substantial or complete works from another cookbook.

Trademarked names cannot be used for recipe titles, such as Killer Brownies®, Runza®, Derby Pie®, and Neiman Marcus® Cookies. If you use these, we will change the recipe title to an acceptable variation.

Q: Can we use artwork from other sources for our cookbook?

Artwork from greeting cards, scrapbook paper, books, and other sources is usually copyrighted, and you must obtain permission to use it. If you use a logo from a company or your organization or any custom artwork or photos, we will require a signed Release Form. Please download our Release Form (PDF) and submit with your order. Likewise, all of our artwork is copyrighted and is available only to our customers.

Q: Can we use divider category titles other than the standard category titles?

Yes, but only if you are creating custom dividers. You will not be able to use a full-color stock divider set because they are pre-printed and cannot be changed.

Q: How much will custom dividers cost?

Dividers may have 4 types of charges: style, ink, photos, and printing on backs.
Style: Regular custom dividers are 3¢/divider (per book). Tabbed custom dividers are 8¢/divider (per book).
Ink: Black ink is FREE. An in-house ink other than black is 2¢/divider (per book). Multi- or full-color printing or using a Designer Series Template is 15¢/divider (per book).
Photos: If you print photos on dividers, one photo per divider is FREE. Extra photos are 3¢/photo (per book).
Printing Backs: Backs of dividers may include standard Helpful Hints for FREE. Printing custom material in one ink (same as front) is 2¢/divider/book. Multi- or full-color printing is 15¢/divider (per book).

Q: Can we change titles and subtitles on full-color stock covers?

Yes, unless otherwise stated, you can have your title and subtitle printed in black ink or any one in-house ink FREE, but you cannot change the full-color stock covers in any other way.

Q: We want more than 5 photos and 16 personal pages. We also want to include photos with recipes. Why can't we include more photos or pages?

When a group wants more photos and personal pages than we allow, the cookbook becomes more of a history or picture book. Also, our recipe formats were not designed to accommodate photos. If you want more photos or pages or have other ideas, we suggest publishing your cookbook through Morris Publishing. There is no photo limit, and photos can be placed on any pages. You must furnish all pages press-ready, but that allows greater flexibility with creating your cookbook pages.

Q: If we publish the cookbook, why does Morris Press Cookbooks place its copyright on the title page?

Many of our customers use our stock cover and divider sets, recipe formats, and cooking hints. Our copyright protects this material. Recipes cannot be copyrighted. If you are sending your custom cookbook press-ready and using your own artwork, you have the option of copyrighting your own book. Contact us for details.

Q: What is a press-ready cookbook?

Press-ready recipe pages are pages already typeset using correct margins and page sizes. Final printed pages will look like your press-ready pages. We prefer a digital file converted into a PDF, but will also accept a hard copy as long as our margins and specifications are used. This is very important because unless your pages are prepared and sent properly, we won't be able to use them. The same is true for a cover. Download our Press-Ready Cookbook Pages Guidelines (PDF) for complete specifications.

Q: Can we save money by sending our cookbook press-ready?

Probably not. Because of the efficiency of our recipe formats, we can fit more recipes in fewer pages than most press-ready cookbooks. Since more pages results in higher cost, it could actually cost you more to send your cookbook press-ready if you end up with more pages than we would. However, you will have more design control and save some production time since your cookbook will not require typesetting. Contact us for details or go to our Download Center for press-ready material, such as guidelines, pricing, and an order form.

Q: How does a 10 percent overrun or underrun affect our order?

Your cookbook goes through many stages during which spoilage may occur. To compensate, we print more than you order. The books not lost in spoilage will be sent to you. If too many books are lost in spoilage, we may ship less than your order. You will only be invoiced for the books you receive, minus your 3% FREE books. This is a printing trade custom that all our competitors also use.

Q: After you receive our order, how long does it take until the books are shipped?

Production time depends on how you submit your recipes. Normal production time (we typeset recipes) is 35-45 business days from the day after we receive your order. If using typensave® or submitting press-ready material, production time is 25-30 business days from the day after we receive your order. RUSH service is 25 business days from the day after we receive your order. Allow 3-5 business days for shipping. We are not in production on holidays or weekends.

Q: How long do you save our cookbook, in case we ever want to reprint?

Your cookbook material is digitally saved for 10 years.

Q: How much are reprints?

Reprint pricing is based on the quantity you reorder. If you order the same quantity as the initial order, the price per book will be slightly less. If you order a smaller quantity than the original order, the price per book will be more. Coupons and discounts do not apply to reprints. You can download our Reprint Order Form (PDF) and contact us for reprint pricing.

Q: How do I purchase a copy of a book you printed?

We do not retail any books we print for customers. You need to contact the organization directly. If you have a copy of the cookbook, check in the back of the book for an order form or in the front for contact information. You can also check www.cookbooks4sale.com to see if the cookbook is listed.