One not-so-ordinary day, I opened my email to find a request that I write an abbreviated cookbook proposal for a book packager. The book packager planned to use the proposal to attract a publisher; if the cookbook was a go, I was promised the job of writing it.

I had not pitched this idea, nor had I ever worked for this company. I wasn’t even clear on what a book packager did.

What was so extraordinary was that the company found me – online.

I have a website, an ezine and ebooks all on the topic of food writing. I include my contact information, my background, my publication credits and personal information online. Still, I never expected to get this offer out of the blue.

When the book packager wanted a food writer with experience developing and writing recipes, they did a Google search. My name kept coming up because I market my writing whenever I can, on writing sites, food blogs, article banks, and food and writing listservs.

This only happened one other time in my life when the local community newspaper came to me and offered to pay me $125 per month to write two articles, one column and provide one photo each week.

This time the deal was sweeter – I needed to write three pages describing the cookbook idea, a list of sample recipe descriptions and a few sample recipes, which I pulled from my own files. I sent off the proposal, received a quick $300, and a lesson in the value of getting my writer profile on the Internet. And while the cookbook was not picked up by the publisher it was ultimately pitched to, I was happy with my pay for the little effort extended.

All because I built a site, and promoted myself – online.

Pamela White publishes her food writing ezine from https://www.food-writing.com. She teaches courses in food writing, writing restaurant reviews, and developing cookbook proposals.