At the first-ever BlogHer conference in 2009, I announced that I had just started my blog about food writing. At the time I was on a panel, sandwiched between Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman; and Susan Russo of Food Blogga.
You might know what happened to these two since then: Drummond went on to the Food Network and became an author and entrepreneur (even then, she was a big star because of her blogs); and sadly, Russo passed away.
And me…I’m still here, enjoying my blog about food writing. Oh, and during this time I co-wrote two cookbooks; wrote two more editions of my how-to book, Will Write for Food; won some national awards for a Lucky Peach essay; and taught food writing around the world. I still love hearing from readers, some of whom have followed me for years. And I’m thankful for all the support.
Why I began a blog about food writing
I started this blog about food writing because I thought I had to. Procrastinating kept me at bay for at least two years. I knew it was the best way to extend the advice in Will Write for Food, and keep in touch with readers about trends and careers. But I felt intimidated by the technology and worried about the time sink.
My first real post was to hand out all the emails of editors at Saveur. Later I interviewed the editor. He gave out his email address. Soon I got an email from Helen Rosner, who was then Saveur’s web editor. She asked if I could remove the top editor’s address because pitches from my readers had “inundated” his email! That was a good sign that I had game.
For the first two years, I blogged twice a week and had a blast. I wrote mostly short posts. And I liked to be controversial (as my husband calls it), which you can see with these posts:
- Here’s what I Ate Today. Does Anyone Care?
- Ajusting a Recipe Doesn’t Make it Yours (250 comments)
- Is Food Blogging Too Much Work? (237 comments)
How Blogging Has Changed
1. Comments have slowed to a crawl. If you look at those posts, what’s shocking is not the subject but the number of comments. Readers not only commented but many wrote long answers. It was before there were so many kinds of social channels and Facebook groups where we can all chat with each other — sometimes endlessly, it seems. And it was before mainstream websites like Eater and Taste published pieces similar to mine, about food writing trends or writing recipes. (I now include them in my newsletter, so it’s all good).
2. Some big bloggers stopped. Today many of the food bloggers of that era have stopped blogging or slowed way down. Shauna James Ahern of Gluten Free Girl and Molly Wienberg of Orangette are writing books. Clotilde Dusloulier of Chocolate & Zucchini is now a coach. Elise Bauer of Simply Recipes sold her business. So the message is that you don’t have to keep writing a blog forever. However, David Lebovitz is still killing it, and Kaylin Denny keeps going, as do other bloggers from the early days.
Later I slowed to one blog post per week and accepted guest posts from people whom I thought could offer insider tips and information. Now I’m down to two posts per month. I’m busy building my newsletter, which has grown steadily.
3. Blogs have become just one way to communicate with readers. Now we have social media, YouTube, and Pinterest. It’s our job to grow our audience with them all — a big challenge. Many bloggers have staffs and assistants to help with posting, photography, answering email and other chores. But for most food bloggers, it’s still a hobby and a one-person (mostly female) show.
As for me, my blog about food writing continues to be a place where I can explore the issues that face us all as writers and communicators. Thank you for joining me over the years! I’m grateful you’re still here.
And what did I miss about how blogging — food or otherwise — has changed in the past 10 years? Let me know.
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Happy blog-o-versary!
Thank you! You’ve kept yours going all this time too, although a more leisurely schedule than mine.
Well, I’ve been reading your blog for probably the entire run, and enjoyed it immensely. I’ve learned important stuff from it, you have had a positive influence on me, personally and professionally. It’s OK to cut back the frequency – it’s the words that are important not how many or how often. So thank you, happy anniversary, and here’s to another one, and another, and another after that.
Mary-Denise, this is such a lovely response. Thank you! And thanks for saying it’s okay to cut back. It was the right decision but a hard one to make.
A decade to write and reflect—how much has changed! Do you remember when food blogs were deeply personal and narrative-driven? I’m not saying that’s not what blogs of today are not, but I will say it seems that’s not the focus as we can share our lives and stories outside of the blog itself.
And yet, one thing I think a blog has that FB / IG / PIN / TW will never have as micro-blogging platforms is ownership. Our blogs are homes we own whereas the other platforms are rented apartments. It’s why I’ve never thought blogging is dying (and maybe even why I started a new blog earlier this summer after 10 years blogging elsewhere). There is still more to be said.
The style of writing blogs is all about a mad scramble for ownership of words. It’s fascinating to think about that. SEO has changed the game. I think readers are coming to blogs for a specific need (i.e. Best Blackberry Pie Recipe) rather than wanting to follow a blog? If the blogger kills it, by over-delivering on the recipe, then maybe the reader will return. And, maybe they will want to know more about the blogger’s inspiration for the recipe.
I wonder if blog discovery and reader loyalty is harder or easier than it was 10 years ago? Much to mull! Happy anniversary and thanks for Will Write for Food, the blog, Dianne.
Thank you for this thoughtful reply Annalies.
Yes, I do remember those long narratives at first, where there was no or little photography. It was probably much easier then to have a blog. It was not about photography, SEO, marketing, video, and social media.
Re ownership, yes, that is why I started a newsletter, so I could own my audience list. Now the newsletter is bigger than the blog, which is fine (especially since I list my latest blog posts in it).
I don’t think blogs are dead either. Lots of people are doing very well with them. But then people keep telling me they don’t read blogs anymore. My readership has declined along with many others.
I bet blog discovery and reader loyalty are harder these days, because there is SO MUCH ONLINE that is vying for our attention.
Congratulations, Dianne, and thank you for 10 years of your relevant, informative, enjoyable blog. I look forward to reading it and your newsletter each time they arrive in my inbox.
That is so kind of you Janice, to leave a comment.I’m so pleased that you’re enjoying the newsletter.
Congratulations, Dianne! I have been reading your blog for a very long time and it was an endless source of education, inspiration, and support:)
Yes, the comments have almost disappeared, as people comment on social media, but for me, the blog is still very much alive:)
XOXO
Oh thank you, Lana. It is so kind of you to say so. The blog continues in its current incarnation, but who knows what the future will hold?
Thank you, Dianne, for all your insights etc etc
Thank you Rita. It’s been a pleasure to receive your comments over the years. I really value your active participation.
Happy Decade Anniversary, Dianne! I have relished your blog for years for your informative and well-curated approach. I always know that whatever topic you focus on will be thoughtfully chosen. (And I do love to read what riles you up in those rants). Besides providing valuable behind the scenes peeks, you have introduced me to a talented cast of collaborators. I admire your commitment to keep sharing your wisdom (and that of others). Bravo!! Look forward to reading the next one already.
So sweet of you Anna. Thanks for your comments over the years, and your support as a committed reader. I feel honored!
Thank you for being such a reliable voice of authority, reality and encouragement. -M
I’m glad you feel there’s encouragement mixed in there too. Sometimes I get worried about giving people “too much reality!” Thanks Maribeth.
Happy Anniversary and thank you Dianne. I read with pleasure each time.
Thank you so much LoAnn. I haven’t seen you in person for quite a while, so knowing that you are a reader is a good second best.
Congratulations on 10 years! You have been my go to source for what is happening in the food blog world and the food publishing industry in general for almost that whole 10 years. There is no other resource that I know of that covers those areas as well. While I often disagreed with your posts, they were very timely and enlightening. I’m kinda sad you have dropped to 2 per month.
As someone that is still standing, I know where all the comments have gone. They’ve gone to YouTube. Shooting videos is hard enough but managing the comments, that’s a whole other job because there are so many and they want so much information.
I wish there was someone like you writing about the food video world. There is lots of action there!
Thanks for the kindn words, Rick. We’ve had some wonderful disagreements over the years and I have enjoyed them.
Maybe YOU should start writing about the food video world. You are a pioneer in that arena.
Happy anniversary, Dianne!
One of the things that has changed is that bloggers these days need to have their heads around so much in the way of social media and self promotion – it can be exhausting!
Yes indeed. It is like feeding a fire that can never go out. Thanks Amanda.
Thanks for the shout-out, and thanks for bringing up various topics over the years that fostered discussion amongst the blogging and food writing communities. I agree that a lot of discussion has moved over to social media, and people are blogging less and using social media more, but over the (many) years that I’ve been online, I’ve seen things that at the time seemed unstopptable (AOL, Flickr, Netscape, Yahoo!, etc…) turn to zero. While people are putting their eggs in one basket, you’re right that people don’t “own” their content there, so you’re at the mercy of Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube. We saw the “adpocalypse” happen when YouTube pulled the plug on ads, and many websites withered and died when Facebook changed their algorithm (and not to mention what we learned happens to our data on Facebook, and how it gets used for sometimes nefarious purposes.) And now Pinterest is curating what we see as well and my feed there has, unfortunately, turned into ads for nursing bras and hair-braiding tutorials.
I think people are still going to want quality content and recipes. While it’s true people’s attention is now diverted elsewhere, those things change, evolve, and sometimes, disappear. So it’s nice to have your content where people will always be able to find it, and you’re able to control it.
I’m sorry but I laughed about the Pinterest ads comment. How awful.
Yes exactly, you could add Google+ into that mix of “unstoppable” media. Some food bloggers devoted tremendous amount of time building followers and then it went down. There was even an employee from Google+ who called food writers and went to food blogging conferences to promote it as a great platform for us.
Thanks for all the comments you’ve made over the years. They have helped me and so many others understand what we’re doing and why.
And for letting me interview you a few times. I forgot to say is that one of the best part of this blog is the access it gives me to other people I respect and admire, whom I can learn from. You’ve been a big part of the blog all these years, Daveeeed!
Happy blog birthday!! I have always loved reading your blog, and it’s one of the few I continue to read. Like you, my blog life has changed and I’m much more active now on social media and youtube. Like you I’m down to about 2 posts a month on my blog. But I can’t imagine giving it up! And I hope you keep yours going too. Love it!
Aww thanks Elizabeth, and thanks for chiming in so many times in the comments. Who knows about the future? Sometimes we have to give ourselves permission to move on. But for now, I’m still enjoying the blog. How your status has grown in the 10 years since I started this thing. It’s been amazing to watch.
Congratulations on your tenth anniversary! I’ve been her for a while but no the whole run.
I agree about comments getting shorter. I guess we all have time crunches and have picked up blogs on other interests over the years, thus short or no comments due to time.
Years wishing you many more years blogging.
You know, it’s nice to get comments like this, Pat, because sometimes I get mad about all the time I put into a post and there have been few or no comments. What you wrote is a reminder not to take these things personally. Thanks!
Congratulations on 10 years! I read the first edition of Will Write for Food, and found it so helpful. I think I bought the second or third addition as well because you added blogging to it, if I remember correctly. In any case, I’ve been reading (often silently) here probably since the beginning — and appreciating the perspective it’s shared, even when it wasn’t one I agreed with.
Food blogging has changed so much over the last decade — and even more so since 2005 when I started. Back then, ads made you a sell-out and Pete Wells condemned us as navel-gazing writers who waxed poetic about our cheese sandwiches. But there was so much good to the blogosphere back then too — it felt like everyone in food blogging knew each other. There was camaraderie. The same cannot be said today.
It is so much harder to get a foothold today. And so much harder to feel like you are reaching an audience as well. Although my stats tell me folks are reading, it’s the occasional comment that I relish. How nice it is when someone takes the time to say something! I wish I had been better at interaction with readers years ago when readers were interacting more.
One thing that caught me in this though. It’s so devasting to see Susan’s career and life reduced to a single line about her death. She too was an author and a successful food writer.
Thanks for such a thoughtful post, Sarah. Nice to know that you are usually a lurker but took the time to write a pithy comment.
Re Will Write for Food, yes, the second edition was more about blogging and the third had a new chapter about making money. I’m going to expand on that for the 4th edition and write more about voice.
Oh yes the cheese sandwich! I had forgotten about that. So insulting! I’m sure I mentioned that somewhere in the blog.
I do think there is cameraderie today with food bloggers. Perhaps they have sectioned off into different groups: the private Facebook pages for the ones making tons of money; the meals at conferences where groups of bloggers catch up.
Yes, Susan’s death was devastating. So much that was not explained.
Dianne, you’ve done such a wonderful job keeping up a consistently informative and high quality blog. I look forward to more in the future–and realize I have not signed up for the newsletter.
Hi Rachel, thank you. The newsletter is going gangbusters, which is great. I collect links to articles that would interest food writers and share them. I share your posts from time to time there!
The blog, the newsletter, the classes, the speaking opportunities, the books – you’ve put together a really interesting life and I’ve enjoyed all of the parts! You’re a great inspiration.
Thank you Julia. You were responsible for one of my speaking opportunities. I am grateful for that.
As have you! We should celebrate our fabulousness soon.
What Julia said. Thanks for ALL your thoughts, wisdom, energy, support, insights, access, generosity, etc, etc, etc over the years. XOXOX
Thank you Jill, and thank you for your insightful comments over the years. Hope to see you soon in the Bay Area.
I have relished your blog for years for your informative and well-curated approach. I always know that whatever topic you focus on will be thoughtfully chosen. (And I do love to read what riles you up in those rants). Besides providing valuable behind the scenes peeks, you have introduced me to a talented cast of collaborators. I admire your commitment to keep sharing your wisdom (and that of others). Bravo!! Look forward to reading the next one already.
Hey Brandon, thanks for speaking up. I do put a lot of thought into things, so I very much appreciate your noticing. And for saying that you like the rants!
Congratulations and thank you for your work. You are such a resource to us in this odd land of food writing! I am grateful that you’re dedicated to collecting, analyzing and distributing the why’s of this world, and that you keep tuning in to the changing channels.
Thank you Amy. It is kind of an odd world isn’t it? The challenge is definitely to keep up. Thanks for noticing.
Congratulations on your anniversary!
I am so sorry to hear about Susan Russo. I lost track of her blog a while back and she recently popped into my mind.
Thank you Monique. Here is her blog if you want to look it over: http://foodblogga.blogspot.com/
Great post! Congrats on your milestone.
I’m getting ready to celebrate 10 years of blogging too! I loved book writing but still enjoy the weekly creative process of building a blog post. I do it as much for myself as for the readers.
Wow. That’s heartening because so many big bloggers seem to hardly ever blog or have stopped blogging. Congratulations to you, Aimee!
Congratulations Dianne ! I surely enjoy reading all your articles and newsletters. I learned a lot since I follow you. Long life to Will write for food.
Micheline
That’s very sweet Micheline. Thank you.
Also celebrated 10 years this year (I’m in great company!) and still going strong with a few posts a week! Congrats to you Dianne for always saying it like it is, being informative, questioning, honest and a fantastic resource for food writers!
Congratulations to you as well, Mardi! And thanks for the kind words. Long may we run.(Or, as long as we want.)
Happy 10-year Anniversary! Things have changed so much and I can’t even imagine what the next ten will bring. Imagine 2030?! Glad you’re still here!
Hah! Thank you. I can’t imagine that I will stil be blogging in 2030.
Ahhh, I loved this reflection. And I am so glad you’re still committed to blogging. Every time I come here, I learn something. I also love your book and I credit it all the time for giving me all the tools I have ever needed to succeed in the business of food writing (especially the section on book proposals). Thanks for all that you do!
I actually feel more comfortable blogging now than I did years and years ago, and can’t imagine stopping. Maybe it’s because I feel like I’m filling a need, by providing recipes for gluten free baked goods that otherwise mostly would not exist? I’m not sure.
I never wanted to use my food blog as a personal journal. In fact, that early disposition always made me feel like a poser since it doesn’t come naturally to me.
My blog isn’t my only “product,” but it’s the center of the wheel, for sure. It has allowed me to make a living from home while my children were growing up and has led to many other (related) things. I have lots of ideas of how it can grow with me as my lifestyle changes, and never, ever feel constrained by it. In fact, I feel like I can almost bend it to my will (over time).
I’m also someone who must work, must create. At least no one can make me retire from this!
Thanks for years of thoughtful and thought-provoking posts, Dianne!
Nicole
Hi Nicole,
You have been blogging for 10 years now, same as me! And you still want to do it. It sounds like it has been good for you in many ways, including financial. If you can make as much as you did when you were a lawyer, then I am very impressed. And btw, that paleo chocolate cake is killing me. It looks so good!
Dianne, congratulations on your 10th blogiversary. Mine is coming up in February. Can’t quite believe it! I have only ever posted once a week. Decided before I hit “Publish” the first time that I would never be able to do more than that on a regular basis. I wanted to pick a frequency I could handle consistently. So far, so good. But I foresee the day when I might cut back to twice a month. When I see food bloggers posting multiple times a week AND doing ALL the social media, I marvel. I’m on Pinterest and Twitter, and that is it. I resisted all the “You HAVE to be on Facebook, Google+, etc, I would lose my mind! 😀 Your blog is wonderful, and I hope you’ll keep it up for another 10 years. Wishing you all the best.
Thanks so much, Jean. I am posting every other week now, so I am a much bigger slacker than you. I too try to keep up with social media but it’s a struggle. Good for you for knowing what you can handle and sticking to it.
It’s literally like pouring it from ourselves into another container, so we don’t have to carry it. We’re emptying our brain’s pockets into a drawer, or emptying our brain’s mailbox into a filing cabinet, or some other organizational thing. But writing literally feels like setting it down someplace else. I send a million *hugs.* I just wanted to reach out and hug my computer monitor the whole time I read about your encounter. I feel bad I didn’t read it in real time. I have never been good about setting anything up like an RSS feed – like I know that term and don’t even know what it means, honestly. And of course life has been happening over here too. Anyway, a few friends seem to be reviving the old school journal of yore, and I realize how excited I feel reading these types of long narrative entries. So much more satisfying that the short blog entries that often contain ads that I’d been seeing so much of lately.
Thanks for this response. I can’t decide whether it’s spam, to be honest. Groomedformen.com has unrelated content.
I don’t know that you need an RSS feed today, so I wouldn’t bother.