diannejacob

Some News About My Blog

July 26, 2022 by diannejacob 14 Comments

Dear Reader,

First, thank you for being a reader of my twice-monthly blog. I appreciate you being part of my ongoing conversation about food writing and blogging.

For the past few years, I have featured guest bloggers on the blog, rather than my own essays. You heard from dozens of experts on topics ranging from cookbook promotion to keyword writing for blog posts to increasing your productivity as a writer.

Over on Substack, I write a free monthly newsletter, which I originally launched in 2005 as a way to keep in touch with students and clients. It’s grown quite a bit since then, and writing it has been fun and rewarding. I want to dedicate myself to it now, to create the best possible content. As a result, I’ve decided to pause the blog to focus on the newsletter.

But I want to keep up the conversation with you! If you are not already a subscriber of the newsletter, soon you will receive it. I figure that, since you originally signed up for this blog to hear from me, you will enjoy hearing from me again.

If you already receive my newsletter, thank you. In that case there will be two fewer emails from me in your inbox.

I also have a paid version of the newsletter that comes out mkidway through the month, with different additional content. So far I’ve included interviews with the superstars in our industry about how to write for them or what they’ve learned as high achievers. I have plans for more and lots of other content that will be useful to you as a food writer. Please consider signining up. It’s only $2.50 per month, about the cost of a cup of coffee. To do so, click on the Subscribe button in the free newsletter you will receive soon.

Again, thank you for being a blog reader. Maybe there are a few of you from 2009, when I started my blog. (Now I’m feeling nostalgic!) I hope you enjoy my newsletter and I look forward to hearing from you on Substack!

— Dianne

The Subtle Burn of Restaurant Recipes

June 21, 2022 by diannejacob 9 Comments

A guest rant by Bonnie S. Benwick

Cookbook recipes are undergoing yet another a rethink of sorts. I’m fine with some innovations, like Ali Slagle’s cookbook, I Dream of Dinner. Her recipes feature specific amounts in the method, rather than in the ingredients list.

But a development that really burns my toast has surged in restaurant cookbooks of late. Anyone who has tried to edit restaurant recipes understands the hitch: How to capture the essence of a chef’s dish that had the benefit of many hands, processes, and without presenting its creation as a treatise?

The answer can involve oversimplifying to the point of deception. Editors and collaborators feel pressure to simplify restaurant recipes because otherwise they look too long and involved. When sub-recipe after sub-recipe stacks up on the page, the pages will keep getting turned.

I recently tested restaurant recipes from a few chef cookbooks. A croquette recipe had 14 ingredients. (That’s only one more than [Read more…] about The Subtle Burn of Restaurant Recipes

5 Tips for Keyword Research for Food Bloggers

June 7, 2022 by diannejacob 8 Comments

By Sarah of Wandercooks

In Feb 2020, our food blog Wandercooks was at 75,000 monthly views. We spent six months updating all of our content through deep keyword search analysis. As a result, our organic traffic has now grown to over 600,000 monthly views in just two years. Our keyword research paid off.

Keyword research is an essential part of getting traffic to a food blog. Yet it’s often overlooked in the development and research stage of a recipe. If done correctly, however, keyword research can save you hours on a post that will never rank, and help you build organic traffic with the content already on your site.

Here are my tips for keyword research:

1. Writing for humans is still number 1.

Do keyword research alongside your writing. It’s not the only thing driving your content creation.

Use keywords to find recipe ideas you can actually rank for, and help build out your topic with useful information for the average home cook.

By talking about the topic as a whole and providing things like [Read more…] about 5 Tips for Keyword Research for Food Bloggers

How to Become a More Productive Book Author

May 17, 2022 by diannejacob 14 Comments

By André Darlington

If you think landing a book deal is difficult, try writing a manuscript within today’s tight timelines. Some multi-year projects still exist, but many authors count book schedules in months, not years. How does a writer navigate all the tasks that must be completed to become a productive book author, while juggling life, a partner, children, work, exercise and more?

A few strategies I used turned out to be useful. When employed diligently, they unlock abilities you may not believe you have. I found this when I wrote two books during the pandemic in 2021. Three of my books will launch this year, and I am on track to publish two more in 2023. How? I credit these five productivity tips.

Here’s what to do to become a productive book author:

1. Build up your confidence.

Take long, reflective power-walks. Remind yourself how far you’ve come in life by visiting a childhood neighborhood or friend.Talk to mood-and-ego-boosting friends. Run while listening to aggressive metal music. Do whatever it takes, but get yourself in a confident headspace.

Why? Confidence leads to a strong inner voice. And that voice is going to [Read more…] about How to Become a More Productive Book Author

Get More Assignments from Editors

May 3, 2022 by diannejacob Leave a Comment

A guest post by Anna Mindess

Over the last dozen years, I have received scores of assignments from editors of print magazines and online websites. I especially cherish those relationships that have spanned years and feel like collaborations.

When editors appreciate my work and trust me, my job gets easier. Instead of a formal pitch, editors will accept just a few lines for a story idea. Even nicer is when they come up with story ideas specifically for me.

It’s not difficult to build this kind of mutually respectful relationship. You will get more assignments. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Timeliness is next to godliness.

Turn in your stories on time or early. It seems obvious, but this is the number one thing that pleases or puts off an editor. One magazine I write for has deadlines etched in stone. The editor coordinates so much at [Read more…] about Get More Assignments from Editors

5 Ways to Promote with Live Video

April 5, 2022 by diannejacob 1 Comment

By Kathy Hester

There is no better way to get the word out about your latest product than to promote with live video.

Why? Imagine how easy it would be to make a sale if you were able to meet face-to-face and talk with all your fans. Live video allows you to make eye contact with your viewers and even answer questions that they type into a chat. You are talking, asking questions, teaching and reeling in your audience. They feel like they are hanging out with you and are in your inner circle.

You can go live on any of the platforms from your phone. You can go live on your computer for Facebook, YouTube or Tiktok, but you cannot go live on your computer to Instagram. (To stream live on Tiktok and mobile YouTube you need 1,000 followers.)

A product could be a new cookbook, class, course, retreat, conference or a recipe or blog post.

Here are my five tips for how to promote with live video:

1. Involve your audience in the creation process.

Use live video to invite your audience to look behind the scenes as you develop your product. They want to support you as you create your book, class or other product.

You probably already do this in static posts on your social media. Live video just makes it more personal. Invite them into your [Read more…] about 5 Ways to Promote with Live Video