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Is a Work-for-Hire Cookbook Worth It?

January 19, 2021 by diannejacob 7 Comments

In January, 2020, my husband asked me what were my top goals for the year. Instinctively, I said, “I want to write a cookbook.” At the time, I didn’t know that would mean a work-for-hire cookbook.

A few weeks later, I received a cookbook offer from Callisto Media. The editor wanted a cookbook on world curries made easy, using an electric pressure cooker. Here was a topic that fit my interests and aligned with the recipes on my blog.

I had heard about Callisto from [Read more…] about Is a Work-for-Hire Cookbook Worth It?

10 Mistakes Not to Make When Working with an Editor

January 5, 2021 by diannejacob 5 Comments

image for working with an editor post By Amy Sherman

Writers have mixed feelings about working with an editor. As a freelance writer, I get it. When I started writing about food in 2003, I didn’t have an editor because I was writing for my own site. Even when I blogged for outlets such as Epicurious, KQED and Frommer’s, my editors were hands off. As my career progressed and I wrote articles for consumer, trade and academic publications, my editors became more involved. I learned that an editor could make my writing much better.

But sometimes working with an editor was just plain frustrating. I struggled with vague assignments and a lack of clear feedback. Other times I read a final story and barely recognized it, because [Read more…] about 10 Mistakes Not to Make When Working with an Editor

24 Fascinating Food Writing Links for Writers and Bloggers

December 22, 2020 by diannejacob 5 Comments

image for 24 fascinating food writing links I hope it’s been a good year for you. It might have been a little harder than usual to concentrate. That’s why a list of great food writing links could be just what you need right now. As we approach the holidays, [Read more…] about 24 Fascinating Food Writing Links for Writers and Bloggers

Win a Copy of Diners, Dudes & Diets, about Food and Gender

November 24, 2020 by diannejacob 20 Comments

image for book about food and gener issues Did you know that some food products are marketed by gender? Power bars and diet sodas are for women, and meat is for men, of course. Where did this food and gender issue start?

Professor Emily J. H. Contois studied the collision of food and gender in Diners, Dudes & Diets, a provocative new book. Contois shows us how the gendered world of [Read more…] about Win a Copy of Diners, Dudes & Diets, about Food and Gender

4 Who Beat the Odds to Publish a Cookbook

November 10, 2020 by diannejacob 9 Comments

Since the pandemic, I’ve been teaching Zoom classes about how to publish a cookbook. Once I explain how difficult it is, some hopeful authors decide to self-publish, and others give up.

If you’re a prospective cookbook writer, you should know that there are always exceptions to the rule in traditional publishing. So here are the experiences of four authors who beat the odds to publish a cookbook or food-based book. (Two books are forthcoming, and another is a collection of essays with recipes).

I’ve asked the authors to talk about their experience in their own words. Their stories are refreshing, because there is so much pressure these days to build a big social media following, if you want a cookbook. But none of them had a big platform when they approached their publisher.

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By Deborah Reid

Here are 4 authors who beat the odds to publish a cookbook: