Dianne Jacob, Will Write For Food

Useful Tips, Interviews, and Stories to Inspire Food Writers and Bloggers

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Want a Successful Cookbook Translation? Here’s How

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image for a successful cookbook translationA guest post by Pili Rodríguez Deus

Do you dream of your cookbook reaching audiences around the world? Priming your cookbook or food narrative for translation will make it more desirable to publishers abroad. A successful cookbook translation depends on the publisher and translator. But you can help.

But first, do you know how foreign publishers work? Usually your publisher holds the rights. A foreign rights buyer contacts your [Read more…] about Want a Successful Cookbook Translation? Here’s How

On Sale Now: My New Newsletter

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Dear Blog Reader,

I’ve been meaning to tell you the news: I have two new newsletters about food writing. One is paid. I want to tell you about both while the paid one is on sale.

Here’s why I moved to newsletters: I have so much to tell you about what’s going on in our industry, best practices, links to excellent articles I’ve read, and tips on how to up your game. Substack is a new medium that makes it easy to do so.

It’s easy to get my free monthly newsletter on Substack.com. Just sign up here: 


What’s in it? The free newsletter features my list of industry links. It’s the most popular item. I round up fascinating stories and posts about our industry: trends, techniques, best practices, and news. I start with a short essay. Then comes my upcoming events, and news from former clients and students.

There’s insider info too. The most read link in my last newsletter, for example, was this one: How much money Instagram influencers make. With a click bait title like that, you’re going to want to know the answer.

My second newsletter, coming later this month, contains bonus content only available to paid subscribers. My focus will be on:

  • Interviews with hard-to-reach people in our industry who are at the top of their game
  • Interactive posts, where you can chime in within a prestigious reader community
  • Some reported and opinion posts
  • And maybe a few personal essays.

As you know, I’ve been in the publishing industry for decades and I have so much to share with you. So if you want to receive both editions of my newsletter — and I hope you do — please sign up for a paid subscription. It’s a way to support my writing, which up until now has been free. All subscribers will always get the free newsletter.

And right now, for a limited time, there’s a 20% discount for subscribers who sign up before November 10. That’s Tuesday! The price is $24 per year if you sign up now. After the 10th, the price goes back to the regular subscription price of $30.

So won’t you join me over on Substack.com? No need to unsubscribe from the blog! I’ll still have two posts per month about subjects relevant to food writers and bloggers. Now I have even more to share with you in my newsletters. I’m guessing that you would actually like to hear from me, since you subscribe to my blog. Which is great, because I’d love to connect with you more on my newsletters. 

Hope to see you over on Substack.

Thanks for your support,
Dianne

Before Writing a Cookbook, Ask Yourself These 5 Questions

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image for before writing a cookbook blog postA guest post by Kate Leahy

Before writing a cookbook,  I didn’t know exactly how my finished book would look. But I knew a cookbook was the right vehicle for sharing a restaurant’s inner world with the outside world.

For my first cookbook, A16 Food + Wine,  I could envision how the recipes, wine descriptions, and restaurant stories would be layered into a physical book. Since then, I’ve grown to understand that not all ideas about food, restaurants, or home cooking make sense within the structures of a cookbook. There are many other ways ways to tell a story. Today’s technology makes it easier than ever to explore other forms of media, from videos to podcasts and e-newsletters and many things between.

But if cookbooks are only one way to approach food storytelling and recipe sharing, how do you know if pursuing a cookbook is right for you? (I’m talking about a traditional publishing route. For self-publishing, it’s somewhat different, though much of what I say below will still apply.)

[Read more…] about Before Writing a Cookbook, Ask Yourself These 5 Questions

Why Self Publishing a Cookbook is the Way to Go

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self publish a cookbook intro graphicA guest post by Jill Nussinow

Most people who self publish a cookbook don’t even sell 300 copies of their book. You don’t have to be one of those people. I’ve always thought of my cookbooks as a business. I plan to sell many copies over many years.

If you think that self-publishing might be too much work, stop reading now, and go the traditional route. But you’ll find that [Read more…] about Why Self Publishing a Cookbook is the Way to Go

How to Edit Chef Recipes and Triumph!

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Image for post on how to edit chef recipesA guest post by Becky Diamond

Writing your own recipe in a clear, concise way that makes sense to readers can be difficult enough. But transcribing and then working on another cook’s recipe, especially one from a professional chef, poses challenges. Not to mention that you must edit chef recipes while keeping a good relationship with the chefs themselves.

For my current book project, The Delmonico Way, I work with fellow epicurean Max Tucci. The book will be published by [Read more…] about How to Edit Chef Recipes and Triumph!

How to Write a Great Recipe Headnote

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Image for post on how to write a great recipe headnoteA guest post by Kate Leahy

Writing a thriller requires writing a story that keeps readers turning the page. Writing a cookbook should require grabbing someone’s attention so they don’t skip the recipe headnote.

It’s not easy to do, but it’s worth the effort. Why? Sometimes a headnote includes important tips. Other times it’s a way to convince readers to [Read more…] about How to Write a Great Recipe Headnote