diannejacob

A December Writing Workshop in France

August 2, 2016 by diannejacob 25 Comments

Writing-Around-the-Table Do you need an excuse to fly to Paris? Take a short train ride to the Loire Valley? Eat and drink fabulous food in France? Go on a truffle hunt?

…Work on your food writing skills and career goals?

Ahem. I thought so.

I’m partnering with Jamie Schler, an American food writer I’ve known for years. We’re doing a food writing workshop in the town of Chinon [SHEE-no], where she and her husband own a charming 15th Century hotel. Come join us December 7-11, 2016.

Hotel-Diderot-Chinon

About the Instructors

Jamie has lived across the pond for more than two decades. She started her food blog Life’s a Feast in 2008, and shares thoughtful food-related stories of her life in France. Her writing has appeared in [Read more…] about A December Writing Workshop in France

What Can a Talent Agent Do For You?

July 26, 2016 by diannejacob 8 Comments

An interview with Jaimee Constantine, talent agency for the Lisa Ekus Group.

Some cookbook authors and bloggers use a talent agent to help them find good-paying gigs and opportunities. This is a different service than using a literary agent, whose primary job is to land you a book deal.

Do you wonder if you should have a talent agent? To find out what they do, I interviewed Jaimee Constantine, Culinary Talent Agent with The Lisa Ekus Group.

A graduate of The University of Massachusetts’s Amherst’s Hospitality and Tourism Management program, Jaimee joined The Lisa Ekus Group in June 2010. She leads the Culinary Talent division and manages all incoming contracts.

Q. What can a talent agent do for bloggers or cookbook authors?

A. A talent agent’s goal is to make it easier for you to work with companies. Talent agents respond to queries coming in about our clients. We evaluate [Read more…] about What Can a Talent Agent Do For You?

Please Don’t “Dumb Down” a Recipe

July 19, 2016 by diannejacob 43 Comments

Is this how you think of your target reader?

Some food writers tell me indignantly, “I’m not dumbing down a recipe!” They think it’s insulting to to simplify their three-layer cake recipe or a lasagna with 20 steps.

They think their readers should want to cook exactly the way they do.

Here’s the thing:

Your readers are not you. They don’t have your skills. They don’t cook as much. They don’t want to [Read more…] about Please Don’t “Dumb Down” a Recipe

Strive for Audience Growth, Not a Number, says Agent

July 5, 2016 by diannejacob 5 Comments

Lori Galvin edited books for over a decade for America’s Test Kitchen before becoming a literary agent specializing in cookbooks.

I met literary agent Lori Galvin five years ago when I discovered she read my blog, and we’ve stayed in touch. It’s a thrill to find out someone I respect reads my work.

Until recently, Lori was part of a team that produced more than 70 cookbooks for America’s Test Kitchen. They include the companions to public television shows America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country, as well as the New York Times bestseller The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook.

Lori has also edited cookbooks for Houghton Mifflin, cooked in restaurant kitchens, and she ran a bed-and-breakfast in Maine. [Read more…] about Strive for Audience Growth, Not a Number, says Agent

Snaps from our Cambodia Workshop

June 28, 2016 by diannejacob 20 Comments

Edible flowers used to color tea. (Photo by Amanda McInery.)

Edible flowers sold at the daily market. One of the restaurants we visited, Mie Cafe, used them to color tea. (Photo courtesy of Amanda McInery of Lambs Ears & Honey blog.)

I’m just back from a Cambodia workshop on culinary storytelling through photography and food writing. I’m still pinching myself over this fantastic opportunity. And in all honesty, I’m still getting over jet lag.

Travelling to a workshop is a fun way to [Read more…] about Snaps from our Cambodia Workshop

5 Tips on Post-Conference Relationship Building

June 22, 2016 by diannejacob 15 Comments

Food blogger and cooking teacher Jordan Hamons dreaded networking but now thinks of it as valuable relationship building.

A guest post by Jordan Hamons

I don’t like the term “networking.” It makes me think of salesmen in cheap suits trying to shake hands and sell products. It feels disingenuous and a little slimy.

ButI know networking is important for my career and business, so I’ve reframed how I think about it. Now I see networking as an opportunity to get to know new people and build relationships with them, rather than just connecting with contacts that can benefit me.

No matter what you call it, building relationships is a key part of doing business and advancing your career. Any relationship, be it personal or professional, takes some nurturing. You can’t meet someone once and expect it to [Read more…] about 5 Tips on Post-Conference Relationship Building