Career

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

How Much to Charge? Use this Easy Formula

June 14, 2016 by diannejacob 9 Comments

SeanTimberlake A guest post by Sean Timberlake

Go to any blog conference, or drop in on any online forum for bloggers and freelancers, and one question crops up again and again: How much should I charge?

There’s a lot tied up in that request. As a freelance creative, determining your rate may feel a lot like [Read more…] about How Much to Charge? Use this Easy Formula

Rejection Made Two Big Authors Stronger

May 17, 2016 by diannejacob 5 Comments

How did two prolific food writers start their book writing careers? By enduring rejection and persevering anyway.

Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, authors of several books, and best known for The Flavor Bible, shared some of their early rejection letters for their book first book, Becoming a Chef.

Here’s what rejection looked like from cookbook editors:

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How Writing for Radio Differs from Print

March 15, 2016 by diannejacob 15 Comments

Kathy Gunst has reported about food for the radio show Here and Now for 15 years. The show now has more than 5 million listeners.

Since 2000 Kathy Gunst has been writing for radio for Here and Now, a live news magazine show broadcast to over 500 public radio stations nationwide. Today the show has more than 5 million listeners.

Kathy’s segment on food airs two to five times per month. As the “resident chef,” she has an enviable job: she covers what interest her most. That might include travel pieces, cookbook reviews, and usually, lots of conversations about seasonal food and cooking.

Kathy is the author of 14 cookbooks (15 this fall) including [Read more…] about How Writing for Radio Differs from Print

Why a National Board or Brand Might Hire You

March 1, 2016 by diannejacob 8 Comments

Pamela Johnson hires bloggers, cookbook authors and chefs for the National Pork Board.

I’ve enjoyed Pamela Johnson’s straightforward descriptions of how she works with food writers when she speaks at conferences. Pamela has a degree in journalism and joined the National Pork Board in 2003.

As Director of Consumer Communications, one of her  responsibilities is to hire chefs and food writers to inspire, educate and advise consumers on incorporating pork into their diets.

Here’s what she looks for when hiring:

Q. How do you work directly with food bloggers and cookbook authors?

A. We hire them to produce content for a specific program. We have retail customers, such as supermarkets, who want to highlight specific pork recipes. So we’ll look at bloggers [Read more…] about Why a National Board or Brand Might Hire You

Food Blogging and Writing Conferences

January 5, 2016 by diannejacob 44 Comments

Dinner at the Okanagan Food and Wine Writers annual conference in British Columbia, Canada, where I was a speaker.

Are you attending food blogging and writing conferences? Or speaking at one?

I hope you’ll pick at least one. Conferences are a great way to shake up your brain, network in person, and get re-inspired about what you love. And if you’d like to [Read more…] about Food Blogging and Writing Conferences

How Old Are You in Internet Years?

December 22, 2015 by diannejacob 35 Comments

My most recent shot from 2014. I put it on my Facebook page. (Photo by Sean Neild)

I had a big birthday recently, and was rather shocked to see the photos. I had aged, and I didn’t like it.

It’s because I’m accustomed to seeing a younger me online. In Internet years I am up to 10 years younger.

The thing is, I like those old shots quite a bit. But this year, I forced myself to post a more current mug shot (right), which I still [Read more…] about How Old Are You in Internet Years?