Dianne Jacob, Will Write For Food
Useful Tips, Interviews, and Stories to Inspire Food Writers and Bloggers
Worst. Table of contents. Ever. And it’s from a famous cookbook. Anyone know which one?
Have you decided how to organize your cookbook?
Well, I hope you’re more creative — and forthcoming– than this table of contents above. Recently I worked through five drafts of a [Read more…] about So Many Ways to Organize A Cookbook
A guest post by Casey Barber
Food writer Casey Barber wrote a few of her own cookbooks before exploring a co-writing opportunity. She interviews successful co-writers for this post.
It can feel overwhelming to take on a solo cookbook project versus co-writing one. You’ve got to hit on the right topic. You write and rewrite a proposal. You invest in a year or more of your life in the result.
Why not consider co-writing or ghostwriting instead? As a co-writer, I can vouch that it’s a refreshing change of pace. I like to dive into someone else’s world and work alongside a professional who’s not a writer.
Besides, “It’s crucial to have a writing pro at the chef’s side,” says Dorothy Kalins. A former Saveur and Newsweek editor, Kalins has worked with [Read more…] about Should You Co-Write a Book? 7 Tips to Help You Decide
Andy Schloss makes a 6-figure income as food writer despite the fact that he spends no time on social media.
Andy Schloss does. His business income has stayed steady for the last 30 years, hovering around $100,000 annually. He also thinks of his career in business terms, not as someone who works for fun, where income is secondary.
The bottom line: Andy has stayed on top financially because he shifts his food writing work as the market changes.
I had the opportunity to learn from Andy as part of a podcast panel on food writing and money. Andy moderated the panel for the Symposium for Professional Food Writers. A former chef and newspaper columnist, he is also the author of two dozen cookbooks. Plus he’s a [Read more…] about Do You Think of Food Writing As a Business?
Leah’s most popular photo on Instagram, with a short narrative recipe. She wouldn’t put this in a cookbook.
A guest post by Leah Schapira
A few weeks ago, I posted a photo of a shredded beef pizza on Instagram. Here’s the caption:
Loving tonight’s shortcut dinner (yes, it’s as good as it looks!). Breadsmith’s Pizza Dough + pizza sauce (tomato paste, water, seasoning) + @jacksgourmet shredded beef on top. Place on a baking paper and bake directly on oven rack. Bake at 500F for 8-9 minutes. Drizzle with spicy mayo and Caesar dressing. #recipes #meatpizza #summercooking
It was probably my most popular [Read more…] about Sharing Online Recipes Versus Cookbook Recipes
How did two prolific food writers start their book writing careers? By enduring rejection and persevering anyway.
No, this isn’t Suzanne. But she’s probably pulling her hair right now, if she’s copy editing a cookbook.
A guest post by Suzanne Fass
Cookbook writers may hate me at first if they think that—once they’ve turned in their manuscript to a publisher—they’re done. I make them do more work. I want every cookbook to be the best it can be, the most useful for anyone cooking—and learning—from it.
As a copy editor, I try to save writers from embarrassment. I correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. I fact-check. I query missing ingredients, missing steps, cross-references to recipes, and anything else that looks weird to me.
The cover of Nigella Lawson’s new cookbook, Simply Nigella: Feel Good Food
Cookbook author Nigella Lawson has that elusive strong voice writers covet, the one fans recognize anywhere.
I heard it when I went to hear her speak to promote her new book, Simply Nigella: Feel Good Food. She’s brilliant (an Oxford graduate in medieval studies), funny and intimate.
She wrote interviews and film reviews at first, eventually turning to food. “When I write about food I’m still very aware of [Read more…] about Nigella Lawson’s Strong Voice