Recipe Writing

Three Recipe Phrases Judith Jones Can't Stand

January 31, 2010 by diannejacob

Knopf Senior Editor Judith Jones in her well-appointed kitchen. She's still cooking.

Last week I was on a phone call with book editor Judith Jones about recipes. Her comments reminded me of an essay of hers I use as a handout, some of which is quoted below.

Here are the top three things she can’t stand to see in recipes:

1. In a bowl, combine… No one talks like that, so why write like that? She doesn’t like [Read more…] about Three Recipe Phrases Judith Jones Can't Stand

What's the Right Length for a Recipe?

January 26, 2010 by diannejacob 39 Comments

Just read 5 Second Rule’s excellent post about whether recipes are boring, and it generated some thoughts about recipe length. (Isn’t it fantastic when an blog post idea arrives on a platter? Thank you, Cheryl.)

Now, some writers like to go long. They like to hold the reader’s hand and explain. Sometimes I’m surprised about how much handholding, though.

I edited a recipe recently that said: “If necessary, [Read more…] about What's the Right Length for a Recipe?