Dianne Jacob, Will Write For Food

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

Social Media

Nom Nom Paleo’s Social Media Success

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A voracious user of social media, Nom Nom Paleo’s founder Michelle Tam finds she blogs less as a result.

Since starting Nom Nom Paleo in 2010, Michelle Tam’s social media numbers have exploded. Now she spends more time on social media than the blog. “Most of my posting happens from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., but then when the kids are home, I’m not on my phone and I don’t do it at night,” she says.

As a result, her blog posts slowed. “Our goal is to blog once a week or once every two weeks,” Michelle explains. “I used to blog more frequently, but I learned from my readers that [Read more…] about Nom Nom Paleo’s Social Media Success

Love Italy? Enter My Book Giveaway: Eating Rome

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Author Elizabeth Minchilil has lived in Italy since age 12.

Ever since journalist Elizabeth Minchilli started a blog, Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome, in 2009, she’s been leading food tours, creating apps on where to eat in Italy, taking videos of chefs and cooks, and she rents out an apartment too. Minchilli has written six books, most recently Eating Rome: Living the Good Life in the Eternal City, a terrific part memoir, part guidebook and part cookbook.

I’m giving away a free copy of Eating Rome, Minchilli’s mouthwatering exploration of this ancient city. To enter this book giveaway, leave a comment below.

I interviewed Minchilli about her career, photography, and lifestyle:

Q. Your life in Rome seems so glamorous. You’re dining at fantastic restaurants, pressing olive oil and making pizza with masters. Is it really so stylish and all Sophia Loren?

A. Not Sophia Loren. I don’t think of it as glamour and style but [Read more…] about Love Italy? Enter My Book Giveaway: Eating Rome

14 Must-Read Links for Food Writers and Bloggers

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15 Must-Read Links for Food Bloggers and Writers

Me and interviewer Irvin Lin of EattheLove blog at Omnivore Books on Food in San Francisco, for the new release of Will Write for Food. (Photo by Owen Rubin)

Looking for good reads online? Want to drive more traffic to your blog, keep up with social media trends, cookbook trends, and food writing trends? Yeah, me too.

But who has time to find quality stuff? Fortunately, I do, and wonderful people [Read more…] about 14 Must-Read Links for Food Writers and Bloggers

4 Ways to Use Instagram Strategically

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A guest post by Cheryl Sternman Rule

In our social media ocean, most of us swim, flail, float, glide, and sputter, sometimes all in a single day. We do our best not to drown as we navigate crowded platforms, with varying degrees of success, enthusiasm, and begrudging obligation.

We also play favorites.

I, for one, love Instagram. Instagram has grown my network in ways I both couldn’t have imagined and didn’t know I needed.

Yes, I use other platforms, too, but my heart belongs to [Read more…] about 4 Ways to Use Instagram Strategically

The Scariest Thing about Twitter is to Let Yourself be Seen, says Kat Kinsman

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Kat-Kinsman-Tasting-Table-Editor-in-ChiefKat Kinsman is one of those living-larger-than-life types I adore, dressing in Betty Page with red lipstick and tattoos, speaking often and passionately, and writing about whatever fascinates her, especially on Twitter.

Luckily for us, a lot of what interests her is food. Currently managing editor of CNN’s Eatocracy, she’s leaving soon to be editor-in-chief of Tasting Table. With  54,000+ followers on Twitter, she tweets at @kittenwithawhip.

I saw Kat in Memphis recently at a conference. Here’s a spontaneous interview about why to tweet and how to be good at it:

Q. Do you have a love-hate relationship with Twitter?

A. Mostly love. It’s broken down the barriers with so many people. Now people in the [Read more…] about The Scariest Thing about Twitter is to Let Yourself be Seen, says Kat Kinsman

Food Blogger David Lebovitz Dishes on His Success

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Has anyone not heard of David Lebovitz? He’s a super successful American food writer blogger living in Paris. He’s also a gorgeous photographer, author of five cookbooks and one memoir, and author and co-author of two apps.

I first met him on email in 2005, when he endorsed my book, Will Write for Food. Recently we spoke about his success and philosophy on food blogging, writing cookbooks, social media, and how he finds the time to get it all done:

Q. Why do so many people adore your blog? What is it about you and your subject matter?

A. It’s a combination of things. Part of it is I started a long time ago so I’ve had a long time to practice, to learn about blogging and build a site. Part of it is I live in Paris and that interests people. Plus I worked as a professional chef, which is part of the mix. People say they feel my blog is very personal; they know the person behind it.

My blog is largely about cultural differences because I’m a foreigner living abroad, and the longer you live somewhere, the more it gives you more credibility. And perhaps people can relate to being an “outsider.” Years ago I was more of a critic of certain aspects of French culture, but now I’m more of an observer and I try to be more neutral. The longer you live somewhere, the more you understand how people are and I’ve become more integrated, too, and understand the culture better.

 

Q. How has your blog changed since you started your website in 1999? What kinds of posts do you no longer do?

A. Now I microblog on Twitter (105,000+ followers) and Facebook (26,000+ followers). I used to do [Read more…] about Food Blogger David Lebovitz Dishes on His Success

Do We Need Social Media While on Vacation?

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Here I am, baking with cookbook author Greg Patent in Montana. Notice his cookie-making technique: Instead of scooping tablespoons of dough for each cookie, he made a rectangle, cut it into 24 squares, and then we rolled each piece into a ball. Brilliant. (Photo by Owen Rubin.)

I need your advice.

On a recent vacation, my host and I tweeted to each other, while in the same house. Is this a new low, or is this just what it’s like to be on social media these days?

Let me back up and explain. My husband and I stayed with cookbook author Greg Patent and his wife, author and nature writer Dorothy Hinshaw Patent, for a few days in Montana.

Lying in bed in their guest room early one morning, reading email on my laptop, I saw Greg’s tweet:

“Made cheese sambouseks with @diannej yesterday. Iraqi empanadas. We share a common background, and she’s here in my Missoula kitchen!”

(Let me back up a little further: Greg and I met 12 years ago at The Symposium for Professional Food Writers at the Greenbrier, where we discovered our similar background. He grew up in Shanghai, the son of an Iraqi Jew; and both my parents were Iraqi Jews from Shanghai.You don’t run into that [Read more…] about Do We Need Social Media While on Vacation?