cookbook writing

The Power of Peg Bracken’s Voice in “The Compleat I Hate to Cook Book”

August 15, 2017 by diannejacob 14 Comments

We’ve forgotten about the 1960s cookbook The Compleat I Hate to Cook Book and Peg Bracken’s voice, which is a shame. This book sold more than 3 million copies, and now you can now buy it used for as little as $2.50.

And I recommend you do so, immediately.

If you wonder what differentiates you from every other food writer or blogger in the universe, the answer is waiting for you in this cheeky, chatty cookbook that women bought in droves. It’s Peg Bracken’s voice.

Q&A: How Pie Guru Kate McDermott Found her Voice

May 9, 2017 by diannejacob 31 Comments

Andrew Scrivani took all the tempting photos in Art of the Pie. This shot is for Apricot Raspberry Pie.

I fell for “Piechiatrist” Kate McDermott recently, even though I had known her casually for years. I had never thought about how she found her voice. Then, while reading the introduction to her gorgeous cookbook, Art of the Pie, I read that [Read more…] about Q&A: How Pie Guru Kate McDermott Found her Voice

So Many Ways to Organize A Cookbook

November 22, 2016 by diannejacob 21 Comments

Worst table of contents ever. And it's a famous cookbook. Anyone know which one?

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

10 Pet Peeves of a Cookbook Copy Editor

May 10, 2016 by diannejacob 51 Comments

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.

So if you’d like to see fewer copy editor corrections and queries in your manuscript, consider these ten points: [Read more…] about 10 Pet Peeves of a Cookbook Copy Editor

A New, Updated Edition of Will Write for Food

June 16, 2015 by diannejacob

At last! I started working on this edition last year and I couldn’t tell you about it until now. The third edition of Will Write for Food, completely updated and with a new chapter on making money, goes on sale July 14, 2015.

Much has changed since my second edition came out in 2010, most notably the rise of food blogging as a career. The biggest star is Ree Drummond, who got a cooking show on the Food Network, and sold almost as many books as Ina Garten in 2014.

(Ree wrote about my book: “I wish I’d read Dianne’s book before I started a tiny little food blog on a whim years ago. For current and aspiring food writers, it’s positively dripping with helpful advice and information!”)

Since my last edition, many food bloggers have made the top ten cookbook lists in sales, and more than a hundred U.S. food bloggers have book deals. A few food writers make a six-figure income from their businesses, and I describe how in this new edition.

While most food writers write as a hobby, a growing number would like to make an income and even a career from it. The new chapter in Will Write for Food addresses myriad ways to make money, including

Work that comes from a blog
How to negotiate pay
How to work with brands
How to create a media kit and rate sheet
Branding yourself and your blog
How some food writers earn a six-figure income (hint: online businesses).

I’ve also updated every chapter with new information and new voices, whether they’re covering cookbook writing, getting published, blogging, or making money. For the first time, I’ve invited a few respected authors and bloggers to contribute their stories of success. Some wrote insider how-to pieces on such subjects as negotiating pay and how to work with companies.

So long, Will Write for Food, second edition, 2010.

And don’t you love my new cover? It’s fun to look at how the covers of my prior books have evolved.

The first edition from 2005. I do feel kind of sentimental about it.

If you bought a previous edition, thank you. This new edition will refresh your skills and knowledge, and inspire you to up your game. My goal is to empower and inspire you.

If you are a new reader, welcome. You’ll find a smorgasbord of info about writing a blog, upping your social media and photography skills, writing a cookbook, or getting published in print or online. Get your markers and underliners ready!

Finally, take a look at this sneak peek introduction for Will Write for Food, prepared for you by my publisher. And please pre-order Will Write for Food at your favorite independent bookstore, or on Amazon or another online retailer.

When Writing Recipes, Do All Ingredients Have a Standard Size?

December 2, 2014 by diannejacob 31 Comments

Fitting dough to a pizza screen for one of around 80 pizzas I made for a pizza cookbook — including one with a questionable ingredient. (Photo by Kris Montgomery)

Based on all the great feedback and discussion on last week’s post about recipe copy-editing, I’m asking about writing recipes with non-standard ingredient sizes.

Case in point: How big is a lamb sausage?

One of the USA of Pizza’s recipes called for “1 lamb sausage link” (not merguez). I purchased the link at a butcher. It weighed 5 1/2 ounces.

The copy editor asked if it should be 6 ounces.

Okay, I thought. Maybe 6 ounces is a standard size. But I didn’t know for sure, so I researched it. I Googled “lamb sausage” and clicked on images. I found [Read more…] about When Writing Recipes, Do All Ingredients Have a Standard Size?