Will Write for Food - 4th Edition by Dianne Jacob (Paperback)

About the Book

Previously published: Da Capo Press, 2015.

Book Synopsis

Do you love both food and writing and want to know the secrets of bestselling cookbook authors, successful food bloggers and freelance writers? Noted journalist and writing instructor Dianne Jacob combines over 20 years of experience to teach you how to take your passion from the plate to the page. With tips for crafting your best work, getting published, and turning your passion into cash, Jacob will transform you from starving artist into well-fed writer. Whether you've been writing for years or are just starting out, this updated edition of Will Write for Food offers what you need to know to succeed and thrive, including:

• A new chapter on how to create a strong voice for your writing
• Diverse voices on the changing landscape of food writing
• How to self-publish your dream cookbook
• Building a social media following, with photography tips
• The keys to successful freelancing for publications and websites
• Engaging, provocative writing exercises to get the juices flowing

Review Quotes

"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!"
--Ree Drummond, author of The Pioneer Woman Cooks and thepioneerwoman.com

"Will Write for Food should be mandatory reading for everyone who aspires to be a food writer."--Epicurious.com

"A thorough tour through the increasingly dense jungle of food writing...invaluable to all writers who want a new or bigger audience for their work, whether in digital form, in blogs, in magazines, in cookbooks, or in food memoir."
--Michael Ruhlman, ruhlman.com and coauthor of The French Laundry Cookbook

"After writing a successful blog for over a decade, writing four books, and still expanding my business, I really do credit this book with giving me the hope I could do this."
--Shauna James Ahern, Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef

"Dianne Jacob has presented budding food writers with a clear blueprint on how to get started in the business."--Michael Bauer, former Executive Food and Wine Editor, San Francisco Chronicle

"Required reading for everyone interested in learning how to translate their passion for food into words. Dianne Jacob offers up a smorgasbord of practical advice for anyone who has ever aspired to write about food, and she shows how to make writing a tasty and lucrative pastime."
--Darra Goldstein, founding editor, Gastronomica magazine

"Whenever someone emails me about how to pursue a career in food writing, I politely tell them they're in the wrong place, that I have no idea what I'm doing, and to buy this book instead."
--Deb Perelman, author of The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook and smittenkitchen.com

"You'll find everything you need to know about becoming a food writer in this indispensable information-packed book. And if you're already a food writer, this book will help you become a better one. Useful writing exercises concluding each chapter help sharpen your skills. If food writing is your passion, then grab a copy of Will Write for Food and get busy!"
--Greg Patent, author of Baking in America

"In the ever-evolving world of media, this book is still the holy grail for the basics of launching and maintaining a food writing practice. Dianne is the original voice for culinary 'inside ball.' Will Write for Food is your coach, hitting budding and game day roar."--Nicole A. Taylor, 2x James Beard-nominated cookbook author and food writer

Praise for the Third Edition
"My only complaint about Will Write for Food--and it's a big one--is that it wasn't around when I started my career. If you're serious about becoming a food writer, save yourself years of banging your head against the wall in frustration and run to the checkout with this book now."--David Leite, publisher and editor of Leite's Culinaria

"Will Write for Food is a great gift, not just for those who are new to food writing, but for those already ensconced in the business. Dianne's clarity, kind suggestions, and nudges and admonitions to work well are truly inspiring."--Deborah Madison, author of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

"Will Write for Food is a concise, illustrative and eminently useful guide to the nuts and bolts of professional food writing. Dianne Jacob gets right to the heart of what it takes not just to write--but to write well--about food. And she's managed to wrangle a remarkable group of veterans to share their experiences and examples."--Anthony Bourdain, author of the New York Times bestseller Kitchen Confidential

"Will Write for Food once again proves itself the go-to source for anyone interested in the world of food media. Comprehensive and reassuring, it's filled with useful advice for novices and seasoned writers alike. I can't think of another volume that so capably helps writers navigate the complexities of bringing their voice to the public."--Darra Goldstein, cookbook author and founding editor of Gastronomica

"Dianne Jacob walks you through everything you need to know to hone your concept, pitch to the gatekeepers, earn a living, and even choose that winning book or blog title. Having guided hundreds of cookbooks to publication, as an agent I recommend Will Write for Food as the must-have resource for all aspiring writers in the culinary sphere."--Sally Ekus, literary agent, The Lisa Ekus Group

"Dianne Jacob's Will Write for Food is invaluable for the broad context she offers new or transitioning writers. From technical recipe writing guidance to foundational inquiries of identity and voice, Dianne's distillation of the evolving space of food writing supported by expertise from all over the industry, makes visible and accessible an often-murky path toward building a sustainable career."--Osayi Endolyn, James Beard Award-winning writer and cookbook co-author

"Dianne's was one of the first voices I turned to, to learn what food writing, both creative and business, was all about. From the creative to the nuts and bolts of the business, her depth of knowledge, experience, and sage voice is unsurpassed in the field of food writing."--Kate McDermott, author of Art of the Pie

"I picked up the first edition of Will Write for Food when I started food writing and have referred back to it many times since, especially the sections on voice and recipe writing. Like any good journalist, Dianne refuses to be stagnant, and her commentary on food writing has evolved as the world has changed. Perhaps the one thing that is consistent about this industry is that Dianne's advice to aspiring food writers remains timely and on point."--Chandra Ram, editor of Plate magazine, cookbook author

"If the first imperative of any successful writing career is persistent curiosity, Dianne Jacob is the consummate guide. For more than two decades, Dianne has managed to get the smartest people in the industry to spill advice about their hard-won successes in the ever-changing world of food media."--John Birdsall, author of The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard

"If you think you'd enjoy food writing but worry it's just rambling on about what you made for dinner last night--oops, guilty as charged--you are in for an expansive treat with this fourth edition, full of timely, relevant insights into all of the ways one can write about eating as well as how the field is changing for the better."--Deb Perelman, Smitten Kitchen

"The food world has evolved rapidly, and this updated version of Dianne Jacob's seminal work on food writing comes out at just the right time. It has solid, timely advice on ethics, inclusion, and cultural sensitivity, in addition to valuable tips on having your voice heard online and offline.
From pitching editors to writing the cookbook you've always wanted to write, Diane keeps her pulse on trends. This new edition adds interviews from dozens of authors and journalists on how to make a living writing about everyone's favorite subject--food!"
--David Lebovitz, author of Drinking French and L'Appart

"This book does a great job of covering the nuts and bolts of food writing, for sure, but Jacob delivers much more than the usual advice: she shoots straight about the realities of the business, provides loads of insider insights and practical exercises, and radiates enough genuine enthusiasm to get both beginning writers and seasoned pros up and at 'em."--Martha Holmberg, cookbook author and former editor of Fine Cooking

About the Author

Dianne Jacob is a popular speaker as food writing conferences and workshops in America and around the world. She judges for both the James Beard Foundation annual cookbook awards and the IACP annual cookbook awards. The coauthor of Grilled Pizzas and Piadinas and The United States of Pizza, and the writer of The Good Pantry, she lives in Oakland, California.