Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Restaurant Reviews, Articles, Memoir, Fiction and More [Paperback]

Dianne Jacob (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 10, 2005 | ISBN-10: 1569243778 | ISBN-13: 978-1569243770

Will Write for Food is for food lovers who want to express themselves, guiding them from their earliest creative impulses to successful article writing, restaurant reviewing, and cookbook writing. Dianne Jacob—journalist and food-writing instructor and coach—offers interviews with award-winning writers such as Jeffrey Steingarten, Calvin Trillin, Molly O'Neill, and Deborah Madison, plus well-known book and magazine editors and literary agents, give readers the tools to get started and the confidence to follow through. Comprehensive yet accessible chapters range from restaurant reviewing to cookbooks to memoirs. Focused exercises at the end of chapters stimulate creativity, help organize thought, and build practical skills. Will Write for Food is the first and ultimate ins and outs guidebook to the incredibly popular world of food writing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Passion is the theme of this informative guide focusing on the art of food writing. "Many food writers I've met are enthusiastic, intense, and energetic in an obsessive kind of way, and love nothing more than immersing themselves in research," writes Jacob, seasoned food editor and writer. The author devotes much of the book to outlining the elements of good writing, like finding one's own unique voice or knowing the most vivid adjectives to use in reviews. Covering all the various careers available in food writing, Jacob offers tips for creating a successful cookbook, writing recipes with clarity and even writing food-related fiction novels. The end of each chapter includes helpful writing exercises, allowing readers to put her advice to practice immediately, and the book also contains plenty of practical information (e.g., how much freelancers should expect to get paid). Less useful are the brief but generally uninteresting stories about how successful food writers got their start. Still, this comprehensive guide, though at times monotonous, is a great tool for anyone looking to make a career out of a love of food.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Food writing so often appears an enviable profession to the outside world. Jacob casts a cold light of reality on just how difficult making a living in the world of culinary journalism can be. For those yet undaunted by the challenges presented, she provides a practical guide for getting published as a cookbook author, restaurant reviewer, or food magazine writer. She begins with advice applicable to any professional wordsmith: the critical importance of research, fitting an article to a publication's needs, working with editors, and the like. She provides sound direction for those aspiring to restaurant criticism, a job many romanticize but for which very few have the requisite stamina, talent, and discipline. Addressing the sensitive area of remuneration for the writer's efforts, Jacob honestly confronts the role of competition and of limited publication budgets. Her observations and instructions on matters of writing style would well serve writers of all sorts. To make her points, Jacob records advice and guidance from a host of successful food writers and editors. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (April 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569243778
• ISBN-13: 978-1569243770
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #522,340 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dianne Jacob was born in Vancouver, Canada, the first-generation daughter of Iraqi Jews from Shanghai. Her dad, an amateur poet and songwriter, gave her writing assignments from a tender age. One of her first poems was about a frog with gastro-intestinal distress.

In her 20s Dianne graduated from journalism school and became a newspaper reporter and editor. She later moved to the US to work on two international magazines and a city magazine as a top editor. While in journalism school a second time, she interned at Playgirl magazine, where she reviewed incoming slides of naked men and designed surveys about reader satisfaction.

Her last full-time position was as editor-in-chief of Books That Work, a pre-internet publisher of CDs containing multimedia book content and interactive software. One of the books she worked on won a Literary Marketplace Award for Technical Innovation.

Since 1996 Dianne has an author, writing coach, freelance writer, freelance editor, and teacher. Her first book, Will Write for Food, won the 2005 international Cordon D'Or Award for Literary Culinary Reference. She started a blog on food writing in 2009, also called Will Write for Food. For more information, see her website at http://www.diannej.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 56 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars DELICIOUS INTRODUCTION TO THE ART OF FOOD WRITING August 29, 2005

By Heather Ivester

Format:Paperback

What is food writing? Before I read Jacob's book, I thought I might learn a few techniques for writing restaurant reviews. Wow -- I was wrong! This is a huge, magnificent field, of which I've merely sampled my first appetizer.

The author's research in compiling this book is extensive. In presenting her ideas, she doesn't limit readers to her own personal experience; she interviewed hundreds of successful food writers and asked them how they got started, what a typical day is like, and what advice they have to give.

Despite her years of industry experience, Jacob truly understands the heart of a beginner, and her voice is as far from snooty-hooty as one can be. Readers will feel encouraged and energized after reading chapters on the secrets of restaurant reviewing, cookbook compiling, recipe writing (yes, it is an art form!), memoir and nonfiction food writing, and food in fiction.

Jacob's passion is so contagious, her words dance across the page. She seems especially interested in the trend of narrative food writing, and she gives you tips on how to make your writing full of jolt and flavor. What are the three laziest adjectives used to describe food? She says "nice," "wonderful," and "delicious." She writes, "They are so vague that readers don't know what you mean other than something positive." Instead, she offers an extensive list of adjectives in chapter 5 that make it well worth the price of the book.

I'm only a simple home cook. My creativity usually involves whipping up kid-friendly favorites without having to dash off to the grocery store for exotic ingredients. Although I've written a few of my own recipes, I certainly didn't realize what an exciting art form food writing can be.

While reading this book, we ate out at a new restaurant, and I imagined myself as one of those fancy New York Times reviewers in disguise (didn't know they may actually wear wigs!). I had our waiter answering a myriad of questions, and even dashing back to speak with the chef. I brought home a menu and scribbled all over it my impressions.

I'm intrigued as to how to better describe tastes and food. And I never considered children's books to be a place where good food writing can exist. After reading WILL WRITE FOR FOOD, I am much more aware. I appreciate the recommendation from Writer's Digest and will certainly add this to my bookshelf of favorites.

I love the way she describes what it takes to make a great reviewer: [They] have passion, knowledge, authority, a great writing style, and stamina...They give the reader a feel for the place, its rhythm, and overall vibe. And they keep up their energy level and enthusiasm. Passion is paramount."

She quotes experienced food critic Alan Richman who says he can't wait to see what a restaurant has in store for him. He shares, "I get a hop in my step."

A well done book, indeed.

--Reviewed by Heather Lynn Ivester

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource for foods writers April 19, 2005

By Cathe Fein Olson VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a great book about food writing. It has advice on writing cookbooks, restaurant reviews, articles, memoirs and fiction. Although I have written several cookbooks and many food-related articles, the excellent advice in this book will make my future books and articles even better. I also got ideas for new markets for my writing.

One other thing I loved about this book were the quotes from food writers and exerpts from books. I now have a huge list of books I want to read.

"Will Write for Food" is a book I will definitely refer to again and again.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars FINALLY! April 21, 2005

By the critic

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I can't believe no one came out with a book like this sooner. Thank you Diane Jacob. Finally a book that deals with the actual writing about food. I have read many books on how to publish magazine articles etc... but none of them deal with the actual style in which you write. I even attended a food writing workshop and to my dissapointment we barely touched on improving our writing skills. We were told "it can't be taught".