Becoming a food writer for the national food magazine begins at the local level with getting clips. It comes from knowing the market. A writer can take online food writing courses and attend weekend conferences. There are many ways you can break through to develop the niche of food writing. This article will look at a few of them.
- Begin at the local level. Attend all the local food gatherings and events. Write up an account or two of the major events.. Or get together with a professional party planner and write up a menu which includes recipes for a special event. Submit these to your local newspaper or regional magazine. Now there are clips.
- Get to know the market. Read the food magazines like Everyday Food, Gourmet, Bon Appetit, Cooking Light, Culinary Trends, Eating Well, Fine Cooking, and Healthy Cooking and the rest.
Write About A Meal or a Restaurant
- Write a personal essay about food. Regular writers are joining in with professional food writers in contributing food reminiscences, outstanding meals, and most romantic meals. These get published. Read the food magazines and even general interest magazines and newspapers to see it being done.
- Look for magazines and newspapers that invite you to enter your own restaurant reviews. Bazaar is currently running a "Restaurant Hunt Challenge" looking for favorite restaurant descriptions of "hidden gems". Further information and entry here.
Take Online Courses and Attend Weekend Conferences
- Take an online course in food writing. In about six weeks you will know a lot of what the pros know. "Introduction to Food Writing" is a six-week class taught by Monica Bhide. It's a Renegade Writer E-Course. It starts Monday January 12, 2009. Go here for more information: It promises to "combine your love of food and your passion for writing into a marketable skill."
- Another online course begins February 9th. It is a 10-week course called "Food Writing: The Secret Recipe for Success" sponsored by Writers.com and taught by Candace Dempsey. Here's a blurb about it: "First you'll explore the full culinary menu, from restaurant reviewing and memoir to recipes, blogs and travel-related stories." Go here for more information:
- Attend a weekend conference in food writing. It's a great way to get the feet wet, a crash course on some new skills, and to network with other aspiring food writers. Attend something like the Symposium for Professional Food Writers and hear the editor-in-chiefs of the big name food magazines speak. Perhaps, too, make friends with some editors that can be of help. It's called getting published by way of the backdoor.
- Start a food blog to get established as a food writer and become a name in the field. Network by doing interviews with food writers and food critics. Look at this post found on a blog on the Internet: "A few months ago a reader of my main blog, Blog Appetit, left me a comment to get in touch. She enjoyed my blog and wondered if I would like to write for a British food magazine. The result is this month's issue of of Olive Magazine, a food magazine published by the BBC. It is available in the U.S."
Summary
Perhaps the local newspaper could use a new restaurant critic or someone to write about the events taking place at the farmers' market? Collect favorite original recipes, write introductions and comments for them, and start a food blog. Really get to know the market and read those food magazines. Consider taking an online course or attending a weekend conference. Write about your favorite little hideaway restaurant and send it in to Bazaar. Take that food styling photography course and be ready. Food Writing as a new niche is just a few clips away.
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