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Basic Training: Intro to Food Writing

Course is closed.

DURATION/TIME
6 weeks
Thursdays
Feb. 16-Mar. 23
(no skipped weeks)
7-10 p.m.

LEVEL
This class is taught at a beginner/intermediate level. Students need only have an interest in pursuing journalism or food writing.

LOCATION
Hollywood, Los Angeles

PRICE
$425 ($400 for )
more info

Course Details

You're a chef, a restaurateur, or just someone who has had a lifelong love affair with food. You want to turn your food-hobby into a food-career, but you know how competitive the glamorous world of food writing is. You'd like to take our Food Writing Boot Camp, which has helped hundreds get published in Bon Appetit, Saveur, Gourmet, and Food & Wine, but you don't have any actual journalism experience.

We have a shortcut for you. Basic Training: Introduction to Food-Writing is an 8-week course for foodies who want to turn their passion for food into a writing career, whether the focus is on restaurant reviewing, food history, cultural food trends, nutrition, or any other epicurious topic.

Our Basic Training series was created for non-journalists who want to break into the field. Each week, students will receive a lecture on topics like the editing process, journalism ethics, what makes something newsworthy, note taking, fact checking, reporting, and more. Over the course of 6 weeks, you will fully workshop three food-related pieces, including a perfectly polished, no-fail pitch letter. Your work can range from personal essays to profiles, from news stories to business or travel features. You'll also learn how to query a publication, who to call there, and to which part of the publication you should pitch.

In this class, you can expect to learn:
  • The different types of food articles, and which magazines, newspapers, and websites publish them
  • How to create captivating stories that editors will buy and readers will love
  • How to write compelling pitch letters
  • What the table of contents in a magazine means to you
  • Which magazines will be interested in your story
  • How to approach editors
  • How to network
  • How to understand the market and detect changes
  • All the basic skills any journalist should have
By the end of class, students can expect to have:
Three salable pieces, pitch letters to match, and knowledge enough to survive in the world of journalism.

Admission Requirements
You must submit a letter of interest, which includes a brief work history.

Instructor Bio

Laurie Buckle's Courses

No courses available at this time.

Laurie Buckle
Laurie Buckle is the managing editor of Bon Appetit magazine, a position she's held for four years. She's been with Bon Appetit for 25 years, starting out as an editorial secretary and working her way up the magazine's masthead to articles editor (all the while building a freelance career as a travel and food writer). From there she moved over to the magazine's special projects division, creating newsstand one-shots. Those experiences segued into a role as the editor of Bon Appetit Books, a division of the magazine that produced two cookbooks annually. In her current role, she oversees issue production and conceives and edits much of the magazine's shopping coverage. Teaching experiences include two years on the staff of the annual American Food Media Conference at the Culinary Institute of America in the Napa Valley.

Testimonials


I found Laurie's class invaluable for its industry insights. She has a wonderful demeanor and makes people feel at ease, honors their intentions, and instructs and guides in an authoritative way. -- Kim Fay, travel editor/author for Things Asian Press and hotel editor for Gayot Publications

"Laurie's class gave me a no-nonsense understanding of the food segment, preparing me to pitch effectively and land assignments. Since the end of class, I've written for Saveur, Bon Appetit, and launched my own gourmet vodka business." -- Litty Mathew, freelance journalist and proprietor of Modern Spirits Vodka

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