Breaking Into Food Writing
A couple weeks ago, I wrote up a post on some ways writers can break into restaurant reviewing. Bon Appetit managing editor Laurie Buckle had some advice: don’t go into restaurant reviewing. “I discourage my students from restaurant reviewing because the market is so small and hard to break into. There are other kinds of writing about restaurants that are a much better bet,” she said. So I caught up with her to find out what exactly she was talking about.
“When people think about food writing, I think the first thing that comes to their mind is restaurant reviewing,” she said. “There’s a fantastical element to it: it’s glamorous, ther’es this fantasy of being treated like a king or queen, tasting the best food, being pals with the chef. I don’t know where that came from, though. Restaurant reviewing can be so difficult that it ruins the experience of dining out. You’re taking the food apart instead of enjoying it. And so few people do it well. I can count on one hand the number of food critics who have a following.”
more after the break
Instead of breaking into the food beat the impossible way, Buckle encourages writers to explore their culinary interests and how they can spin it. “You can’t do that with a restaurant review.”
“Any magazine, newspaper, newsletter or smaller city magazine have a huge number of opportunities for food writing, which is a much better idea for writers than scrambling for the few opportunities to review restaurants. Three new food magazines are starting just this year: two from Readers Digest, and Every Day with Rachael Ray. The market is only getting bigger.”
So, how does a writer find his or her way in?
First, find what kind of food writing fits your interest. “You might be interested in being a recipe developer, or you might prefer travel food writing, or personal essay” says Buckle. “You have to work to find your niche. Stay on top of what’s ou thtere, and know the market. Find a particular publication and break it down: look at the front of the book, and what parts of it work wtih your particular skill set. Can you write little 50, 100-word blurbs? Because those are always a great way to break in. See how many ways you can spin what you write and find the different markets to sell it to.
Even though you’re writing about something as physical as food, though, editors at food publications still want to see pitches of a good idea, and not the entire piece. And above all, know your publication inside and out. “Don’t pitch anything that doesn’t work with the publication,” says Buckle. “And don’t pitch anything that has been recently published.”
If you want to know more of Laurie’s food writing tips, sign up for her Intro to Food Writing course in February.
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