You love to cook, go to restaurants, and travel on food-based adventures. Your camera feels like it’s part of your arm. You read food blogs and wonder if you should start your own—writing up your recipes, insights, and travel experiences and becoming part of a community of online writers.

So, how do you make that happen?

You might think it’s simply starting your blog. After all, it’s never been easier. Just pick your template, type in your blog’s name and first post, upload your photos, and press the “publish” button. And you’re a blogger.

But there’s more to it than that. Do you know, for example, what will distinguish your blog from the thousands of food blogs out there, why people should care about what you have to say, and how they’ll find you? Your posts need a strong voice, and your photos must look professional. You need the discipline to write at least twice a week to keep your readers’ interest, not to mention how to use other social media to drive traffic to your blog.

Dianne Jacob’s blog, Will Write for Food: Pithy Snippets about Food Writing, has garnered a strong following with many passionate commenters. She posts regularly on topics that attract viewers, has learned how to write in an entertaining yet informative style, and how to drive traffic to her blog. Through her blog, she has developed relationships with many top bloggers who have helped her achieve her writing goals: to encourage discussion on topics central to food blogging, such as attracting comments, writing reviews, and posting recipes.

What this class will do for you In this interactive evening, you’ll learn what’s involved in creating a successful food blog. Topics covered include:

• why should you start a blog
• how to begin and keep going
• deciding what to write about
• how to develop your voice
• posting good photographs
• getting noticed
• and how to make money.

The class begins with a lecture, including insider insights Dianne has gained from being a blogger, working with and interviewing successful food bloggers, and speaking at blogging conferences. An extensive Q&A follows the lecture. Handouts include How to Structure a Post as well lists of food photography resources and blogging workshops.

Why this class is right for you If you’re curious about starting a blog, this class will show you how to start, what to write about, and how to get noticed. Even if you have a blog, this class will help you work through the challenges every bloggers face, and it will give you heard-earned insights about  successful techniques and resources.

How this class works You don’t even have to leave home. On Tuesday April 27th at 8:45 p.m. EST/5:45 p.m. PST, we’ll convene by telephone for a 2-hour conference call comprising both lecture and discussion. A private podcast of this class, available only to participants, will be posted online for one month at no additional cost.

Who the instructor is Dianne Jacob’s blog is Will Write for Food: Pithy Snippets about Food Writing. The Food News Journal has chosen her posts several times in its daily round-ups, and some of the biggest food bloggers in the US comment on her blog. She has been a speaker at the 2009 BlogHer Food Conference and the Club Med Food Blogger Conference.

Dianne is the author of Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Restaurant Reviews, Articles, Memoir, Fiction, and More. Now in its fourth printing, the book won the Cordon D’Or International award for Best Literary Food Reference Book. Her most recent book is Grilled Pizzas & Piadinas (Dorling-Kindersley, 2008), a cookbook she co-authored with Chicago chef Craig Priebe.

Dianne was a top editor and writer for a book publishing company, international magazines, and newspapers before starting her own business as a food writing coach, author, editor, blogger, and teacher. She coaches writers across the US, Canada, and Europe on how to become published freelance writers, book authors, and bloggers. For several years, Dianne has judged cookbooks for the James Beard Foundation and for the International Association of Culinary Professionals annual cookbook awards.

At this year’s International Association of Culinary Professionals annual conference, Dianne will lead three sold-out coaching sessions. She has also been a speaker at the Symposium for Professional Food Writers at the Greenbrier. She has taught food writing at the Smithsonian, the University of California in Los Angeles and Silicon Valley, the Writing Salon and Book Passage bookstore. For five years she chaired a food-writing conference at Book Passage.

For more about Dianne, visit her Web site. Read this interview with Dianne on Seattle Tall Poppy.

What students are saying about Dianne’s class and her coaching
“When I decided to relaunch my blog from Veronica’s Test Kitchen to Kitchen Musings, I sought out Dianne. She helped me figure out what my blog was about, which became invaluable in developing my voice. With her help, I developed relevant topics for future posts in line with the blog’s overall theme of culinary obsessions. Doing so gave my blogging structure. Dianne also gave me useful comments and suggestions on how to tackle different aspects of a post, from the all-important lead paragraph to the composition of the recipe. Working with her has definitely enriched and strengthened my writing style.”—Veronica Perez, Kitchen Musings

“Dianne has made it possible for me to set my blog on a more professional and productive course than I could ever have imagined. Her insight, knowledge of the culinary world and honest, friendly critiques consistently challenge me to be a better writer, blogger and personality. I particularly like the inquisitiveness with which Dianne displays about my field of endeavor; not an easy feat when dealing with pizza or a high strung small businessperson.

“I highly recommend Dianne Jacob for forthright, cutting edge advice, editing and direction on blogging, writing and human nature. She is guaranteed to challenge you, make you think, be your friend and ensure you are on the path to success. I know have one of the best pizza blogs in the nation because of her.”—John Gutekanst, Pizza Goon

“Dianne is a patient and gifted teacher. When I started my blog, I had no confidence in my ability to write or my technical savvy to create a blog, but I knew I could cook and create recipes. Through coaching, Dianne taught me how to eliminate extra words, get to the point, see my work through the readers’ eyes, and eliminate my repetitive grammatical errors. I learned specifics relating to recipe writing. She was also kind enough to teach me how to upload pictures and create hot links. As a result of my blog, with Dianne’s encouragement, I got my first feature article published.

“Now I can say that I enjoy blogging, writing, and recipe testing almost every day. I have received a lot of response from my readers and my topics resonate with a surprising array of people. In the 9 months since I started The Boreka Diary I’ve had thousands of hits.”—Linda Sendowski, The Boreka Diary.

If you have any questions, please contact us at enroll@leitesculinaria.com.

If you’d prefer to pay with a personal check, please e-mail us to make arrangements

You get compliments on your cooking, and people always ask when you’re going to write a cookbook. Perhaps it’s time to document your best recipes and techniques for a larger audience. Maybe you’ve already started putting a book together, deciding on chapters and recipes. But now you’re wondering: What’s the next right next step for me?

If you’d like to be traditionally published, you need to write a cookbook proposal. Essentially a business plan for your cookbook, the proposal tells agents and writers about the book, why it needs to be published, why you are the best one to write it, and who is waiting for it and why. It includes a table of contents for the book and sample recipes. The best part is that writing the proposal helps you refine your cookbook idea, differentiate it from the competition, and flesh out the structure and content.

What this class will do for you In this interactive evening, you’ll learn what’s involved in writing a winning proposal. Topics covered include:

• Why you can’t just write a cookbook and submit it
• The secret to making your proposal irresistible
• The 10 best ideas for a cookbook
• How to focus, organize and structure your idea
• What a platform is and whether yours is sufficient
• Why to promote your book before it’s published
• Choosing the right recipes for your book
• How to approach photography and illustrations.

The class comprises a lecture, including insider insights Dianne has gained from working with agents, cookbook editors and established cookbook authors; and an extensive Q&A. Handouts include a Dianne’s guideline to cookbook proposals, and a resource guide for additional information.

Why this class is right for you If you’re curious about writing and publishing a cookbook, here’s your chance to move forward. Learn what’s involved in creating the kind of proposal that shows off your cookbook idea in the best light, while crystalizing your idea.

How this class works You don’t even have to leave home. On Wednesday, May 12th at 8:45 p.m. EST/5:45 p.m. PST, we’ll convene by telephone for a 2-hour conference call comprising both lecture and discussion. A private podcast of this class, available only to participants, will be posted online for one month at no additional cost.

Who the instructor is Dianne Jacob is the author of Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Restaurant Reviews, Articles, Memoir, Fiction, and More (Da Capo Press, 2005). Now in its fourth printing, the book won the 2005 Cordon D’Or International award for Best Literary Food Reference Book. Her most recent book is Grilled Pizzas & Piadinas (Dorling-Kindersley, 2008), a cookbook she co-authored with Chicago chef Craig Priebe.

Dianne was a top editor and writer of a book publishing company, international magazines, and newspapers for decades before starting her own business as a food writing coach, author, editor, and teacher. She coaches writers across the US, Canada, and Europe on how to become published authors, and she regularly receives referrals from literary agents and editors whose clients’ proposals and manuscripts need sharpening. Clarkson Potter; Penguin Putnam; St. Martin’s Press; Stewart, Tabori & Chang; Ten Speed Press; Wiley & Sons; and William Morrow are some of the companies who have published books by authors who worked with Dianne. She has also worked as a freelance book editor for Weldon Owen and Andrews & McMeel. For several years, Dianne has judged cookbooks for the James Beard Foundation and for the International Association of Culinary Professionals annual cookbook awards.

For more about Dianne, visit her Web site and blog. Read this interview with Dianne on Seattle Tall Poppy.

What students are saying about Dianne’s class and her coaching
“Dianne sharpened my focus and strengthened my cookbook proposal. Working with her has made a huge difference to me.”

“Dianne’s expert advice regarding my cookbook proposal helped enormously in landing a contract with a major New York publisher. And even though I’m an experienced food writer, I’ve found helpful tips throughout Will Write For Food. She’s an invaluable resource!”

“I sent her my cookbook proposal and chapter and she gave me really useful, supportive feedback. Just what I needed.”

“Dianne turned me from a wanna-be author to a paid published author. I always felt I had a great idea for a book, but knew nothing of how to take that idea and turn it into a book people would actually pay to read. Every time I cash my royalty check, I thank Dianne.”

“I had bought books and attended seminars on how to write a winning cookbook proposal, but it was a different when I finally sat down to actually do it. The greatest benefit I gained from Dianne was her ability to help me put together a compelling, insightful, and concise proposal I now believe an agent would read. I encourage anyone who has ever thought about writing a book proposal to consider Dianne. Working with her was truly the best investment I have made toward my writing career.”

If you have any questions, please contact us at enroll@leitesculinaria.com.

If you’d prefer to pay with a personal check, please e-mail us to make arrangements

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The fall semester has started everywhere, and it’s no different here at Leite’s Culinaria. Three of publishing’s best teachers in the fields of new media, magazines, and books have joined us and are offering five must-take classes if you’re serious about becoming a food writer or want to hone your food writing skills.

Renee Schettler, former deputy editor at Martha Stewart Living and previous food editor at Real Simple, offers three classes: How to Write the Perfect Recipe and How to Write a Winning Pitch Letter. They’re both ideal classes for students wishing to start the process of pitching articles—with or without recipes—to editors. She’s also teaching anew class titled “Turning Your Culinary Skills into Stunning Gifts” (check back soon for details). From the outside this hardly looks like a writing class, but in it you’ll learn how to write, organize, and package your recipes, food writings, and musing into gifts for friends and family for the holidays.

Shauna Ahern, aka Gluten-Free Girl, is the author of Gluten-Free Girl: How I Found the Food That Loves Me Back…And How You Can Too as well as a second book, a cookbook titled In the Kitchen with the Chef, due out in 2010. Shauna is teaching Finding Your Voice, a class many writers struggling to find their own style of writing will find useful.

Dianne Jacob, a long-time editor and writer for both print publications and books, is the author of Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Restaurant Reviews, Articles, Memoir, Fiction, and More. Her most recent book is Grilled Pizzas & Piadinas, a cookbook she co-authored with Chicago chef Craig Priebe. A very popular teacher both online and in classrooms in northern California, Dianne will be sharing her knowledge in two eye-opening classes: How to Get Happily Published and How to Write a Killer Cookbook Proposal. The former will give you a great overview of the business and the latter will give your the building block to surmount the seemingly insurmountable task of getting your work bought.

The classes are already filling up, so if you’re interested, or want to give the classes as a gift, sign up soon.

This class is closed. It will be offered again in winter 2010.

If you’re thinking of writing a food memoir, cookbook, guidebook or reference book and hope to have it published, you’ll be more successful and far ahead of the competition if you understand how the publishing industry works and what editors and agents want. This class’s insider information will increase your chances of staying out of the rejection pile, where a shocking 97 percent of all writers’ work land.

What this class will do for you Producing a beautifully written book on a killer subject is filled with excitement and fraught with problems. In this interactive class, you’ll learn all about the publishing world, how to handle yourself professionally, what to expect from yourself, your agents and edits. Topics covered include:

• Why so many books are rejected
• How to get a platform—your ability to attract an audience that will buy the book—if you don’t have one now
• How to know if you have a good, commercial idea for a book
• How and when to submit your manuscript, and to whom
• Is it best to find an agent, or can you submit directly to editors
• How to send your manuscript: snail mail or e-mail
• Whether a literary attorney does just as good a job as an agent in reviewing a contract
• How publishers decide to buy your book
• How much can you expect to be paid
• Who pays for the photography and illustration
• And, once your book is ready to launch, how much publicity to expect.

This class will consist of a lecture and an extensive Q&A. Handouts include “Ten Great Ideas for a Non-Fiction book,” a guide to writing book proposals, plus resources to consult for additional guidance.

Why this class is right for you If you’ve contemplated writing a non-fiction book, you probably know that it’ll be a lot of work, but you might not understand what it takes to intrigue and impress an editor or agent, regardless of the subject of the book. During this class you may even pick up a tip or two that will help you tweak your book to make it even more irresistible.

How this class works You don’t even have to leave home. On Tuesday, October 27th at 8:45 p.m. EST/5:45 p.m. PST, we’ll convene by telephone for a 2 1/2 hour conference call comprising both lecture and discussion. A private podcast of this class, available only to participants, will be posted online for one month at no additional cost.

Who the instructor is Dianne Jacob is the author of  Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Restaurant Reviews, Articles, Memoir, Fiction, and More (Da Capo Press, 2005). Now in its fourth printing, the book won the 2005 Cordon D’Or International award for Best Literary Food Reference Book. Her most recent book is Grilled Pizzas & Piadinas (Dorling-Kindersley, 2008), a cookbook she co-authored with Chicago chef Craig Priebe.

Dianne was a top editor and writer of a book publishing company, international magazines, and newspapers for decades before starting her own business as a food writing coach, author, editor, and teacher. She coaches writers across the US, Canada, and Europe on how to become published authors, and she regularly receives referrals from literary agents and editors whose clients’ proposals and manuscripts need sharpening. Clarkson Potter; Penguin Putnam; St. Martin’s Press; Stewart, Tabori & Chang; Ten Speed Press; Wiley & Sons; and William Morrow are some of the companies who have published books by authors who worked with Dianne. She has also worked as a freelance book editor for Weldon Owen and Andrews & McMeel. For several years, Dianne has judged cookbooks for the James Beard Foundation and for the International Association of Culinary Professionals annual cookbook awards.

For more about Dianne, visit her Web site and blog. Read this interview with Dianne on Seattle Tall Poppy.

What students are saying about Dianne’s class and her coaching
“I cannot speak more highly of Dianne’s class. I found her teaching style informative and engaging. The format of her classes was perfect, and I learned more than I could imagine from the other students. Dianne had a profound impact on my writing and an appreciation of the skill set needed to succeed in this specialized arena. She is an outstanding teacher. I recommend her class to all.”

“I found Dianne to be an inspiring and down-to-earth teacher. Her class on writing a book proposal was especially enlightening. Despite having worked in journalism and public relations, I would not have known how to “get it right.” I know from after class discussions with other participants that it was especially helpful to them as well. Her class was a life-defining experience. I plan on taking future classes from her and would not hesitate to recommend others to do the same.”

“Dianne’s expert advice regarding my book proposal helped enormously in landing a contract with a major New York publisher. And even though I’m an experienced food writer, I’ve found helpful tips throughout Will Write For Food. She’s an invaluable resource!”

If you have any questions, please contact us at enroll@leitesculinaria.com.

This class is closed. It will be offered again in winter 2010.

Have you ever watched a talented cook at work in the kitchen? There’s a surety in her hands, an economy of movement that makes the finished dish a pleasure to eat. Each chef has his own style—Asian fusion flavors, rustic meats, or vegan haute cuisine—but each has that calm confidence with the food.

Talented food writers have that same ease, and it comes out in the words. Good writing feels deceptively simple, the sentences following one after another. Beneath the surface lies years of experience, an imagination at work, and one word choice after another to build a consistent voice.

Finding your voice will lead your readers to good food and shared meals. Voice is more than word choice, sentence construction, and punctuation, although those are important elements. Your voice conveys your personality, your decisions, and your biases that make you interesting to the reader. Think of this: would you rather share a kitchen with Anthony Bourdain or Laurie Colwin? Jeffrey Steingarten or Ruth Reichl? If you knew which writer with whom you’d like to chop onions, it’s probably because you like his or her voice.

What this class will do for you Finding your voice in food writing is both difficult and rewarding. In this interactive class, you’ll learn practices to make your voice more authentic, including how to:

• Study and discuss the clear voices of other food writers before us
• Consider sentence structure as a means to telling a story
• Think about sentences as sound instead of merely means to an end
• Hone in on sensory details to share story and a sense of self
• Convey taste without using the words yum, delicious, tasty, or savory
• Listen to ourselves tell stories instead of trying to sound like someone else
• Wake up to small details that create a scene

The class will consist of a lecture—including readings from numerous food writers—as well as an extensive question and answer period. Handouts will include examples of food writing with a clear voice, as well as suggestions for how to continue the work of the class once we hang up the phone.

Why this class is right for you You have spent your life wondering what is for lunch the next day, because you already have today’s meals planned. You love recounting the story of your favorite meals to friends and find yourself wishing you could eat them again. You have started a blog about pie or write only status updates about dinner on Twitter. You love food and you love to write. Whether you want to find your voice to write cookbooks or essays, or you simply want to learn how to write letters to loved ones about the taste of tomatoes in season, this class will help you find your voice.

How this class works You don’t even have to leave home. On Monday, November 2nd at 8:45 p.m. EST/5:45 p.m. PST, we’ll convene by telephone for a 2 1/2 hour conference call comprising both lecture and discussion. A private podcast of this class, available only to participants, will be posted online for one month at no additional cost.

Who the instructor is Shauna James Ahern is the author of a food memoir called Gluten-Free Girl: How I Found the Food That Loves Me Back…And How You Can Too (Wiley, 2007) with a second book, a cookbook titled In the Kitchen with the Chef, due to be released in 2010. Her food blog, Gluten-Free Girl, has a dedicated following and has garnered praise for its stories, recipes, and photographs. She has been published in major magazines such as Martha Stewart Living, and her work has been mentioned in The New York Times, Self, and Reuters. The London Times named Gluten-Free Girl one of the 50 best food blogs in the world, and Gourmet.com named it one of their favorite food websites. Shauna has taught writing to students of all ages for nearly two decades, and she loves the work.

If you have any questions, please contact us at enroll@leitesculinaria.com.

This class is closed. It will be offered again in winter 2010.

You’ve done it. After spending days, if not weeks, of your life researching, writing, and rewriting your first article or essay, you’ve completed it. But before your carefully crafted words can make it into print, you must persuade an overworked and often overwhelmed editor who’s racing through her inbox at all hours of day and night to take the time to read past the first sentence of your unsolicited e-mail. Accomplishing this requires yet another creative writing assignment: a compelling query letter.

What this class will do for you There are as many different ways to pitch an editor as there are freelancers. Although there are no absolutes when it comes to appealing to an editor’s particular personality, there are several strategic do’s and don’ts that make the difference between enticing any editor to take a chance on you and, well, the alternative. This interactive class will provide you with the insights and tools that will enable you to create a foolproof pitch,  including how to:

• Command an editor’s attention from your very first sentence
• Convey why your topic is timely or otherwise of interest
• Explain convincingly why you’re the perfect writer for the topic
• Time your pitch according to editorial calendars
• Avoid common gaffes-slight though devastating-common to most freelancers

The class will consist of a lecture, including insights from numerous accomplished writers and editors, and an extensive Q & A. Handouts include templates for successful pitch letters and resources to consult for additional guidance.

Why this class is right for you Anyone with the faintest notion of someday submitting an article for publication needs to first understand what it takes to intrigue and impress an editor-regardless of whether the topic relates to food, home, travel, health, or general lifestyle.

How this class works You don’t even have to leave home. On Thusday November 5th at 8:45 p.m. EST, we’ll convene by telephone for a 2 1/2-hour conference call that will comprise both lecture and discussion. A private podcast of this class, available only to participants, will be posted online for one month at no additional cost.

Who the instructor is Writer and editor Renee Schettler has spent the past decade evaluating freelance pitches-those that eventually ended up in print as well as those that didn’t-at newspapers and magazines as Assistant Editor of The Washington Post Food section, as Food Editor at Real Simple, and as Deputy Editor at Martha Stewart Living. In addition to accepting and rejecting hundreds of food-related freelance queries, she has worked with Pulitzer Prize-winning authors as well as previously unpublished writers, escorting each through the editing process. She has also mentored dozens of entry-level staffers, initiating a writing and editing practicum for aspiring writers and editors at Martha Stewart Living, several of whom are currently editors at national magazines and online ventures. Her work has garnered recognition from NPR, the Association of Food Journalists, and The Best American Recipes cookbook series. Renee is currently a freelance writer and spends much of her time conjuring creative pitch letters for her own article proposals. To understand what Renee has done for other writers, read this telling post by Ed Bruske.

If you have any questions, please contact us at enroll@leitesculinaria.com.