How do I start as a food writer?
Part of our Ultimate Guide to Food Writing. Click to see more answers to your questions.
The way to get started as a food writer is to read about food.
Blogs, magazines, cookbooks, professional journals, and memoirs. There are also excellent books and articles on the history of food and ingredients, the science of cooking, how to write recipes, and subjects like terroir, agriculture, and social issues related to food. When you find authors you admire, read as much of their work as you can. What do you like about the work? Where has it been published? What about the subject matter appeals to you?
The next step is to write.
Don’t think about whether it will be published. Write a draft of your article, story, or recipe, and set it aside for a day or two. After that, edit it, and decide whether you want to keep it private, share it with friends and family, or submit it for possible publication.
