Comments on: How to start a food blog http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/ Great eating from the white trash of Asia Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:53:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: The rise of the citizen critic (written in March 2009) « Never knowingly underfed http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-23196 The rise of the citizen critic (written in March 2009) « Never knowingly underfed Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:47:08 +0000 http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/#comment-23196 [...] www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog [...] [...] http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog [...]

]]> By: Making money with your food blog – The Last Appetite http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-19899 Making money with your food blog – The Last Appetite Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:54:12 +0000 http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/#comment-19899 [...] I mentioned in “How to start a food blog“, food blogging is a terrible way to make money if you enjoy living in the First World. This [...] [...] I mentioned in “How to start a food blog“, food blogging is a terrible way to make money if you enjoy living in the First World. This [...]

]]> By: Welcome to Manageble Chunks « MANAGEABLE CHUNKS http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-8273 Welcome to Manageble Chunks « MANAGEABLE CHUNKS Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:01:35 +0000 http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/#comment-8273 [...] food in manageable chunks. Having read several how to articles on some great food blogger sites (Last Appetite, Amateur Gourmet and Delicious Days it seems like fun, and a great way of meeting people who share my [...] [...] food in manageable chunks. Having read several how to articles on some great food blogger sites (Last Appetite, Amateur Gourmet and Delicious Days it seems like fun, and a great way of meeting people who share my [...]

]]> By: Phil Lees http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-1202 Phil Lees Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:17:58 +0000 http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/#comment-1202 I should really reassess Twitter (if it ever gets stable). I'm sure that food editors aren't going to stick around there when they start getting spammed with more ideas than they can handle. I should really reassess Twitter (if it ever gets stable). I’m sure that food editors aren’t going to stick around there when they start getting spammed with more ideas than they can handle.

]]> By: steamy kitchen http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-1198 steamy kitchen Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:38:11 +0000 http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/#comment-1198 I do think it's easier than most bloggers think to transition from blog to a food writing career. Here's what I did: 1) Start with asking to be a guest blogger on high-trafficked blogs 2) Volunteer to write for the WellFed Network - they are always looking for bloggers. Not paid, but gives you recognition and experience 3) Get on Twitter and start following food writers/editors/columnists Twitter feeds. Send them story ideas, interesting links, etc. 4) If you've got a great blog already, submit it to Alltop.com and see if they'll get you ranked. Better yet, follow Guy Kawasaki's Twitter feed and twitter him - he responds. 5) Contact small, local newspapers in your town and volunteer to write a monthly food column at no charge. Build your skills as a food columnist. Get several columns under your belt. Then go to bigger newspapers - show them that you have both online and print experience. See what they'll pay. Sure, it might be just a few bucks, but you're gaining credibility and now you're a published food writer. Oh I have TONS more advice.....when I have more time I'll come back with more! I do think it’s easier than most bloggers think to transition from blog to a food writing career. Here’s what I did:

1) Start with asking to be a guest blogger on high-trafficked blogs
2) Volunteer to write for the WellFed Network – they are always looking for bloggers. Not paid, but gives you recognition and experience
3) Get on Twitter and start following food writers/editors/columnists Twitter feeds. Send them story ideas, interesting links, etc.
4) If you’ve got a great blog already, submit it to Alltop.com and see if they’ll get you ranked. Better yet, follow Guy Kawasaki’s Twitter feed and twitter him – he responds.
5) Contact small, local newspapers in your town and volunteer to write a monthly food column at no charge. Build your skills as a food columnist. Get several columns under your belt. Then go to bigger newspapers – show them that you have both online and print experience. See what they’ll pay. Sure, it might be just a few bucks, but you’re gaining credibility and now you’re a published food writer.

Oh I have TONS more advice…..when I have more time I’ll come back with more!

]]> By: Measuring web statistics for your food blog - The Last Appetite http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-1094 Measuring web statistics for your food blog - The Last Appetite Sun, 25 May 2008 23:49:08 +0000 http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/#comment-1094 [...] a goal attached to it. And this leads me back to the first post in this series where I asked you what is motivating you to get into the business and art of food blogging. If you don’t have a goal, there is no need to measure anything at all on your [...] [...] a goal attached to it. And this leads me back to the first post in this series where I asked you what is motivating you to get into the business and art of food blogging. If you don’t have a goal, there is no need to measure anything at all on your [...]

]]> By: Rach http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-644 Rach Wed, 19 Mar 2008 05:53:54 +0000 http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/#comment-644 This post sure got me thinking. I've been blogging since I was 15; I'm 25 this year, so that's 10 years in the blogging business. I've had my current personal blog going since 2004 and began my food/research blog a few months ago, and I've been thinking a lot lately about where I want this to end up. I totally agree with all of your reasons to start a blog, but I would add one more. Blogging is great writing practice. It teaches you, more through the crude behaviourist reward of a comment more than anything else, to come up with ideas, follow them through and get words on a page. It allows you to develop your voice as a writer and explore what it is that you want to write about in a fairly low-stakes way. I also agree that a focused blog will get more traffic. My newly formed food blog already trounces my more mature personal blog in terms of traffic and referrers. Now I just need to discipline myself to put more academic work into it. The publishing world, academic or no, still makes my heard hurt, though. I hate pitching/abstract writing with the fire of a thousand suns. This post sure got me thinking. I’ve been blogging since I was 15; I’m 25 this year, so that’s 10 years in the blogging business. I’ve had my current personal blog going since 2004 and began my food/research blog a few months ago, and I’ve been thinking a lot lately about where I want this to end up.

I totally agree with all of your reasons to start a blog, but I would add one more. Blogging is great writing practice. It teaches you, more through the crude behaviourist reward of a comment more than anything else, to come up with ideas, follow them through and get words on a page. It allows you to develop your voice as a writer and explore what it is that you want to write about in a fairly low-stakes way.

I also agree that a focused blog will get more traffic. My newly formed food blog already trounces my more mature personal blog in terms of traffic and referrers. Now I just need to discipline myself to put more academic work into it.

The publishing world, academic or no, still makes my heard hurt, though. I hate pitching/abstract writing with the fire of a thousand suns.

]]> By: Robyn http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-620 Robyn Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:18:54 +0000 http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/#comment-620 >>Do people started blogging with the hope of getting noticed by editors/publishers? >>Do people started blogging with the hope of getting noticed by editors/publishers?

]]> By: How to start a food blog, part 2: Design and building an audience » The Last Appetite http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-615 How to start a food blog, part 2: Design and building an audience » The Last Appetite Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:01:36 +0000 http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/#comment-615 [...] Phil Lees on How to start a food blog: Robyn - I'm still not sure if starting a blog is good for your clips or not. It's certainly been good to me (and you guys) but back in Australia I find it a pretty hard sell. A few editors that I've s... [...] [...] Phil Lees on How to start a food blog: Robyn – I’m still not sure if starting a blog is good for your clips or not. It’s certainly been good to me (and you guys) but back in Australia I find it a pretty hard sell. A few editors that I’ve s… [...]

]]> By: Phil Lees http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/comment-page-1/#comment-607 Phil Lees Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:14:57 +0000 http://www.lastappetite.com/how-to-start-a-food-blog/#comment-607 Robyn - I'm still not sure if starting a blog is good for your clips or not. It's certainly been good to me (and you guys) but back in Australia I find it a pretty hard sell. A few editors that I've spoken with here seem much more interested in my offline work, even when I've been pitching for online content jobs - but then again, without the blogs I probably wouldn't have my foot in the door. US media that I deal with tend to treat offline and online as the same thing. Do people started blogging with the hope of getting noticed by editors/publishers? As for food blogging and fame, it's following the path of professional skateboarding. I'm expecting that the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1135503/" rel="nofollow">Julie and Julia</a> movie will be the foodblogging equivalent of Christian Slater's skate-sploitation flick <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gleaming-Cube-Christian-Slater/dp/B00000ILFQ" rel="nofollow">Gleaming the Cube</a>. Robyn – I’m still not sure if starting a blog is good for your clips or not. It’s certainly been good to me (and you guys) but back in Australia I find it a pretty hard sell. A few editors that I’ve spoken with here seem much more interested in my offline work, even when I’ve been pitching for online content jobs – but then again, without the blogs I probably wouldn’t have my foot in the door. US media that I deal with tend to treat offline and online as the same thing.

Do people started blogging with the hope of getting noticed by editors/publishers?

As for food blogging and fame, it’s following the path of professional skateboarding. I’m expecting that the Julie and Julia movie will be the foodblogging equivalent of Christian Slater’s skate-sploitation flick Gleaming the Cube.

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