Newspapers And The Weekly Food Section: Research For Food Wr

By Author: Pamela White
Total Articles: 5
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NEWSPAPERS AND THE WEEKLY FOOD SECTION by Pamela White

I love the food sections in our local newspapers. I scan the recipes, note the food trends, look for food-filled events, and visualize my name right along the other syndicated and local food writers. Eventually, I finish reading the food news and only have next week's papers to look forward to.

No longer! Most newspapers have online versions that include their popular food news and recipe articles. Not only is this fun for food writers (and food lovers), it's also an ongoing, easily accessible, free education into what the different newspapers are publishing.

- Scan the recipes for seasonal tips you can use in your own writing, even if you have to hold on to them for nine months before they come back into fashion.

- Read the food news - who is producing what new additive, where are the hottest trends starting, which exotic cuisines are marching across the U.S.

- Look for the names of the food section editor, food editor, features editor, or Sunday editor. Most newspaper websites have email contact information ...
... opening up opportunities for food writers to pitch their own ideas.

- Notice the types of articles the largest newspapers (who hire the most freelance work) use. Are they all related to the newspapers home town? Are most from abroad? Use this information to help you plan out your newspaper writing goals.

- Look at the photography. Use a published photographer's work as a lesson for yourself. Is the food standing alone, decorated, on a busy table, with serving spoon, with a helping missing, with flowers, brightly colored or monochromatic?

- Reading a few newspapers' food sections also provides insight into which papers syndicate their writers, and which writers are syndicated. Note what type of columns are being syndicated for your own reference.

Weekly food sections are more than entertainment. They educate, guide and influence food writers. If you want to learn, or especially if you plan on breaking into newspapers with your food writing, make a weekly date, online, with food sections around the country.

For easy reference to get you started visit: http://www.whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/newspaper.htm for a round-up of newspapers online.


About the Author Pamela White is the publisher of Food Writing, an online newsletter for writers who love food. She is also the teacher of the original online food writing class. More information on the newsletter and the class are avaialable at www.food-writing.com .