How to get started in food writing

We often get asked, “I want to be a food writer or content creator, but I don’t know where to start’. We know it’s not easy, so the committee has collated this list of resources that we hope will help. If we’ve missed anything please email us at admin@guild.co.uk and we’ll add your suggestion to the list so everyone can benefit.

Places to Learn the Craft:

- Will Write for Food - both an informative website and book by Dianne Jacobs.

- Emily Sweet's advice on getting an agent, writing a book proposal etc.

- Keep an eye out for workshops and articles on writing about food from Georgina Hayden and Felicity Cloake such as this recent piece by Felicity.

- Gilli Smith hosts food writing retreats.

- Cassie Best, of BBC Good Food, offers advice on recipe writing here.

- Mark Diacono’s substack is all about writing and cookbooks and full of advice. He also hosts occasional workshops with people like Diana Henry like this one.

- Keep an eye open for courses and masterclasses, for instance at the British Library (example here).

- Leiths School of Food and Wine runs a series of courses about food writing, styling etc.

- The Plant Academy has an online course about the business of food writing with Rachel de Thample.

- Arvon run non-fiction courses, and occasionally food writing specific classes, but all offer an opportunity to hone your writing skills.

Places to Find or Make Work:

- Sian Meades-Williams' weekly freelance newsletter.

- Sign up to freelance creative job forums like The Dots and UpWork.

- Explore partnerships on Food4Media.

- Start writing a Substack newsletter.

- Think local – offer pieces to websites/magazines/papers in your area or specialism.