Hello writers,
Can you believe the month is ending? Did you feel liberated enough to celebrate Independence day?
I received good feedback about the last, food-themed, newsletter. It gives me great impetus to look at more focused newsletters in the future.
The paid newsletter this week will be Part II of the food edition. I am excited to announce that this is another first for the newsletter — a collaboration. I’ve been a fan of Anusha and Elizabeth’s Edible Issues newsletter since they began. I initially thought I would just interview them for IAW, but they asked me to be part of their last newsletter so I thought it would be lovely to have them collaborate on this one, too. They share a small exercise on how to write about the future of better.
This paid newsletter has their interview + a small exercise to aid a food writing venture, an interview with food writer Priyadarshini Chatterjee, a pocket guide containing pitching advice, a reading list, food writing prompts, what readers would like to see in food stories, and more.
A reminder: the first food newsletter featured an interview with Jonathan Nunn of the fantastic food publication/ newsletter Vittles; Anubhuti Krishna shared pointers on being a food writer; there was a curated list of people to follow for those seeking to polish their food-writing skills; a guide to publications that take food pitches; food writing prompts; a list of good food stories, and more. Email me if you would like it.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, I have closed yearly subscriptions to IAW (I am unable to change that on Substack). If interested, I can offer one month, three months or six months only.
Want to subscribe? Email itsallwrite@outlook.in or reply here.
The free version of the newsletter is below. I’ve shared some part of the Pocket Guide, a bit about what readers seek in food stories, and some miscellaneous news and information.
Ready, let’s begin.
POCKET GUIDE
I. Articles:
This is a mix between old and new stories that I enjoyed reading.
I appreciate it when people combine food and humour in one riveting story. Here’s an old piece — actor and filmmaker Stanley Tucci writes about cooking in the quarantine.
I wrote a piece last year on how omelettes were my comfort food in the pandemic. Here’s a Taste story exploring why people are obsessed about perfecting the omelet (as they spell it).
G. Daniela Galarza writes on why we should stop calling food exotic.
II. Pitching aid:
Writer Abby Lee’s (of Bitchin’ Pitchin’ newsletter) standard format for a pitch.
Editor-in-chief of The Walrus shares a basic guide.
PEOPLE SPEAK
This is a new section where I got non-subscribers to share feedback and suggestions.
I asked people to share inputs of what they would like to read in food stories/ food blogs. These are some of the responses I received. You may consider them food writing prompts:
Trivia/Interesting food history as part of a story/Disappearing, unique or little-known local food habits-ingredients-stories.
Stories which showcase grit of the people who initiated the food setups
Low key, out of the way, hole in the wall places. Eateries which are unique to a place, but not necessarily something you would find trending on Zomato or LBB.
The genesis of a dish or an ingredient and how it evolved.
What not to do:
The 'Hot Take' type stuff designed to cause outrage.
Writers droning on.
Too much history.
Too much personal stuff in the story.
MISCELLANY
JOB: A Mumbai-based ed-tech start-up on offbeat careers seeks a young writer with a journalism degree or work background with one or two years of experience AND a writer with 7 to 10 years of experience in print journalism, especially in features/lifestyle and education space. They will be involved in setting-up a new platform from scratch. Full-time gig; writer will be expected to work in the office from October onwards. Email Riddhi@radal.in
JOB: Edible Issues is looking for a part-time community manager who is a strong communicator, social media savvy, and has a more than a fleeting interest in food. Email edibleissues@gmail.com
PITCH: Mic is officially accepting pitches for several new series that explore how our world is changing and how we’re all coping. Rate: Starts at $400. Details, here.
LEARN: How to use Twitter to tell a story? Read Kurush Dalal’s ode to Irani restaurants in Mumbai.
Here’s another reminder to please add this email id to your inbox, so the newsletter doesn’t go into spam. Get in touch if you want to subscribe or want any of the older newsletters.
I also welcome suggestions on what else you would like to see in this newsletter. The next edition will not be themed.
A healthy reminder:
Until next time, stay safe, be kind to yourself, and keep your friends close.
Regards,
Joanna