Learning The Techniques, Language, and Varied Perspectives that Make Great Food Prose
April 30 – June 4, 2013 and again June 11 – July 16, 2013
This 6-week course is designed to provide the training and mentoring that today’s freelance food bloggers, authors and writers find tough to come by. Traditionally, writers learned the basics of reporting, writing and pitching their stories in newsrooms, magazines or from book editors. However today, the editors in traditional publishing are often charged with more work than is humanly possible and rarely have the time to educate and nurture their writers. This reality is further complicated for writers who are committed to creating their blogs, articles and books independently and from far flung locales.
Organized and lead by food writer, author and internet pioneer, Molly O’Neill, The Essentials of Food Writing features podcast lectures and interviews with some of the top writers in food today – Frank Bruni, John T. Edge, Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan, Amanda Hesser, Francis Lam, Ruth Reichl and others along with targeted readings, professionally edited on-line assignments and facilitated weekly peer workshops.
The interviews are pre-recorded and delivered as a podcast, allowing students to listen at their convenience. The weekly call-in workshop includes a short discussion and peer review of student work. The workshop groups are small and are comprised of writers with similar skills, publishing experience and goals. Workshops are lead by a professional editor who also offers comment on each student’s work. Each student also receives one 30-minute mentoring session designed to set goals and establish step-by-step guides for achieving those goals towards the end of the course.
THE BASICS
WHO For food journalists, bloggers and authors who want to master the basic techniques of writing great food stories/
WHEN April 30-June 4, 2013 and again June 11-July 16, 2013. Tuesday 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. EST.
WHERE Assignments are submitted via our virtual classroom. Workshops are conference calls. Access codes are included in your registration packet that you will receive shortly before the start of class.
ETC Suggested readings and assignments are included in the registration packet. From time to time, depending on the interest of a given workshop or individual, the reading list is expanded and additional lectures are included.
COST $550
Touch a star-fruit to see what the skin is like, smell the clementine, listen to the talkers on the train, watch the sunrise again and again. Food writing is all about the senses and the more you hone yours, the stronger your work will be.–Monica Bhide
