Mastermind for Food Writers

Live with Kimberly Nichols

Rebecca Blackwell — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 20:42:50 GMT

Coffee Breaks are 30-ish minute chats over Substack LIVE with the paid members of this community. It’s a chance to learn more about them and their work and talk about some of the real challenges and opportunities as a food writer today.

The whole time and I were talking I kept trying to remember this Joseph Campbell quote: “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”

Kim’s story is proof that Joseph Campbell had it right. In this conversation, she shared example after example of how she’s transformed the things she was afraid of into something beautiful, expansive, and enriching. Rather than live a constricted life, she’s shown us what it looks like to step into the cave and emerge with a chest overflowing with treasure.

This was a truly delightful and insightful conversation, and I’m certain you’ll feel the same way.

About Kim

Kim describes herself as a lifelong writer and avid reader but what she doesn’t tell you is that she has a culinary degree and an MFA, and was the first person in her family to go to college. She is a self-described reformed picky eater who writes about many things including how cooking saved her from drowning in grief. She has also been writing on Substack since early 2022 and her archive is a treasure trove of stories and recipes you could get lost in for hours. It will also make you hungry.

Join me on October 29 for what will most definitely be an interesting conversation about taking chances, finding your own way in life, the power of writing, and how doing the thing that scares you can change your life.

The goal of Mastermind for Food Writers and The Food Writers Business Lab isn’t simply to gather more information. It’s to build a better business alongside people who genuinely want to see each other succeed.

Ready to build a stronger, more sustainable food-writing business?

The Food Writers Business Lab offers practical, affordable education created specifically for food writers. Every workshop is taught by an experienced food writer who understands the challenges of growing an audience, diversifying your income, and building a lasting career in this industry.

It’s education for food writers, taught by food writers.

Upgrade to a paid subscription for full access to all Food Writers Business Lab workshops, monthly Business Strategy Meetings, and opportunities to share your work and expertise as a featured guest on a Substack LIVE Coffee Break.

Upgrade to Paid

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

What's Happening This Week

Rebecca Blackwell — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 08:02:24 GMT

Happy Monday, everyone! Here’s what’s coming up in Mastermind For Food Writers and The Food Writers Business Lab.

The Future of Search, Substack, and Getting Found

A post on Google’s blog has me thinking this week about some things I wanted to share with you all. First of all, I know a lot of you are here on Substack because you wanted to get away from SEO and the game of getting found online. I get it. It’s one of the things that drew me to this platform as well.

But, also, Substack IS online. It’s not a separate thing. It’s one part of the web and even though many of us came here to be able to do the work we love without having to worry about how that work is going to be found, we are still spending a lot of time trying to get our work in front of new subscribers, aren’t we?

Friends, I would love nothing more than to happily follow my inspiration to do the work I genuinely love and never give another thought to marketing and promotion. Before I started writing and publishing recipes online, I was a freelance marketing consultant. When I started my first recipe site, I thought I was starting something new. I thought I was moving away from marketing.

I had fanciful ideas about spending my days in full creative mode, baking and writing, and writing and baking. It didn’t take me long to realize that marketing and promotion are the very foundation of the career I wanted to build. Without them, there was no audience for all that baking and writing.

And without an audience, I had a hobby not a career.

I have been fortunate enough to have built a solid, substantial income from all that baking and writing. But I was only able to do so because I was willing to put a hell of a lot of work into the foundation.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve watched the foundation I worked so hard to build begin to shift. There are cracks. Huge ones. The ground no longer feels solid. Everything feels incredibly uncertain and much of the playbook I built a business on is no longer relevant. I understand the need to be flexible and pivot when pivoting is called for. But the changes are coming so fast and the future is so fuzzy that it’s difficult to know what I’m pivoting towards.

This is the context in which I read this post from Google about AI Overviews and AI Search. I make the bulk of my living from advertising on my recipe websites and AI Overviews are killing me. But something jumped out at me as I read this.

The future of search may be dependent on us asking the questions for which we want to be the answer.

Let me say that a different way: We need to write the questions for which our work is the answer.

I mean that literally. And, yes, this applies to Substack as well. Substack is online. It’s a part of search. It’s in the ecosystem. It may even be central to the future of the entire ecosystem.

The future of Google Search and the future of Substack are inextricably linked whether we like it or not.

Search is no longer only about humans searching the web. Search is now also about humans asking AI to search the web for us. Put another way, search is changing from a process in which humans look through lists of websites to one in which AI does that work for us.

How does AI know that the websites will answer the questions we are asking?

AI gets all of its opinions from us. I think we really need to let that sink in. When we ask it to find answers for us, it is sorting through a gigantic pile of options and then picking what it thinks we want. But, where does it get the criteria for how it makes the decisions about what we want? From us. It gets everything from us.

I think this is so important for us as writers and creators to understand because as AI continues to take over search, and I don’t just mean on Google, I am also talking about Substack, we have some influence and control over training it on not just the answers but the questions. The way we describe our work, the questions we define and answer, and the connections we make between ideas matters more than ever.

The thing that is front of mind for me right now is this: What are the questions for which I want my work to be the answer? And am I stating those questions explicitly?

The future of search may depend on how well we train the robots to recognize that we (ourselves and our websites) are the answer to questions we have already defined.

This is what I want to talk about in the November Mastermind Meeting. If that sounds like a discussion you’d like to be a part of, register here.

And, if you need no further convincing that a deeper understanding of search is essential to building a creative career, this class will help you design the blueprint and give you the nuts and bolts you need to get started.

At a glance:

Coffee Break Chat with Kimberly Nichols: Substack LIVE, Thursday, October 29 at 3:00pm Eastern
SEO for Food Writers, Part 2, The Working Session: Thursday, November 5, 12:00pm Eastern
November Mastermind Meeting: Wednesday, November 11 at 11:00am Eastern
Business Strategy Meeting: Wednesday, November 18 at 3pm Eastern
About The Food Writers Business Lab
Recording from my Coffee Break Chat with Stephanie Hansen
Recording from my Coffee Break Chat with Shell Plant

November Meeting Information

This month, the main topic will be defining the questions for which your work is the answer.

What are the questions for which you want your work to be the answer? And, are you stating the questions explicitly?

We'll explore how to identify the questions we want our work to answer, how to communicate those answers more clearly, and what this might mean for helping new readers discover our work.

This is what we’ll be talking about in the November Mastermind Meeting. If that sounds like a discussion you’d like to be a part of, here’s where to register.

Wednesday, November 11: 11:00am, New York (Eastern Standard Time)
Meeting hosted by Rebecca Blackwell
Register Now
After you register for the meeting, you will receive an email that will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar in your time zone.

Business Strategy Meeting

In addition to the mastermind meeting, paid subscribers are invited to attend the monthly Business Strategy Meeting. The November meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 18 at 3pm EST. Find out more and register here.

For those of you who like to plan ahead, the December meeting will be on Wednesday, December 9, at 11:00am EST. Register Here.

Recording from the October Mastermind Meeting

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend this month’s meeting and contribute to the conversation. Special thanks to Rachel Ciordas, Kate McDermott, and Betty Williams for sharing their experience with how they are using Substack LIVE to expand their reach and create more engagement.

If you missed it, here’s where you’ll find the recording:

October Meeting Recording

Book Proposal Hot Seat with Kelsey Shipman

In the middle of a conversation with last Monday, she asked if I’d be willing to talk over Substack LIVE about a book proposal I’m working on. Kelsey is the master of book proposals, so I would never in a million years turn down a chance to get her advice and feedback. I knew I’d get a lot out of our conversation and I was not disappointed. My hope is that you’ll get some gems out of it as well.

Are you working on your own cookbook proposal?

At the end of this conversation, Kelsey issued an open ended invitation for others to take their turn on the hot seat. Would you like a free consultation with Kelsey over Substack LIVE? Send her a DM to let her know!

Also, check out this class Kelsey taught for The Food Writers Business Lab: DIY Cookbook Proposals

The Food Writers Business Lab

The Food Writers Business Lab is an online community for food writers who want practical, affordable guidance for growing their businesses, expanding their audience, and building sustainable careers.

Here you’ll find classes and workshops taught by experienced food writers who understand the unique challenges and opportunities of this industry. It’s education for food writers taught by food writers.

There are four on-demand classes available now in the Class Library.

Coming soon: workshops on organizational tools and strategies, cookbook self-publishing, creating income through cooking classes, and using video to reach new readers.

Coffee Break Chats!

Last week I got to talk with and . Stephanie reminded me that the only thing standing in the way of doing what I want is me. And Shell talked about how baking and writing are her lifeblood, and how she’s created a career that is centered on both. This is inspiring because isn’t that what we all want?

Here’s where you’ll find all of the recordings and see who I’m talking with next!

Coffee Break Chats

Remember that the Mastermind for Food Writers chat is a great place to ask questions, get feedback, share ideas, and connect with other food writers on Substack.

Have a wonderful week!

-Rebecca Blackwell

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

November Mastermind Meeting Information

Rebecca Blackwell — Sat, 24 Oct 2026 16:59:39 GMT

This month, the main topic will be about defining the questions for which your work is the answer.

What are the questions for which you want you work to be the answer? And, are you stating the questions explicitly?

The future of search (and yes, this includes Substack) may depend on how well we train the robots to recognize that we (ourselves and anywhere we publish online) are the answer to questions we have already defined.

This is what I want to talk about in the November Mastermind Meeting. If that sounds like a discussion you’d like to be a part of, here’s where to register.

Here are the details for the November 11 meeting:

*Meetings are free to join but registration is required.

Wednesday, November 11: 11:00am, New York (Eastern Standard Time)
Meeting hosted by Rebecca Blackwell
Register Now
After you register for the meeting, you will receive an email that will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar in your time zone.

Business Strategy Meeting

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

Live with Shell Plant

Rebecca Blackwell — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 13:25:10 GMT

I learned so many interesting things about Shell in this conversation, including that she gets grumpy when she hasn’t baked in a while, and when her life doesn’t include writing, she misses it so much it’s like she’s missing a limb.

Baking and writing are her lifeblood, and she’s created a career that is centered on both. This alone is inspiring to me because isn’t that what we all want?

We talked about the relationship between her technical brain and her creative brain, the massive amount of editing that baking and writing require, and the pleasure she finds in disappearing into that work for a while.

We also dove into her process for coming up with inspiring and unique flavor combinations and how she manages the many iterations required to get a recipe just right. She talked about baking with her children, how she’s learning to step back and give their creativity room to bloom, and the pure pleasure of a few hours in the kitchen all to herself.

Shell is a master baker, writer, and photographer, and it was so fun getting to take this peek behind the curtain and learn so much about her work and her life.

About Shell

is a patisserie trained baker, food photographer and former journalist/comms professional who lives in the London area with her husband and their two children. Shell’s newsletter, Bake Experiments, is a masterclass in baking and a treasure trove of magical, delicious looking treats for those of us who love to bake.

I love Shell’s flavor combinations and the teaching focus of her newsletter. She shares the work behind a recipe, showing us the experiments and many iterations behind every recipe she publishes. You do not need to wonder if Shell’s recipes are well tested. She shows you that they are.

Beyond baking, Shell is a shy-and-sassy delight (with the most beautiful tattoo I’ve ever seen) and I can’t wait to talk with her.

Ready to build a stronger, more sustainable food-writing business?

It’s education for food writers, taught by food writers.

Upgrade to Paid

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

Live with Stephanie Hansen

Rebecca Blackwell — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 02:32:44 GMT

If your week needs a pick-me-up, a conversation with will do it. Stephanie somehow has the ability to both kick my ass into gear and make me feel like a rock star in the span of minutes. I think this is a clue to what’s behind her Emmy-Award winning success: She reminds me (and the rest of the world) that the only thing standing in the way of doing what I want is me. Stephanie’s way of doing business is excellence without perfection, connection without pretense, and creativity over permission.

She’s a badass with a thousand good ideas and her own handwritten permission slip to make them happen. I could talk to her all day long, and this 66-minute conversation that I had to pull myself away from is proof.

About Stephanie

I feel like this photo tells you all you need to know about Stephanie which is that she is the kind of person you want to party with.

In Stephanie’s case, the party might involve a long leisurely meal on the porch of her cabin in the woods, or drinks on the deck of a sailboat in the Mediterranean, or margaritas in Mexico City, or martinis and shrimp cocktail in Las Vegas, or sushi in Tokyo, or if you’re really lucky, making a Juicy Lucy Cheeseburger Tater Tot Hot Dish.

Stephanie gets around. She also happens to be an Emmy® award-winning program host of the Emmy Award Winning Show “Taste Buds with Stephanie”, a podcaster, the author of two cookbooks and a novel, the social commentator behind StephaniesDish.com AND a Substack newsletter.

Ready to build a stronger, more sustainable food-writing business?

It’s education for food writers, taught by food writers.

Upgrade to Paid

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

Book Proposal Hot Seat with Rebecca Blackwell and Kelsey Shipman

Rebecca Blackwell — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:54:51 GMT

In the middle of a conversation with Kelsey Erin Shipman on Monday, she asked if I’d be willing to talk over Substack LIVE about a book proposal I’m working on. Kelsey is the master of book proposals, so I would never in a million years turn down a chance to get her advice and feedback. I knew I’d get a lot out of our conversation and I was not disappointed. My hope is that you’ll get some gems out of it as well.

Kelsey is a cookbook collaborator and ghostwriter who has spent years helping chefs, recipe developers, and food writers shape cookbook ideas into proposals for traditional publishers. She is represented by Transatlantic Agency and specializes in cookbook and memoir collaborations. Kelsey is the co-founder of Write Up where she co-teaches an annual 12-week Book Proposal Intensive alongside food writer and author Hannah Howard.

Kelsey is also one of the instructors for The Food Writers Business Lab, where she teaches DIY Cookbook Proposals. This workshop is designed for writers who want to build their own proposal from the ground up. You’ll leave understanding not only what belongs in each section, but why publishers ask for it and how to write it in a way that strengthens your overall project.

This class comes with Kelsey’s proprietary Book Proposal Checklist, a 26-page workbook that was developed after years of writing and consulting on dozens of book proposals. Find out more.

Do you have a cookbook proposal that you’d like Kelsey’s advice and feedback on? Would you be willing to take a turn in the hot seat and talk with her over Substack LIVE? Send Kelsey a message and let her know you’re interested!

Ready to build a stronger, more sustainable food-writing business?

It’s education for food writers, taught by food writers.

Upgrade to Paid

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

What's Happening This Week

Rebecca Blackwell — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 10:00:46 GMT

Happy Monday, everyone! Here’s what’s coming up in Mastermind For Food Writers and The Food Writers Business Lab.

A little over a year ago, I asked all the people who were in attendance at that month’s mastermind meeting if anyone might be interested in hosting a second meeting in a time zone that’s friendlier to people who live on the other side of the world. I had received a couple of messages from people living in Australia and Taiwan about how much they would like to participate, but the time zone difference made it difficult.

immediately stepped up and volunteered. Since late last year, Liza has run a second meeting, scheduled for people who live in Europe and Asia Pacific. Mastermind meetings are always free for anyone to attend, so Liza offered her time generously and freely.

After a year of volunteering, she’s decided to step back from running a monthly meeting. I am incredibly grateful to her for the value she added to this group over the past year, but if I’m really honest, I am most grateful to her for the value she’s added to my life.

Because Liza volunteered to run a second meeting, I have had the chance to get to know her, and she is one of the most interesting people I know. She speaks 7 languages (!!!), has a PhD in Social Anthropology, has lived in many countries, is possibly the most avid reader I’ve ever met, and is a remarkably talented coach, writer, and artist. She has a heart for justice, equality, and creative expression. She has a gift for listening and insight, and a way of interacting that makes you feel really, truly seen.

Over the past year, Liza and I worked together in a variety of ways, doing a couple of Subtack LIVEs, and co-teaching a class about creating a values-driven brand. Every time we’d get on a zoom call together to plan whatever we were working on, we’d end up spending much of the time just talking about life. Because when you get on a call with someone as interesting as Liza, the list of topics is inexhaustible.

Thank you, Liza, for sharing your time, energy, and talents with this group over the past year and with me personally. I appreciate you so much.

Gratefully, Liza is still co-leading the Food Readers Book Club with and there is another meeting coming up in December. The December meeting date is coming soon, but the book is Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin.

So, for now there is one meeting a month, led my me, at 11am Eastern. If anyone reading this is interested in leading a second mastermind meeting in a time zone that’s friendly to food writers living on the other side of the world, let me know.

If you are not already subscribed to Liza’s Substacks, I encourage you to do so. Both are brilliant: Sharing Secrets and Scattered Crumbs and Tangled Tales.

Two weeks at a glance:

Coffee Break Chat with Stephanie Hansen: Tuesday, October 20 at 4:00pm Eastern
Coffee Break Chat with Shell Plant: Substack LIVE, Wednesday, October 21 at 12:30pm Eastern
Business Strategy Meeting: Wednesday, October 21 at 3pm EST
Coffee Break Chat with Kimberly Nichols: Substack LIVE, Thursday, October 29 at 3:00pm Eastern

Recording from the October Mastermind Meeting

If you missed it, here’s where you’ll find the recording:

October Meeting Recording

November and December Mastermind Meeting Dates

For those of you who like to plan ahead, our next meeting will be on Wednesday, November 11, at 11:00am EST. Register here.

The main topic of the November meeting will be discovery. How do new readers find your work? And what makes them stick around? That will be the focus of our November mastermind meeting. We’ll talk about how to identify where your readers are coming from, share what’s working, and explore practical ways to reach more people on and off Substack.

If growth and engagement are top of mind for you right now, register now for the November meeting!

The December meeting will be on Wednesday, December 9, at 11:00am EST. Register Here.

Available now in the class library: SEO for Food Writers

Help the right readers find your work—and give them a reason to stay.

You put so much time and energy into your work. Helping people discover it deserves that same attention. In this 90-minute class for food writers, we’ll connect the essentials of SEO to a bigger question: How do you reach the people who will value your work and turn that connection into a stronger business?

You’ll learn how to clarify who you’re writing for, make your work easier to discover, and create return paths so people come back to you over and over again.

This class comes with a 22 page workbook that will show you how to create a manageable strategy including where to focus your efforts, how to recognize progress, and what to do next.

The Food Writers Business Lab

There are four on-demand classes available now in the Class Library.

Workshop Topics that are coming soon: Organizational strategies and tools for food writers, Cookbook self-publishing, How to create an additional income stream with cooking classes, and How to use video to reach new readers and build engagement.

Coffee Break Chats!

Last week I got to talk with and learned that she helped write the American Heritage Dictionary and that the word Sangiovese comes from the Latin phrase blood of Jupiter. These are the kinds of fun facts you learn when you talk to a former Latin teacher turned food writer.

I have gotten to talk with 12 members of this community so far and I’ve learned so much from each conversation. Here’s where you’ll find all of the recordings and see who I’m talking with next!

Coffee Break Chats

Remember that the Mastermind for Food Writers chat is a great place to ask questions, get feedback, share ideas, and connect with other food writers on Substack.

Have a wonderful week!

-Rebecca Blackwell

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

Recording from the October Meeting

Rebecca Blackwell — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 19:56:10 GMT

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend this month’s meeting and for contributing to the conversation. Special thanks to , , and for sharing their experience with how they are using Substack LIVE to expand their reach and create more engagement.

For those of you who like to plan ahead, our next meeting will be on Wednesday, November 11, at 11:00am EST. Register here.

If growth and engagement are top of mind for you right now, register now for the November meeting!

The December meeting will be on Wednesday, December 9, at 11:00am EST. Register Here.

Remember that the Mastermind for Food Writers chat is a great place to ask questions, get feedback, share ideas, and connect with other food writers on Substack.

Ready to build a stronger, more sustainable food-writing business?

It’s education for food writers, taught by food writers.

Upgrade to Paid

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

Live with Elizabeth Baer

Rebecca Blackwell — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 19:33:54 GMT

I learn something new every single time I talk with Elizabeth and this conversation was not an exception. For example, I did not know that Elizabeth helped write the American Heritage Dictionary or that the word Sangiovese comes from the Latin phrase blood of Jupiter. These are the kinds of fun facts you learn when you talk to a former Latin teacher turned food writer.

Elizabeth is the kind of person we all want at a dinner party because she is full of interesting facts and stories about everything under the sun. Elizabeth has the heart and mind of a story teller and we are all better off for her willingness to write so many of them down and share them with us.

About Elizabeth

Photo stolen from one of Elizabeth’s travel posts about a road trip she took with a friend earlier this year: K & L — The Penultimate Drive

Elizabeth is a Latin teacher turned food writer and recipe developer who writes a regular column for her local newspaper, the Berkshire Eagle. Thankfully for all of us who do not live in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, she shares those articles with us in her Substack newsletter, CulinUrsa.

I got to meet Elizabeth in person twice this year, which was honestly such a treat. We both attended a Food Writers Retreat organized by the magnificent Jenn Sharp in March. Then, this summer, I got to meet Elizabeth for lunch in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Over tacos, I asked Elizabeth what compelled her to sign up for the retreat, and she said she honestly didn’t know. She didn’t know Jenn or the other people attending the retreat, but something inside her told her to go, and she listened.

I love this story because it’s such a good lesson in listening to yourself and following that small, sometimes very quiet voice that says, “just do it”.

Had Elizabeth not listened to that voice, I wouldn’t have met her in March, we certainly wouldn’t have had tacos together in July, and I wouldn’t be inviting you to listen to us chat on October 13. I am grateful that she did.

Ready to build a stronger, more sustainable food-writing business?

It’s education for food writers, taught by food writers.

Upgrade to Paid

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

What's Happening This Week

Rebecca Blackwell — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:01:15 GMT

Happy Monday everyone! Here’s what’s coming up in Mastermind For Food Writers and The Food Writers Business Lab.

Don’t forget to register for this week’s mastermind meeting! You’ll find all the information below!

Two weeks at a glance:

Coffee Break Chat with Elizabeth Baer: Substack LIVE, Tuesday, October 13 at 2:00pm EST
The October Mastermind Meeting: Wednesday, October 14 at 11:00am EST
Coffee Break Chat with Shell Plant: Substack LIVE, Wednesday, October 21 at 12:00pm EST
SEO for Food Writers: Thursday, October 15, 1:00pm-2:30pm EST
Coffee Break Chat with Stephanie Hansen: Tuesday, October 20 at 4:00pm EST
Business Strategy Meeting: Wednesday, October 21 at 3pm EST
SEO for Food Writers, part 2: Thursday, October 22, 12pm EST

Register for the October Mastermind Meeting

This main topic of this month’s meeting is Substack LIVE. We’ll hear from members of Mastermind for Food Writers about how they are using Substack LIVE to support their work, engage with readers, and expand their reach.

This will be a casual panel-style discussion with plenty of time for questions.

*Meetings are free to join but registration is required.

Wednesday, October 14: 11:00am, New York (Eastern Standard Time)
Meeting hosted by Rebecca Blackwell
Follow this link to register for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/iuYedneRRv6hjOSQaHgAwg
After you register for the meeting, you will receive an email that will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar in your time zone.

How do you help the right people find the work you’ve put so much time and care into?

Our job as food writers isn’t just to create good work. It’s also to help people find it.

In this hands-on workshop, food writers will learn to think about SEO not as a technical burden, but as a way of building bridges from your work to your readers. Because that’s exactly what good SEO is: pathways that meet readers where they are and lead them back to you.

Part 1: Learn. The first session will be a recorded instructional workshop with an in-depth homework assignment to help you put the material into practice.
When: October 15, 12pm-1:30pm CST
Part 2: Implement. Bring your homework, your questions, your roadblocks, and your challenges. Together, we’ll review what you’ve implemented, troubleshoot challenges, exchange ideas, and get thoughtful feedback from both the instructor and other food writers working toward similar goals.
When: October 22, 12pm-1:30pm CST

More information and register

The Food Writers Business Lab

There are three on-demand classes available now in the Class Library. The fourth class, SEO for Food Writers takes place this Thursday and will be recorded and added to the library on Friday.

Coffee Break Chat with Elizabeth Baer

Join me on Tuesday, October 13 at 2:00pm eastern to talk with Elizabeth on Substack LIVE.

Coffee Break with Elizabeth Baer

Coffee Break Chat with Shell Plant

Shell Plant is a patisserie trained baker, food photographer and former journalist/comms professional who lives in the London area with her husband and their two children. Shell’s newsletter, Bake Experiments, is a masterclass in baking and a treasure trove of magical, delicious looking treats for those of us who love to bake.

Join me on Thursday, October 15 at 2:00pm eastern to talk with Shell Plant on Substack LIVE.

Coffee Break with Shell Plant

Remember that the Mastermind for Food Writers chat is a great place to ask questions, get feedback, share ideas, and connect with other food writers on Substack.

Have a wonderful week!

-Rebecca Blackwell

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

What's Happening This Week

Rebecca Blackwell — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:02:46 GMT

Happy Monday everyone! Here’s what’s coming up in Mastermind For Food Writers and The Food Writers Business Lab.

Call for panelists!

Are you using Substack LIVE on a relatively regular basis to support your work and grow your reach? I am looking for people within this group who would be willing to talk about their experience using Substack LIVE during the October mastermind meeting. This will be an informal discussion where our panelists will share how they are using Substack LIVE to engage with readers, what they like about it, and what they find challenging. If that’s you, please send me, , a direct message! Thank you!

Two weeks at a glance:

Coffee Break Chat with Elizabeth Baer: Substack LIVE, Tuesday, October 13 at 2:00pm EST
The October Mastermind Meeting: Wednesday, October 14 at 11:00am EST
Coffee Break Chat with Shell Plant: Substack LIVE, Thursday, October 15 at 2:00pm EST
SEO for Food Writers: Thursday, October 15, 12pm-1:30pm CST
If you missed last week’s Coffee Break Chat with Kalee Tilli, the recordingis now available. Here's where you’ll find all of the past and upcoming Coffee Break Chats!

Register for the October Mastermind Meeting

This will be a casual panel-style discussion with plenty of time for questions.

*Meetings are free to join but registration is required.

Wednesday, October 14: 11:00am, New York (Eastern Standard Time)
Meeting hosted by Rebecca Blackwell
Follow this link to register for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/iuYedneRRv6hjOSQaHgAwg
After you register for the meeting, you will receive an email that will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar in your time zone.

The Food Writers Business Lab

There are three on-demand classes available now in the Class Library with more coming soon!

Join me on October 15 for a class that’s all about discovery

Our job as food writers isn’t just to create good work. It’s also to help people find it.

In this hands-on workshop, food writers will learn to think about SEO not as a technical burden, but as a way of building bridges from their work to their readers. Because that’s exactly what good SEO is: paths that meet readers where they are and lead them back to you.

Remember that the Mastermind for Food Writers chat is a great place to ask questions, get feedback, share ideas, and connect with other food writers on Substack.

Have a wonderful week!

-Rebecca Blackwell

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

October Mastermind Meeting Information

Rebecca Blackwell — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:10:11 GMT

This will be a casual panel-style discussion with plenty of time for questions.

Here are the details for the October 14 meeting:

*Meetings are free to join but registration is required.

Wednesday, October 14: 11:00am, New York (Eastern Standard Time)
Meeting hosted by Rebecca Blackwell
Follow this link to register for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/iuYedneRRv6hjOSQaHgAwg
After you register for the meeting, you will receive an email that will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar in your time zone.

Business Strategy Meeting

In addition to the mastermind meeting, paid subscribers are invited to attend the monthly Business Strategy Meeting. The October meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 21 at 3pm EST. Find out more and register here.

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

Live with Kalee Tilli

Rebecca Blackwell — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 16:44:44 GMT

is one of those people with a magical ability to make everyone around her feel as if it’s okay to come as they are. She doesn’t have to tell you to relax and be yourself. You just feel it.

As we talked, I realized that this is the gift of hospitality: the ability to make those around you feel at ease. That gift spills into everything Kalee does. You can see it in her small Georgia farm and the cozy cottage she rents to people who need to get away for a while. You can feel it in her Substack newsletter, where she writes about living a healthier life that’s more connected to the natural world.

Kalee has a wealth of practical ideas to help us feel more at home in our bodies and in the world, wherever we may be. I enjoyed this conversation so much, and I know you will too.

About Kalee

Kalee is a holistic nutritionist who lives in Atlanta with her husband and two teenage sons. Kalee says that her “heart lives in the mountains of Colorado,” which caught the attention of this Colorado-born girl the first time I read it.

Having had the privilege of getting to know Kalee over the past several months, I can tell you that she is every bit as real and down-to-earth as you might expect from reading her newsletter. This is one of my favorite passages from her About page because it says so much about her approach to writing, cooking, and teaching:

“I teach cooking classes focusing on local, seasonal produce, while trying to remind myself and my clients that guilt has no place at the table. There are many seasons of our lives and most will not include eating a diet of exclusively home-prepared, seasonal and local foods.”

Kalee’s newsletter is packed to overflowing with practical advice for living an attainably healthy life. It’s inspiration you can actually implement. And don’t we all need more of that?

Ready to build a stronger, more sustainable food-writing business?

It’s education for food writers, taught by food writers.

Upgrade to paid

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

What's Happening This Week

Rebecca Blackwell — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 08:01:33 GMT

Happy Monday everyone! Here’s what’s coming up in Mastermind For Food Writers and The Food Writers Business Lab.

Two weeks at a glance:

Coffee Break Chat with Kalee Tilli: Substack LIVE, Tuesday September 29, at 11am EST
The Food Readers Book Club! September 30th at 4pm UK time, 8 am Pacific Time and 11 am Eastern Time
If you missed last week’s Coffee Break Chats with Maggie Joos and Melissa Norman, the recordings are now available. Here's where you’ll find all of the past and upcoming Coffee Break Chats!
If you missed last week’s Mastermind Meeting, here’s where you’ll find the recording.

For those of you who like to plan ahead, the October Mastermind Meeting, North America and Europe will be on October 14. More information coming soon, but here’s where to register and get it on your calendar.

This week! The Food Readers Book Club

This month’s book is Apricots on the Nile by Colette Rossant. Cookery writer Colette Rossant’s memoir evokes a magical childhood spent in Cairo and Paris during the forties and captures the mouth-watering flavours of Egypt’s cuisine.

If, like Liza, you’ve lost your copy of the book or can’t get a copy before the meet-up, you may wish to listen to the audio of the abridged version of the book that was recorded for the BBC: https://archive.org/details/colette-rossant-apricots-on-the-nile

Join us for the discussion on September 30th at 4pm UK time, 8 am Pacific Time and 11 am Eastern Time. Meetings are free for anyone to join, but registration is required.

More information + Register

The Food Writers Business Lab

There are three classes available now in the Class Library and two more coming soon!

DIY Cookbook Proposals: Writing a cookbook proposal is different from writing a cookbook. It requires a different set of skills. But they’re skills anyone can learn. Whether you’re a chef, recipe developer, food writer, content creator, or culinary professional, you can write a compelling cookbook proposal yourself.
The Heart of Your Brand: This class will help you uncover the things that make your work unique, impossible to emulate, and difficult to ignore. It will help you create a brand that people understand quickly and are drawn to, articulate what you want to be known for, and build a reputation around it.
How To Build a Platform That Will Sell Your Book: This class is for authors at any stage who want a more strategic, sustainable way to grow an audience and build genuine reader relationships that lead to book sales. We’ll look at the many forms visibility can take, what nurture looks like after someone finds you, and how to make a clear, confident ask without feeling salesy.

Coming up in October…

Workshop Topics that are in the queue but not yet scheduled: Organizational strategies and tools for food writers, Cookbook self-publishing, How to create an additional income stream with cooking classes, and How to use video to reach new readers and build engagement.

Remember that the Mastermind for Food Writers chat is a great place to ask questions, get feedback, share ideas, and connect with other food writers on Substack.

Have a wonderful week!

-Rebecca Blackwell

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

Live with Melissa Norman

Rebecca Blackwell — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:16:30 GMT

I learned so much about in this conversation, but one of the most fun little tidbits was that during COVID, she ran an online disco to help people connect and give them something fun to do on a Saturday night. The discos faded out when everyone went back to their normal lives. She missed them so much that she decided to host a kitchen disco with friends for her birthday one year. She cooked a meal they could all enjoy, despite their different dietary restrictions, and after dancing around her kitchen in their socks, they sat down to eat. The whole thing was such fun that her friends wouldn’t let her off the hook until she agreed to share her recipes with the rest of us. And that is how Yes! You Can Eat This was born.

I think this story says a lot about Melissa. She figured out how to make delicious food for people with dietary restrictions because she has dietary restrictions and wants to eat delicious food. Then she figured out how to share everything she learned with the rest of us because keeping good things to herself is not her jam. She does so with the kind of infectious joy and generosity that makes you want to dance around your kitchen in your socks for the pure fun of it. Melissa makes everything a party, and this is one of her greatest gifts.

About Melissa

Melissa is on a mission to make everyone feel welcome and included at the table, and if anyone can accomplish that monumental task, it’s her.

Melissa’s newsletter is written for all of us who care about making everyone feel welcome at our tables, especially those with food intolerances. Her recipes show us that delicious cooking is more about focusing on what we’re leaving in than what we’re leaving out. She offers practical, real-world advice about how to prepare meals everyone can eat and reminds us that making delicious food is all about the people we’re cooking for, perhaps especially when one of those people is ourselves.

Ready to build a stronger, more sustainable food-writing business?

It’s education for food writers, taught by food writers.

Upgrade to Paid

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

Recording from the September Meeting

Rebecca Blackwell — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 17:16:28 GMT

As always, thank you to everyone who was able to attend this month’s meeting and for contributing to the conversation. This month we talked about Substack notes - how we’re using them, how to understand the stats behind them, how to schedule them, and use them to build our platform, drive subscriptions, and contribute to the conversation in meaningful ways.

For those of you who like to plan ahead, our next meeting will be on Wednesday, October 14 at 11:00am EST. Register here. The main topic of this meeting will be Substack LIVE. We’ll hear from some of our members about how they are using Substack LIVES to grow their reach, connect with their readers, and provide exclusive content for paid subscribers.

The November meeting will be on Wednesday, November 11, at 11:00am EST. Register here.

Remember that the Mastermind for Food Writers chat is a great place to ask questions, get feedback, share ideas, and connect with other food writers on Substack.

Ready to build a stronger, more sustainable food-writing business?

It’s education for food writers, taught by food writers.

Upgrade to Paid

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

Live with Maggie Joos

Rebecca Blackwell — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:14:04 GMT

This conversation touches on so many things that are important to most of us - taking care of yourself, taking care of each other, spending your time on the things that are most important to you, and letting yourself off the hook for not being perfect.

Above all, Maggie’s message is one of compassion. She shows us how to embrace the present moment and let go of what’s not important so we can embrace the things that are.

About Maggie

Maggie’s byline here on Substack says simply, “If Martha Stewart had realistic expectations”, and those six words go a long way towards telling you who Maggie is and what she’s about.

Maggie is a certified yoga instructor who lives in Milwaukee with her husband and children. After running a successful meal delivery service, she turned her attention back to home cooking, creating a newsletter, an in-progress cookbook, and The Gathering — a yoga and dinner series for women who need a room where nothing is being asked of them, because feeding people (and being fed) is her love language.

As Maggie says, the real good life is already yours.

Ready to build a stronger, more sustainable food-writing business?

It’s education for food writers, taught by food writers.

Upgrade to Paid

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

What's Happening This Week

Rebecca Blackwell — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:03:00 GMT

Happy Monday everyone! Here’s what’s coming up in Mastermind For Food Writers and The Food Writers Business Lab.

Two weeks at a glance:

Coffee Break Chat with Maggie Joos: Substack LIVE, Tuesday, September 22 at 6:00pm EST
Mastermind Meeting THIS WEEK! Join us on Wednesday, September 23! Free for everyone to attend, but registration is required.
Coffee Break Chat with Melissa Norman: Substack LIVE, Thursday, September 24, at 10am EST
How To Build a Platform That Will Sell Your Book Part 2 with : Thursday, September 24, 1:00pm EST
Coffee Break Chat with Kalee Tilli: Substack LIVE, Tuesday September 29, at 11am EST
The Food Readers Book Club! September 30th at 4pm UK time, 8 am Pacific Time and 11 am Eastern Time

This week: Mastermind Meeting, North America and Europe

This month will be an open-forum-style meeting. Bring your questions, challenges, roadblocks, and requests for feedback. This is your chance to take full advantage of all the brain power and expertise in the room!

One of the main things we’ll be talking about in this month’s meeting is Notes. We’ll dig in to how all of us are using them, what’s working and what’s not, how we’re thinking about Notes, what we love and what we hate.

*Meetings are free to join but registration is required.

Wednesday, September 23: 11:00am, New York (Eastern Standard Time)
Meeting hosted by Rebecca Blackwell
Follow this link to register for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/PiSUZeb6RACxAWlFSw5ENw
After you register for the meeting, you will receive an email that will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar in your time zone.

Start reading and mark your calendars for the next Food Readers Book Club meeting!

Join us for the discussion on September 30th at 4pm UK time, 8 am Pacific Time and 11 am Eastern Time. Meetings are free for anyone to join, but registration is required.

More information + Register

Recording from the September Business Strategy Meeting

Business Strategy Meetings are once a month mastermind meeting for paid members of this community. This month’s meeting sparked a discussion that’s still going on in the paid subscriber chat. If you weren’t able to join us, here’s where you’ll find the recording.

The October Business Strategy Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 21 at 3pm EST.

Replay + Register

Recording: How To Build A Platform That Will Sell Your Book

Instructor:

Last week Stephanie laid out a strategic plan for authors at any stage who want a more sustainable way to grow an audience and build genuine reader relationships that lead to book sales. She walked us through the many forms visibility can take, what nurture looks like after someone finds you, and how to make a clear, confident ask without feeling salesy. Then, she handed us a workbook so we could get to work filling in the gaps, outlining what we need to build next, and putting the pieces together to build a bigger, more engaged audience.

If you weren’t able to join us, the recording is now available! Part 2 of this workshop is on Thursday, September 24, 1:00pm-2:30pm EDT

Recording + Register for Part 2

Coming up in The Food Writers Business Lab: SEO for Food Writers

Instructor:

Better still, those bridges keep working over time, helping your recipes and stories reach new readers again and again for months and years to come.

More Information + Register

The Food Writers Business Lab is for food writers who want practical, affordable guidance for growing their businesses, expanding their audience, and building sustainable careers.

Find out more about how the Food Writers Business Lab works
View the Class Calendar
Workshops are recorded and added to the Library, available to watch whenever you like

Remember that the Mastermind for Food Writers chat is a great place to ask questions, get feedback, share ideas, and connect with other food writers on Substack.

Have a wonderful week!

-Rebecca Blackwell

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

Live with Kerry Faber

Rebecca Blackwell — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 01:07:45 GMT

One of the things that becomes immediately apparent in this conversation, or after spending even five minutes reading one of ’s newsletters, is her generosity. And I don’t mean the kind of generosity that suggests she’d give you the shirt off her back (although I’m certain she would). I mean the kind of generosity bolstered by real-world knowledge and hard-earned expertise.

Kerry is the person who saves you from making a mistake because she has already tested the solution for you. She’s the person who helps you conserve your precious resources because the advice she offers is anything but hollow.

I had the privilege of meeting Kerry in person earlier this year, and talking with her during this Coffee Break Chat felt as though we’d picked up right where we left off. I have a feeling that’s how every conversation with Kerry feels.

About Kerry

Kerry is a professional recipe tester with nine years of experience in food media and cookbooks, plus culinary school training and a lifelong love of food. She know what makes a recipe work—and more importantly, what makes it taste amazing. Her superpower? Spotting which recipes deliver in real life, not just on paper.

Kerry started Dish Lister because friends, family, and colleagues kept asking for her go-to recipes, favorite restaurants, and general culinary advice. Over the years, she’s become a trusted source for anyone looking for practical, reliable, and tasty recommendations.

Her newsletter isn’t simply a laundry list of recipes, but rather a thoughtfully curated collection of regulars in her rotation, each tested (and occasionally perfected) in her own kitchen.

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.

Live with Anna Vocino

Rebecca Blackwell — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 19:23:53 GMT

What becomes obvious within 30 seconds of talking to is how genuinely interested she is in other people. The most interesting people are interested people, and that’s Anna.

I learned a lot about Anna during this conversation, but I also learned a great deal about publishing. Anna has self-published two cookbooks and traditionally published two others. She shared her experiences with both publishing paths, including how she used self-publishing to build her platform.

We also talked about a hundred other things because, as you will see, Anna is the kind of person you can talk to all day and never run out of topics.

About Anna

Anna is the author of the Eat Happy Cookbooks, including Eat Happy Cocktail Hour which comes out in October!

In addition to writing cookbooks, Anna is also a comedian, professional voice talent, recipe developer, and food photographer with an extensive product line and a best selling Substack newsletter. So, yes, we’ll definitely be talking about how she juggles all of those balls and makes it look so damn easy.

Anna’s recipes are always gluten free, and almost always keto, low carb, NSNG (No Sugars No Grains), Whole 30, and grain free.

Questions?

Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.