Happy November, everyone! Here’s what’s coming up in Mastermind For Food Writers and The Food Writers Business Lab.
If you missed it, last week I shared some thoughts about The Future of Search, Substack, and Getting Found.
The article sets up the topic for this month’s Mastermind Meeting on November 11, where we’ll explore how the future of search (and yes, this includes Substack) may depend on how clearly we define the questions we want our work to answer.
Meetings are free for everyone to join, but registration is required. Here’s where to register:
At a glance:
The NEW Notes Boost Tuesday starts tomorrow! More information below!
If you missed it, here’s the recording from my Coffee Break Chat with Kimberly Nichols
SEO for Food Writers, Part 2, The Working Session: Thursday, November 5, 12:00pm Eastern
The Art of Writing Recipe Headnotes: A Substack LIVE conversation with Kelsey Erin Shipman, Thursday, November 5, 3pm Eastern
November Mastermind Meeting: Wednesday, November 11 at 11:00am Eastern
Business Strategy Meeting: Wednesday, November 18 at 3pm Eastern
New Home for Notes Boost Tuesday!
A message from Lynn Hill:
For several years, Food Writer’s Forum has been the home where, each week, every member has had the opportunity to boost their Notes. The support for each other has been lovely to see.
But as we all know, Substack is changing. Even as we draft and schedule our next articles and Notes, Substack announces something new. And the number of notifications we get keeps on growing.
So why not engage and connect with a larger audience? Hence the move to Mastermind For Food Writers.
On November 30th, I will delete the Food Writer’s Forum to concentrate on FoodStak. I don’t know who originally said it, but I often hear it quoted. “Concentrate on one thing and do it well”. So that is what I hope to do.
Thank you so much for all your support and kindness. I am not leaving Substack, just shifting the compass a little with FoodStak to search for my ‘North Star’ (If you know, you know) :-)
-Lynn x
One of the things I spend a lot of time thinking about is how we - the food writers on substack - can work together. Every single food writer I know, myself included, is working incredibly hard not only to produce good work but also to grow our reach in meaningful ways. This is not easy, and it’s certainly not getting easier.
I keep coming back to the idea that working together is our competitive advantage. A weekly notes boost is just one way we can use our collective reach to boost our individual efforts. But it only works if a lot of us participate.
By moving the Notes Boost over to Mastermind for Food Writers, Lynn and I hope to make it accessible to more food writers and, in doing so, increase its impact.
Participating is easy
Every Tuesday morning you’ll receive an email about that week’s Notes Boost.
Follow the instructions in the email to participate.
Each boost will run from Tuesday to Tuesday.
The goal is to engage with the other food writers in this group in a meaningful way and thereby increase engagement and reach for them and for you!
That’s it! Send me a message if you have any questions!
November Meeting Information
This month, the main topic will be defining the questions for which your work is uniquely positioned to 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
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.
The Art of Writing Recipe Headnotes
Join Kelsey Erin Shipman and me on Thursday, November 5, at 3:00 pm Eastern for a conversation about the art and science of recipe headnotes.
What makes a headnote truly compelling? And what are cookbook editors and publishers looking for?
These are just two of the things Kelsey and I will talk about in this live conversation. Join us!
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.
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!
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.
Questions?
Send a direct message to Rebecca Blackwell, or leave a comment on this post.