What's Happening This Week
Monday, August 10, 2026
Happy Monday everyone! Here’s what’s coming up in Mastermind For Food Writers and The Food Writers Business Lab.
The August Mastermind For Food Writers Meeting is this Wednesday!
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 things we’ll be talking about is the new Audience Specific Blocks. I think this is the best feature Substack has created in a long time and I’ll show you how I’m using them to create a better experience for readers without paywals.
*Meetings are free to join but registration is required.
Wednesday, August 12: 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/o9ceFG9dSUCkkPKOWWMRTg
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.
*Liza Debevec, the facilitator for the Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific Meeting, is taking a much deserved break in August, so there will only be one meeting in August.
Two weeks at a glance:
Coffee Break Chat with Laurie Mucha: Substack LIVE, Thursday, August 13 at 11:00am EST
The Heart of Your Brand with Rebecca Blackwell: Thursday, August 13, 5:00pm EST
Platform Building Q&A with Stephanie Moon: Substack LIVE, Friday, August 14, 3:00pm EST
Coffee Break Chat with Linda Naylor: Substack LIVE, Monday, August 17 at 4:00pm EST
Business Strategy Meeting: For Paid Subscribers, Wednesday, August 19 at 6:00pm EST
Coffee Break Chat with Betty Williams: Substack LIVE, Thursday, August 20 at 3:00pm EST
In case you missed it, here’s where you’ll find the recording from my Coffee Break Chat with Mira Dessy
Mira is a writer, lifelong learner, crochet enthusiast, gardener, tea drinker, and someone who believes that nourishment is about far more than what’s on the dinner table.
In this conversation we talked about what holistic nutrition actually means, why Mira started writing on Substack, the challenges and opportunities she’s found here, how she organizes the content that she writes about, the book club she’s been running for almost a decade, and how her Substack is a tangible demonstration of how she lives her message every day.
Recording: DIY Cookbook Proposals
If you’re even remotely interested in writing a cookbook, this class is pure gold.
One of the things I love most about how Kelsey Erin Shipman teaches this material is the way she shows you where and how to start. Starting a big project like this can often feel overwhelming, but Kelsey shows you where to start and then lays out the best path forward.
She also shows you how you can use the proposal writing process to build your platform, sharpen your focus, and flesh out all of the creative ideas rattling around in your head.
You’ll find detailed instructions for what belongs in each section of a proposal, along with examples of each section from real cookbook proposals.
This Week! The Heart of Your Brand
Instructor: Rebecca Blackwell
Your loyal readers aren’t there because of what you write. They are loyal because of how your recipes, stories, and words make them feel.
In this workshop, we’ll uncover the central idea that gives your work meaning and makes readers feel connected to it. You’ll learn how to identify the feeling that people return for, articulate why readers are naturally drawn to it, and create a strategy for clearly communicating that message across your entire brand.
I could tell you this workshop will help you build a stronger brand. And it will. But, more than that, it’s about finding the language that makes every piece of your business feel unmistakably, authentically yours.
When: August 13, 5:00pm - 6:30pm EST
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.
That Blueberry Loaf cake looks amazing!! And of course we should delve deeper into to the world of a horse, of course. 😍. Miss you my friend! Hope your summer has been magical. 💗