Ask the Author: Kathleen Flinn
Answered Questions (7)
Kathleen Flinn
Ha! Love your cheese reference... :) I am also intrigued by the continued practice of using potato chips as a crunchy garnish.
One thing often overlooked in our regional cuisine is just how much great fish come from all the lakes in the Midwest. Just a huge array of fish, and many a proud fisherman with his/her own special method to frying/grilling/pan searing it.
One thing often overlooked in our regional cuisine is just how much great fish come from all the lakes in the Midwest. Just a huge array of fish, and many a proud fisherman with his/her own special method to frying/grilling/pan searing it.
Kathleen Flinn
I started thinking about writing BURNT TOAST MAKES YOU SING GOOD when I was at work on my first book. So much of what defines me as a cook comes from my childhood that I wanted to write about that time, and about my parents' generation. Originally, I thought the book would simply focus on the time we lived on our farm in Michigan and all the food stuff related to that, so the first working title was "The Farm on Coldwater Road." But then it became a bigger story when I pulled in my grandparents and their parents and expanded beyond the farm. I chose the existing title because I mentioned it in a book report about A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN when I was 13 years old. It struck me as a metaphor, sort of along the lines of what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. When I had that title, it shaped the arc of the overall book.
Kathleen Flinn
Kind of by everything I read, listen or hear. My problem these days isn't finding something to write about, but how to organize all the books that I want to write. I wrote down the list of titles that I have banging around in my head and it came to 17. Crazy, right?
I'm most inspired by listening to people's stories and by places. That must be the journalist in me.
I'm most inspired by listening to people's stories and by places. That must be the journalist in me.
Kathleen Flinn
I am working on three different projects:
1) a food-heavy novel that will likely debut in 2016
2) a series of cookbooks associated with my web site, CookFearless.com
3) a non-fiction narrative with recipes that I'm going to be independently publishing in autumn 2015
1) a food-heavy novel that will likely debut in 2016
2) a series of cookbooks associated with my web site, CookFearless.com
3) a non-fiction narrative with recipes that I'm going to be independently publishing in autumn 2015
Kathleen Flinn
Write every day. Join a professional organization that makes sense for your genre. In my case, I joined the International Assn of Culinary Professionals. I met loads of other food writers and those connections had major impact on my work and career. Go to conferences. Meet other writers and published authors. It's incredibly valuable as you're learn a lot about the industry and the learning curve on getting published will not feel as steep.
But seriously. Write every day. Read books in your genre to figure how they "work." Take writing classes. Writing is a craft that takes patience. And remember that everyone writes bad first drafts. Except maybe Frank Bruni of The New York Times. But really, everyone else does...
But seriously. Write every day. Read books in your genre to figure how they "work." Take writing classes. Writing is a craft that takes patience. And remember that everyone writes bad first drafts. Except maybe Frank Bruni of The New York Times. But really, everyone else does...
Kathleen Flinn
Getting email from readers who say that they've been inspired by something I wrote that made an impact on their life. It could be something as simple as being inspired to roast their first chicken or buy a good knife. I've also heard from people who quit their jobs to go follow their passions. No way a day job can compete with that... although it was nice having health insurance.
Kathleen Flinn
My No. 1 trick for writer's block is to open up my email about why I'm having trouble writing. I leave the recipient blank, but usually I have someone in mind, such as my mother, a friend, etc. I find that spending three or four minutes whining about why I can't write actually serves as a warm-up and it usually breaks the ice. I once wrote an entire chapter in email -- and then sent it to myself.
The other thing that I do is to shift what I'm working on. Since I'm a food writer, if I'm stuck on something in the narrative of a book, then I go work on a recipe, either editing it, reviewing comments from my recipe testers, that sort of thing.
What I find doesn't work is mindless online admin. I can get very caught up in returning emails, following up on event details, that kind of stuff. So I try to avoid it.
The other thing that I do is to shift what I'm working on. Since I'm a food writer, if I'm stuck on something in the narrative of a book, then I go work on a recipe, either editing it, reviewing comments from my recipe testers, that sort of thing.
What I find doesn't work is mindless online admin. I can get very caught up in returning emails, following up on event details, that kind of stuff. So I try to avoid it.
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Jun 25, 2019 10:50AM · flag