Amelia Bodner
Food Editor and Proofreader

Writing Tips

Let your culinary wisdom shine

Your Target Audience and Purpose

 

When it comes to writing a recipe book, one of your most important considerations will probably be: who am I writing for?

This decision greatly affects how you describe your recipes, give instructions and present information. It will impact how detailed your writing is and whether you will add extra useful details or not.

Your writing style may also change depending on your audience: will you include personal information in your introduction, and occasionally use wordplay such as puns? Or are you developing a reference book with straightforward instructions and information, where it would be inappropriate to include personal details? What is the main topic of your book, and who may be most interested in it?

Even if you want to reach a broad audience and don’t have a very specific theme in mind (yet), it can help to think about these details to make your writing cohesive, clear and consistent throughout the book.

Here are a few aspects and examples to get you started:

Age group/purpose:

  • Children and teenagers
    • 3­- to 6-year-olds
    • 7- to 10-year olds
    • 11- to 14-year-olds
    • 15- to 18-year-olds
  • Grown-ups
    • working parents with less time to cook
    • students just learning to cook for themselves
    • more experienced cooks looking for something new to try

Skill level:

  • Beginners
    • give very basic instructions if necessary (such as how to peel and chop an onion easily)
    • focus on simplicity to avoid overwhelming the reader
  • Intermediate
    • a little less precise; no need to mention that onions and garlic should be peeled, for example
    • recipes can be more complex
  • Advanced
    • more sophisticated language
    • no need to describe or explain more than absolutely necessary (such as commonly used processes and terms)

Topic:

  • quick and easy (e.g. 15 minutes or less)
  • budget-friendly
  • based on dietary restrictions (e.g. gluten- or sugar-free)
  • based on a specific country or region
  • focused on one type of food (e.g. fish)

Going through these questions will hopefully help you get closer to your goal: writing a cookbook that is tailored to its purpose and audience, straightforward and easy to use. As always, I’d love to hear from you with more suggestions, questions or feedback – just leave a comment below.

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Your Target Audience

Amelia BodnerFood Editor and Proofreader Writing Tips Let your culinary wisdom shine Your Target Audience and Purpose   When it comes to writing a recipe

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Your Target Audience

Amelia BodnerFood Editor and Proofreader Writing Tips Let your culinary wisdom shine Your Target Audience and Purpose   When it comes to writing a recipe

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