Everyone is doing it or wants to do it. We are talking about food writing. In this Internet age, it seems that everyone has an opinion with regards to food and the amount of food bloggers and food reviewers are increasing by the minute. “Anyone can own a blog about food, but it does not necessity make you a food blogger. So who makes the decision then, I would say, who decides if you are a reputable food blogger, would be the public,” says Dr Leslie Tay of ieatishootipost.com and author of The End of Char Kway Teow and Other Hawker Mysteries, during the Great Food Debate 2012.

We all know how passionate and defensive Singaporeans can be about food. So if you are considering venturing into this dangerous but delectable field, we share some food writing tips.

Wear your correct hat.

And it has nothing to do with fashion. When starting out as a food writer, come clear on your position. Are you a foodie championing street food or someone who can wax lyrical about vegetarian cuisine? Once you make yourself clear, your readers will then know where you are coming from. Catherine Ling, award-winning food blogger ( www.camemberu.com ) adds, “Know why you want to blog – it should be something that gives you great joy, even if nobody is reading. Many people start blogs but don’t have the stamina or interest to keep the blogs going. It is easy to be a food blogger, anyone can do it. But it requires a lot of effort and commitment to be a good one.”

Be Honest

“You must know what you are writing about, otherwise don’t write. Everyone in Singapore loves to eat, so you can’t fool your readers. You can’t bluff, you can’t hedge,” says Thomas Wee, media and editorial consultant of Thomas Wee Consultancy, previously head of the editorial training unit at SPH.

“Be honest, because in the long term credibility matters,” says Catherine.

As they say, one man’s meat is another man’s poison. Food can be subjective, but as long as you describe accurately and honestly the way it is, no one else can question your writing.

Have a Structure

Food writing, or writing in general, does need to have some form of structure. Your text is basically consisting of your introduction, body and conclusion. How it works is similar to how a relationship progresses.

– The introduction refers to the point of interest, and what your article is about. It’s like meeting your other half for the first time, and first impressions count.

– The body is the main text of your story and it needs to be interesting. This happens when your reader decides to commit to the relationship.

– The conclusion completes the experience, and may spur your reader to a point of action. The parallel to this in a relationship would be having babies.

Mr. Simple

You don’t have to use bombastic words in your writing. Thomas says, “Be simple and precise in your words. Don’t try too hard to impress with adjectives and adverbs.”

Catherine says, “Indulge in creative sensory descriptions, but don’t be overwrought or long-winded!”

Have Fun

As author Oscar Wilde once said, “Life is too serious to be taken seriously.” Food is meant to be enjoyed, just like writing. Catherine remarks, “Your journey in food writing can be a great way to learn new things. That in itself can be more enriching than the best food to pass through your lips.”

Thomas concludes, “You must like and be excited about what you are doing. Your excitement or lack of it, and what you feel as you taste the food – all this comes across clearly to me as I read what you write.”