My Writing Process Blog Tour

When my friend and fellow food blogger Jane asked me if I could write up a post for “My Writing Process Blog Tour” I knew it was going to be fun, challenging, and introspective. So I gladly said I would share my writing process with you all!

Jane and I met at the Big Travelling Potluck where we just clicked. She is the generous, lovely, and talented person behind the blog, The Heritage Cook. She shares her recipes that are all gluten free, reliable, tested thoroughly, and super tasty. So if you need a good source for gluten free cooking and baking, bookmark her site, she is awesome. Jane also shares chocolate recipes on her site every Monday, so do not miss out on that, it is super fun!

She also said some seriously super sweet things about me over on her “Writing Process” blog post, along with a beautiful recipe for chocolate panna cotta. Go check it out, it made me blush major times.

So here it is, my writing process blog tour, questions that we all are answering in our post.

My Writing Process Blog Tour

1) What am I working on?

It’s been a whirlwind of travelling, writing, recipe developing, and creative strategy sessions so far this year. I have been fortunate to work with some incredible companies that believe in what I do, which has taken me to places I never thought of when I started this blog. The cherry on top, my site was redesigned and launched in May!

Back in January I did my first TV segment for AM Northwest sharing a recipe from my site. They invited me back and now I have a monthly spot on the show, so apparently that went well! So well that in May Sabra sponsored a TV segment on AM Northwest where I shared several ways to use hummus. Who would have thought that was a part of being a blogger? Awesome!

I knew recipe developing for brands was a going to be a huge part of my site and I love doing it. I teamed up with the Latina Bloggers and Cacique to bring you several posts throughout this year sharing recipes I develop for them. My first one was this Potato Skin recipe to celebrate the world soccer games rooting for Mexico!

I just went to an amazing dinner hosted by Ca Avocado in Portland at Mother’s Bistro. Check out some of pictures from my Instagram account! It was a beautiful evening full of avocado dishes, lovely company, and a bag full of goodies including the best part, avocados! Not too shabby so far this year, right? In July I will be travelling to Virginia to visit the chickpea farms, and hummus plant as a Sabra Tastemaker. I have connected with many incredible brands this year, and you will be seeing some more of their sponsored posts all the way through December.

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I am an individual. Therefor my work is different simply because of that. I am not one to go with the crowds, I sort of sing to my own tune. If you have met me, you know what I mean. My writing is my own voice, my recipe style is how I eat. I was born in Mexico into a Spanish, Mexican, and American family. Food was diverse to say the least.

It’s not necessarily that we all cooked together, I don’t have those specific memories. My memories are full of very good food. That is how we ate. We ate paella, Manchego cheese, Jamon Serano, gorditas, gallos, tacos, mole, tamales, and simply good food. I remember my Dad and I getting the carne asada plate to share. I remember my family lunches in Torreon every Summer growing up in Mexico. Or going to the golf club, “Campestre”, eating the best chilaquiles you will ever put in your mouth.

Ok, so long story long, those are the reasons why my work differs from others of its genre. Simply because I am different than those in my genre. No one grew up like I did, has my perspective, thought process, or experiences, those are unique to me. My experience in Culinary School was unique, and the things I learned and took away helped shape the chef I am today. That school coupled with the love my family had for food, that is why I differ.

3) Why do I write what I do?

The main reason, I want to teach people about good food and how to make it. The other, I like sharing things I like with people. Cooking from whole foods, and using good ingredients is important to me. But I realize that is intimidating to people. When I teach cooking and baking classes I see how much people love learning the nuances, tips, and tricks in cooking. It blows their minds how simple food can be to cook. So that was the catalyst for my blog. Teach people how to cook and bake, plus share things I like. Which becomes what I write.

4) How does your writing process work?

It all starts with an idea. A simmering of thoughts that float around in my brain. I jot them down, I jot everything down. If you have ever been there when an idea floats up, you have seen me write it down. It could be as simple as a fruit I want to work with, or a new post series that I want to write. Simmering of thoughts, sometimes the thought comes to fruition within days, sometimes months later I am sitting down to write about it. A huge part of it is inspiration. When I find it, it all flows nice and neat, for me.  Before it gets to that, it’s a list, a long list. As ideas are formed, the lists are formed. I revisit the lists fairly consistently, reorganizing, re-working them, adding to, subtracting from. As the lists are created, I get into the kitchen, list and ideas in hand, I cook or bake. I write notes as I cook and bake. I test recipes, and test them again.

Once that idea or recipe is ready, I sit down in the morning with a cup of coffee and the kitty girls. I write. I do most of my writing in the morning. Prior to a writing workshop I took from a mentor back in February, I used to multi task when I wrote. But some key advice from that day has changed my writing process and writing forever, for the best.

She wakes in the morning and writes for a couple of hours. No distractions is the key to her process. No other device, email, or social media is opened until her writing is done for that morning. “It is a matter of not allowing the world in until my own thoughts are written down.” It rang so true to my core, all the way deep down inside. I implemented that habit Monday morning after the class and have been it doing since.

Honestly, I can very much be an introvert. So when my thoughts are distracted by all of the social media work I need to do, reading blogs, news in food, emails, and stuff I get lost, and overwhelmed. So now, I write first, no distractions, just coffee and kitties. Then I let the world in, so to speak. It has been the most effective change in my writing process, and I love it.

Now to introduce to you the next set of “My Writing Process” lovelies!

Meagan from A Zesty Bite!

I met Meagan at BlogHer Food at my Sabra party. I remember her great laugh and lovely skirt. It was the end of the night, just a few ladies left, but tons of wine and great Sabra food. Is that not the best part of the party? We hit it off, had so much fun. She writes a blog called, A Zesty Bite. How cute is that name? I love it. She is a sweet, laid back, and awesome woman living in Texas. Meagan is the author, cook, baker, and photographer of her site with big dreams of opening up her own restaurant or modern meat market. Her post will be up on her blog on June 30th, so go check it out! It was such a nice treat meeting Meagan, and playing silly fun games that night at the party. Thank you lady!

Katie from A Hill Country Cook!

Katie and I also met at the BlogHer Food Sabra party, go figure. Same deal, end of night shenanigans, big laughs, hysterical stories,I knew she would be perfect for this blog tour. She is from Texas and shares food filled with flavor on her site, The Hill Country Cook. She is a Martha Stewart Circle blogger, and I totally get why! Her recipes are delicious, so head over to her site, and check it out! Katie’s blog tour post will be on June 30th! Good peoples, good fun, and I am happy to have met her.