Stop being a writer who doesn’t write.
I first heard those words from blogger and journalist Alexis Barton in July 2014 at the first Bloganista Mini-Con, the annual summer blogging conference I organize and host through See Jane Write. Alexis, who blogs at Same Chic Different Day, was the morning keynote speaker at that year’s conference. Her words stuck with me. I’m still hearing them a year and a half later: Stop being a writer who doesn’t write.
Lately, I feel as if I’m failing to answer this call, failing to meet this charge. Lately, I feel as if I am a writer who doesn’t write.
See Jane Write has become a business and this makes me excited and proud. This has given me the opportunity to inspire and empower more women than I could have ever imagined. But when I started See Jane Write it was simply meant to be a women’s writing group. And lately I’ve been longing to return to my writing roots.
I am a nonfiction writer — an essayist and freelance journalist — so returning to my writing roots doesn’t mean that I am spending time creating compelling characters or an intriguing plot. But it does mean that I should be pitching story ideas to my favorite publications. And it means I should be working on that collection of essays I’ve always wanted to publish.
But I haven’t been doing any of this because I’ve been so busy building my business.
But I’m tired of being a writer who doesn’t write.
So I’ve challenged myself to pitch a story idea to a print or online publication every week.
I’ve challenged myself to read more memoir and personal essays because nothing inspires me to write like reading good writing.
And I’ve challenged myself to return See Jane Write to its writing roots, too.
Don’t worry, I will still have plenty of blog posts, e-courses, Periscope broadcasts, and events to help women build their blog, brand or business. And I’ll still be building my blog, brand, and business, too. But I also want to help you stop being a writer who doesn’t write and I’m going to do this with the See Jane Write Writers Workshop, a monthly workshop that will give you the opportunity to share your work with others for feedback.The workshop will only be open to See Jane Write members. Learn more about our membership program here. Email me at javacia@seejanewritebham.com if you’d like more information about the Writers Workshop.
Have you ever felt like a writer who doesn’t write? What did you do or what will you do to change this?