5 Things Women Writers & Bloggers Should Try This Month

As I sat in my home office with a notebook and my favorite planner before me, preparing to set my goals for this month, I heard a voice whisper to me. That voice said: “Don’t lose yourself.”

No, I’m not presumptuous enough to say that this voice was the voice of God. I believe this voice was my inner warrior woman that speaks to me often and helps me survive circumstances I can’t control and the consequences of my own foolishness, too.

And so, as I set my goals for August, I kept those words in mind.

Losing myself would be easy to do this month. This month the 2016-2017 school year begins, which means I go back to juggling my full-time job with all my part-time hustle. So in the midst of it all I have to make sure that working on my side hustle doesn’t result in treating myself like a side piece.

I can’t lose myself in teaching. And as much as I love my blog and my business, I can’t lose myself in See Jane Write, either.

Instead, I must find myself by writing for myself, while also making boss babe moves.

Here are five things I’m going to do this month and perhaps you should give them a try, too.

Start keeping a lady journal.

Do you remember when you used to wake up early or stay up late just to scribble personal prose in your diary — your dreams, your hopes, your fears, and all your little secrets? Remember how you’d write in your diary while sprawled across your bed with your hair piled into a messy bun because you didn’t want any distractions, not even the curls you twirl around your finger when you’re in deep thought? To me, this is what it means to write like a girl. And I want, I need, to do this again.

I may have outgrown my teenage girl diary, but there’s no reason why I can’t start a lady journal today. And in this journal I will scribble my personal prose — my dreams, my hopes, my fears, and all my little secrets — but I will also plot out plans to build my business and my brand into an empire.

This month, try starting a lady journal of your own.

Work to land a new freelance writing gig. 

I want to write like a girl, and I will. But the truth is I’m a grown-ass woman with grown-ass woman bills, so I must also write to get paid. This month I’m challenging myself to land one new paid freelance writing assignment. Perhaps you should challenge yourself to do the same.

Commit to consistency. 

Good things come to those who hustle. Starting this month I’m committing to blogging five days a week. What will be your commitment for the month? Perhaps you’ll blog more regularly, too. Or maybe you’ll challenge yourself to write every day. Whatever you choose, just choose to hustle and hustle hard.

Blog with bae. 

I don’t mean to brag, but my husband is incredible. He’s at almost every See Jane Write event helping me set up and clean up and he’s the one who encourages me to keep going whenever I’m tempted to give up.

And just last week when I told him I was thinking about buying some new clothes he said he thought it would be a smart investment because dressing well is good for my brand. And my husband hates to spend money! But he loves to support my dreams.

You see, my husband gets me and he gets this, in part because he’s a blogger, too, but also because he’s awesome.

This month I want the two of us to spend a day at one of our favorite coffee shops working on our blogs together. I’d also like to collaborate with him on a post or two.

If you have a partner and spouse, consider how you can involve him or her in your passion projects.

Write letters to God.

I started keeping a prayer journal when I was in college. I had always struggled to concentrate when I tried to pray the old-fashioned way, but writing my prayers never occurred to me until I went off to college and started going to what my family called “a white folks church.” Well, a lot of the “white folks” kept prayer journals and so I got one, too. And it revolutionized my relationship with God.

I’ve always found that, whether I’m going to church regularly or not, I always feel closest to God when I’m writing in my prayer journal daily. So this month, that’s what I’m going to do.

Do you believe in God or some divine force? If so, try writing letters to that higher power and see how centered you begin to feel. Or perhaps just keep a daily gratitude journal and spend a few minutes each day listing all the things you’re thankful for.

What are your goals and plans for August? If you want accountability and encouragement this month, join the See Jane Write Network Facebook group. It’s fun and it’s free!