I have a confession: I started See Jane Write for selfish reasons.

In 2009 I left my job as a newspaper reporter in Louisville, Kentucky and returned to my hometown of Birmingham, Alabama to teach English at a local high school for kids gifted in the fine arts and math and science. Though I was fond of my new colleagues I missed the group of female writers I was surrounded by in my newsroom.

I searched for a women’s writing group that would welcome poets, authors, journalists, and bloggers – all hats I’d worn at one point in my writing life – but I couldn’t find one. So I decided to start an organization of my own.

In part one of the “Write Like a Boss” series I discussed why I believe writers must also be entrepreneurs and treat writing and blogging like a business. In part two I discussed the importance of knowing the kind of writer you want to be and what you want for the future of your writing career or blog. In part three I urged you to promote your work — shamelessly. And in part four I explored seven ways you can make money as a writer.

Over the course of this series I’ve been urging you to do a lot and the things I’ve been encouraging you to do aren’t easy. And that’s why I believe you shouldn’t do them alone. None of us should go after our dreams alone. We need support. We need a tribe.

Years ago I read an essay by Natalie Goldberg that was titled “Writing is a Communal Act.” In the essay she writes:

“Writing is a communal act…Contrary to popular belief, a writer is not Prometheus alone on a hill full of fire… It’s good to know some local people who are writing and whom you can get together with for mutual support…Kill the idea of the lone, suffering artist. We suffer anyway as human beings. Don’t make it any harder on yourself.”

– Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones

As I read those words I could feel my heart swelling in my chest. Someone else gets it, I thought to myself.

In 2011 I started See Jane Write because I had no desire to be “Prometheus alone on a hill full of fire.” I wanted to be what Goldberg calls a “tribal writer.” I wanted to answer Goldberg’s call to “Become big and write with the whole world in your arms.”

Through See Jane Write I am simply following the wise advice of Danielle LaPorte: “Find your tribe. Love them hard.”

See Jane Write started as a meeting of about a dozen women who gathered for dinner at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in Birmingham and now See Jane Write is an award-winning business and a national network of hundreds of women.

When people learn that my name is Javacia and not Jane they always ask, “Who is Jane?” and I say “You are!”

No, my name is not Jane and See Jane Write isn’t all about me — it’s about you and any woman who wants to use the power of both the written and spoken word to make money and make a difference.

I seek to help women do this in a number of ways including the See Jane Write blog and the free See Jane Write Facebook community.

But for women looking for more, for women who are really ready to write like a boss, I also offer the See Jane Write Members Collective.

By joining the Members Collective you get access to the following:

  • Subscription to the JANE JumpStart, exclusive content to help with writing, blogging, and branding sent to your email inbox each week
  • Access to a private Facebook community
  • Monthly virtual workshops
  • Monthly virtual group coaching sessions with me and your fellow members
  • Invitations to in-person, members-only events
  • Discounts on in-person workshops
  • Discounts on my e-courses

Join me Tuesday, June 20 at 6:30 p.m. CT for the Write Like a Boss webinar. I’ll be delving deeper into the topics discussed in this series, answering your questions about writing and blogging and addressing any questions you have about the See Jane Write Members Collective. Sign up for the webinar here.