Scenes from the Bloganista Mixer presented by Hamer Law Group

On Thursday June 19 we held a preview party of our upcoming conference for fashion, fitness, and lifestyle bloggers. We had about three dozen people show up for our Bloganista Mixer presented by Hamer Law Group. The event was scheduled from 5:30 to 8 p.m., but we were having so much fun the party didn’t end until 9 p.m.

Here are some highlights from the mixer:

Thanks to Chris Hamer, Keith Lee, and Alan Duke of Hamer Law Group for being great supporters of See Jane Write.

White blazers were definitely trending!

LaTanya Millhouse (left) with fashion blogger Erica Bunker, who is one of the panelists for our upcoming conference.

I had to get a picture with Heather Brown of MyLifeWellLoved.com. Heather is also a panelist for our upcoming conference. 

More great fashion! These ladies are true bloganistas!

With my pal Jen, who blogs at StellarFashionandFitness.com

Jessica Furniss of SpiffyEats.com was definitely dressed to impress. 

I’m so glad my girl Karri Bentley could make it to the party!

The first five people to arrive received a bumper sticker from the Original B’ham. Portia shows off her prize!

Sherri, Mandy, and Carla Jean — three ladies Birmingham is lucky to have!

My pal and fitness blogger Tanya Sylvan will also be a panelist at the Bloganista Mini-Conference.

We had a great turnout and the folks who came didn’t even know there would be strawberry cake from Edgar’s Bakery.

Thanks to Hamer Law Group for providing refreshments for the evening. 
More great fashion from Ivette Thomas of AllAboutBham.com, Heather Brown of MyLifeWellLoved.com and Buffy York of TheStyleGathering.com.

Karri Bentley, Chanda Temple, and Dru Harris pose for the camera.

Time for a selfie!

See more pictures from the Bloganista Mixer at the See Jane Write Facebook page.

Get your tickets to the Bloganista Mini-Conference at thebloganistaconference.eventbrite.com.

Jane About Town: The Bloganista Mixer presented by Hamer Law Group

Here at See Jane Write we are very excited about our upcoming event The Bloganista Mini-Con, a partial-day conference for fashion, fitness, and lifestyle bloggers. To celebrate we’re hosting a mixer for local bloggers. 
At the Bloganista Mixer enjoy drink specials and complimentary appetizers provided by Hamer Law Group. 
The first five people to arrive will receive a door prize from The Original Birmingham. 


At this party you’ll have a chance to meet and greet some of the Bloganista Mini-Con panelists and speakers as well as network with other local bloggers. 
Attendees will also have a chance to purchase conference tickets without online processing fees. This will be the last day to purchase tickets at the early bird price. 

Join us Thursday, June 19 from 5:30 – 8 p.m. at the Wine Loft in downtown Birmingham. The Bloganista Mixer is free, but registration is required. 

RSVP here. 
Dress to impress! 

The Bloganista Mini-Conference

 
 
See Jane Write believes you, your life and your blog should be fabulous. And so we present to you our first mini-conference — The Bloganista Mini-Con, a partial day conference for fashion, fitness, and lifestyle bloggers.  The mini-conference will be held 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 19 at the Homewood Public Library, 1721 Oxmoor Road.
 
Don’t worry if you’re not a style blogger; this conference has something for everyone. Topics we’ll cover include: 
  • Using your blog to land freelance writing gigs and speaking engagements
  • How your blog can land you a new job
  • Working with brands
  • Niche blogging 
  • Time management tips 
  • How to dress like a fashion blogger (even if you’re not one)
  • Turning your blog into a business
  • Spreading the word about your blog 
 
Our Speakers/Panelists: 
 
Alexis Barton of Same Chic Different Day
Heather Brown of My Life Well Loved
Erica Bunker of Erica Bunker DIY Style
Megan LaRussa Chenoweth of Southern Femme
Vanessa Culpepper of Budding Fashionista
Bertha Hidalgo of Chic In Academia 
Williesha Morris of My Freelance Life 
Tanya Sylvan of All In Stride
Carla Jean Whitley of Birmingham magazine
 
Tentative Conference Schedule
 
Morning Mingle     10 – 11 a.m.
Enjoy a continental breakfast and network with other local bloggers. 

Welcome by Javacia Harris Bowser, Founder of See Jane Write 11 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. 
 
Morning Keynote by Alexis Barton of Same Chic Different Day     11:15 a.m. – noon  
 
LUNCH ON YOUR OWN     NOON – 1:30 P.M. 
 
How to Be a Bloganista     1:30 – 2:15 p.m.
Local bloggers will share tips on time management, blog promotion, developing blog post ideas, working with brands, how to dress like a fashion blogger, and much more. Panelists: Heather Brown of My Life Well Loved, Erica Bunker of Erica Bunker DIY Style, Vanessa Culpepper of Budding Fashionista, and Bertha Hidalgo of Chic In Academia
 
Beyond the Blog     2:15 – 3 p.m.
Editors of local publications and local bloggers will share tips on how you can use your blog to land freelance writing gigs and even a full-time job. Panelists: Alexis Barton of Same Chic Different Day, Williesha Morris of My Freelance Life, Tanya Sylvan of All In Stride, and Carla Jean Whitley of Birmingham magazine
 
Break     3 – 3:30 p.m. 
 
Afternoon Keynote
by Megan LaRussa Chenoweth of Southern Femme     3:30 – 4:15 p.m.
 
Farewell     4:15 – 4:30 p.m. 

Blog, Baby, Blog!

 


Last month Birmingham-based communications consultant Wade Kwon came to speak to members of See Jane Write about blogging. Kwon is the director of the social media conference Y’all Connect and he was one of the founders of the award-winning website Magic City Post. 

Kwon’s advice to us was much simpler than I expected. His secret to success: “Blog, baby, blog!” Kwon stressed the importance of consistency and gave great advice on how we can keep our blogs alive. 

Wade Kwon addressing See Jane Write members at a recent workshop
(Photo by Audrey Atkins)



Pursue your passion. “Tap into something you could write about all the time,” Kwon said. But you still need to know why you’re blogging. What is your objective? What do you want to get out of your blog? 

Tackle your tagline. Develop a phrase that succinctly describes everything you want to cover. When Kwon and his partners started Magic City Post, they figured out that their site would celebrate all that’s right about Birmingham. The site’s About page read: 

Magic City Post in two words? Unrelentingly Positive! 

MCP in 18 words? A daily look at the Birmingham metro area that shows off the best the region has to offer.

I believe that if you can describe your blog in a concise way such as that, you can use that tagline as a mission statement that will not only help you decide what to write but also help you make decisions about posts from guest bloggers, sponsored posts and more. 

Create catchy content. The thing new bloggers struggle with most is usually a lack of readership. Kwon offered some practical advice on how to get the word out about your blog. First, create content that will be shared over and over. This can be compelling, controversial posts but it can also be posts that are very useful. For example, if you write a hyperlocal blog, consider a post of highlighting important city events of the year or a list of local restaurants open on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Throughout the year stop and ask yourself what kind of information are people seeking right now. 
Be sure to share your content via social media but don’t underestimate the power of email marketing. Your blog should have on its front page a way for readers to sign up for regular updates about your site. 

Click here if you’d like more highlights from Kwon’s talk. 

Kwon’s talk left me with a lot to think about. I’m at a point of truly trying to figure out who I want to be in the World Wide Web. Do I want my blog to be the place people turn to for writing tips or do I want it to be full of feminist musings? Do I want to be a fitness blogger? (After all, I am exercising EVERY SINGLE DAY.) Do I want to blog about my love for Birmingham? Or do I want to blog about my life as a teacher? Or perhaps there’s a way I could blog about ALL OF THIS, but then I run the risk of being a Jane of all trades and master of none. 
I’m not sure how I want my writing career to look.



Cross-posted at The Writeous Babe Project. 

Jane About Town: Birmingham Bloggers Monthly Meetup

There’s a new blogging group in town and See Jane Write is eager to support this organization. Birmingham Bloggers is led by Meredith Davis, Beth Branch and Molly Moon and caters to male and female bloggers of all ages in the Birmingham metro area. Their goal is simple — to help local bloggers meet and collaborate. 

Birmingham Bloggers will host its first monthly meetup at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Chuy’s in the Summit. RSVP via Twitter @bhambloggers or via email at bhambloggers@gmail.com. 

Looking Ahead

There are many great blogging and social media conferences coming up this summer that you don’t want to miss. 
Y’all Connect Presented by Alabama Power is a blogging and social media conference taking place Friday, June 13 in Birmingham. The mission of Y’all Connect is to give attendees practical takeaways in corporate storytelling. See Jane Write fans can save $30 on Y’all Connect tickets using the code SJW110. But hurry. This offer expires May 30. 
The Bloganista Mini-Con is See Jane Write’s first mini-conference. This partial day conference is designed for fashion, fitness, and lifestyle bloggers but has something for everyone. Early bird tickets are only $20! Learn about our speakers and session topics and get your tickets today at thebloganistaconference.eventbrite.com. 
Save the date! This year’s WordCamp Birmingham is set for Saturday, August 16. WordCamp Birmingham is the South’s oldest running WordCamp having its first in 2008. WordCamp is a great opportunity to learn about WordPress whether you are a beginninger or advanced user. Visit  http://2014.birmingham.wordcamp.org to sign up for updates on this year’s conference.