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See Jane Speak (and Eat) at FoodBlogSouth

January 12, 2014
Birmingham, Blogging, Conferences, Events
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by javacia

I’ve been thinking about food a lot lately and not just because I’m fasting meat, sweets, and dairy for my church’s annual 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting.

I have also (like every other middle class American) resolved to eat a more healthful diet this year. If you need some help with your own aspiration to eat right in 2014, check out the recipe for Brussels sprouts with fried egg and curried spiced yogurt salad by Christy Turnipseed that was featured last week on SeeJaneWriteMagazine.com.

I’ve also been thinking a lot about food because on Saturday, January 25, I will be speaking at the annual food blogging conference FoodBlogSouth. Yes, I know I’m not a food blogger, but I’ll be speaking to attendees about generating blog post ideas.

I’m usually a bit embarrassed when people ask me how I come up with ideas for my blogs because my process is really weird. Sure, I believe you should read a lot of books, blogs, magazines and newspapers to stay abreast of trends and current events related to your niche. But I believe you still need to do something to mold all that information into a solid idea and this is where my process gets screwy. I have this uncanny ability to stare at an object, contemplate how I could connect it to my niche and produce a blog post idea from this process.

I especially enjoy using parts of the human body for inspiration. I could stare at my big toe and come up with five blog posts ideas. (Really, I can. I tried it once.) Weird as it is, I thought this process would come in handy when the organizers of FoodBlogSouth asked me to come speak about generating blog post ideas. My presentation is called America’s Next Top Blogger: How Tyra Banks Can Help You Generate Blog Post Ideas because Ms. Banks did, in a way, inspire this strange process of mine. On her show America’s Next Top Model, Tyra always tells the young aspiring models who are contestants on the show to model head to toe or “H2T.” At FoodBlogSouth I’ll be giving a 15-minute crash course in what I call “Blogging H2T.” I’m going to show attendees how they can generate 30 food-related blog post ideas by contemplating different parts of the human body.

I hope you’ll join me at this event. There are many other great reasons to attend FoodBlogSouth besides my weird talk. The conference will feature sessions on photography and food styling, how to turn your blog into a career, multimedia storytelling, and much more. You can view the full agenda online.

FoodBlogSouth 2014 will be held Jan. 24-25 at Rosewood Hall, 2850 19th Street South in Homewood, Alabama. Registration is $175 but See Jane Write fans can receive a discount by following this link.

My fast also ends the morning of this conference, so you will most likely see me stuffing my face with cake and cheese before and after (and perhaps even during) my talk.

4 Ways to Make 2014 Your Best Year Yet

December 31, 2013
Writing
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by javacia

Image by Dan Moyle via Flickr/Creative Commons

Happy New Year!

2013 was a big year for See Jane Write Birmingham. We hosted panel discussions on blogging and community journalism, publishing, and social media. We started Bloggers Who Brunch. And we launched an online magazine!

Even though 2013 was great, I want 2014 to be even better and not just for me, but for you too. Here are four ways you can help make 2014 your best year yet.

1. Set writing goals for the New Year. These goals will motivate and guide you throughout the year. If you need some inspiration check out the writing resolutions of some See Jane Write Magazine readers.

2. Develop helpful habits. I know you may be skeptical about making a New Year’s resolution. You may be thinking, “Been there. Done that. Didn’t work.” But let’s take a different approach this year. Instead of just drafting a list of lofty goals, decide on things you can do daily, weekly, and monthly that will help you accomplish those goals. By doing this you’re breaking down your big goals into small manageable steps. That’s exactly what I’m doing. You can read about my writing resolutions on SeeJaneWriteMagazine.com.

3. Find a writing accountability partner. As Natalie Goldberg states in her book Writing Down the Bones, writing is a communal act. We need someone in our lives to give us honest feedback and to hold us accountable for the goals that we set for our writing careers. My hope for the next See Jane Write event — a mixer set to be held Thursday, Jan. 9 at the Wine Loft — is that attendees will find a writing accountability partner for 2014. This mixer is free, but registration is required. Click here to sign up today.

4. Give back. While you should definitely take out more time for yourself this year to work on your writing, don’t forget to give back to others too. You can kick off the new year doing just that at the Serve and Strut Brunch, set for Saturday, Jan. 4. At this event you will enjoy a three-course meal, live entertainment and a chance to win door prizes and you will have the opportunity to give the gift of style. Attendees are asked to donate a pair of new or gently used women’s shoes which will be given to Birmingham-area women’s charities. Learn more about the event and its organizer, Cydni Robertson of ItsHerStrut.com, in this week’s edition of See Jane Write Magazine.

What are you goals for 2014?

Kick off 2014 with the See Jane Write Membership Mixer

December 20, 2013
Birmingham, Events
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by javacia

Image by One Way Stock

Change of plans — instead of hosting a members only mixer on January 9, I’ve decided to turn this party into a membership drive of sorts. Therefore, this event is now open to all — not just official See Jane Write members.

Join us 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 9 at the Wine Loft in downtown Birmingham.

Come mingle with other lady scribes and learn more about See Jane Write.

I hope you also will find a writing partner — someone to encourage you and keep you accountable as you pursue your writing goals for 2014 and someone who will give you the support and feedback you need.

The event will feature a networking game, door prizes, and free food.

The See Jane Write membership mixer is free, but registration is required. Click here to register.

The See Jane Write Members Only Mixer

December 8, 2013
Birmingham, Events
0 comments
by javacia

Image by Jessica Quick via Flickr/Creative Commons

“Writing is a communal act…Contrary to popular belief, a writer is not a 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

I quote Natalie Goldberg A LOT. I especially love to rattle off the wise words above about the importance of writers having community. I believe in those words truly, fully, deeply. My belief in the importance of community is why I started See Jane Write.

On January 9, we will kick off the New Year with the See Jane Write Members Only Mixer. The purpose of this mixer is to help official members of See Jane Write get to know one another better and my hope is that they’ll find writing partners too. I hope each woman will find another woman who will encourage them to pursue their writing goals and projects and give them the support and feedback they need.

The event will feature an ice breaker game with door prizes as well as free food. Details regarding time and location will be provided in the invitation sent to members. If you don’t want to be left out, click here to sign up to become an official See Jane Write member today.