4 Ways to Make 2014 Your Best Year Yet

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

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

June 11 Members Only
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.


See Jane Write 2014

How can See Jane Write best help you with your writing goals in 2014?

Please take a moment to take the brief 10-question survey below.

Thanks!

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world’s leading questionnaire tool.

Let’s #bloglikecrazy!

Thanks to Carol Marks
for creating this graphic for us!

Today is the day! Today is Day 1 of #bloglikecrazy. I’ll be participating in the challenge with my personal blog, The Writeous Babe Project.

Here are the rules:

1. Visit the See Jane Write Magazine announcement of #bloglikecrazy and leave your name, blog URL, and Twitter handle in the comments section of the article to let me know you’re in!

2. Publish a new post on your blog every day in the month of November.

3. If you’re on Facebook, share links to your posts in the See Jane Write Birmingham Facebook group.

4. If you’re on Twitter, tweet out links to your posts and use the hashtag #bloglikecrazy.

5. Have fun!

You’re free to write about anything you want this month, but if you find yourself struggling with blogger’s block, use these prompts for inspiration.

I’d love for you to also grab the code for the image above and add it to your blog sidebar in case your readers would like to join the fun. (You can find the code to the right of this post.)

Now let’s blog like crazy!