Panelist Spotlight: Staci Brown Brooks

Staci Brown Brooks
If you want a career in journalism in Birmingham Staci Brown Brooks is a woman you need to know. 

Brooks is the director of community news in Birmingham for the Alabama Media Group, the state’s largest news gathering organization. Prior to that she worked at The Birmingham News for several years in a variety of writing and editing positions. She has previously worked at The Tuscaloosa News and the Detroit Free Press, and as an instructor at The University of Alabama. 

On Thursday, she’ll step into that teaching role again briefly as she shares media and web wisdom at our upcoming panel discussion Blogging and the Future of Community Journalism. 

Brooks received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from UA, and is currently studying there for her master’s in business administration. Brooks also is a graduate of the Alabama Leadership Initiative and the Maynard Media Academy at Harvard University. 

If you want to know more about how you can use blogging and journalism to be a leader in your community, you can do just that on Thursday, Jan. 10 at our next event. Click here to register. 

There are two questions I asked all our panelists after they agreed to be part of this discussion. Check out Brooks’ responses below: 

What must bloggers who want to be considered journalists do to be taken seriously?

Put accuracy and ethics above all else. Know your current audience and the audience you are trying to develop — be able to articulate what you do and who you try to reach if asked. If you are committed to growing your blog’s audience, you must be committed to assuring your vision for it is responsive to their needs, wishes and patterns.What main piece of advice would you give to folks who want to use their blogs to tell important stories in their communities?


Be passionate about the niche you’ve chosen — or the niche that has chosen you. That’s the one thing no one can teach you; everything else you can learn, if you are willing. Passion can’t be taught and it can’t be faked. Always put accuracy and ethics above all else. And write your hearts out.

If you have more questions for Staci Brown Brooks leave them in the comments section and we will add them to our list of questions for our upcoming event. 


Panelist Spotlight: Erin Shaw Street

Erin Shaw Street

This past summer Southern Living magazine launched The Daily South, a blog that the magazine’s editors hope will become the go-to destination for Southern culture, food, home, travel and style. It made sense that the woman at the helm of this new online project would be Erin Shaw Street. 

Street is travel editor at Southern Living and thus it’s her job to canvas the South to discover the latest destinations, tastemakers and trends. Erin has also been blogging for years and is a social media guru in her own right. In fact, Street led the first See Jane Write workshop, which was a seminar on Twitter. We’re excited she’ll be partnering with us again and serving as a panelist for our upcoming event Blogging and the Future of Community Journalism. 


In addition to her role as travel editor at Southern Living and the work she does for The Daily South, Street also manages editorial content for the brand’s social media. She is the recipient of more than 20 writing awards, including the 2012 Gold Lowell Thomas Award for “What Stands In A Storm,” Southern Living’s coverage of the 2011 tornadoes, and a 2012 Folio Award for “Heroes of the New South.”  

If you want to know more about blogging and/or journalism, Street is clearly a great person from whom to learn. And you can do just that on Thursday, Jan. 10 at our next event. Click here to register. 

There are two questions I asked all our panelists after they agreed to be part of this discussion. Check out Street’s responses below: 

What must bloggers who want to be considered journalists do to be taken seriously?

Woo, it’s difficult to become a journalist overnight! It takes a while. Journalists spend  years learning about the practice, which includes ethics, reporting, interview skills, writing, and editing. If a blogger is serious about learning these skills, commit to gaining this knowledge from the best. Read quality journalism. Seek out a journalist from whom you can learn — he or she might need to learn about blogging and/or social; strike up that conversation. Follow reputable journalism sources and watchdogs, like the Poynter Institute (poynter.org).

What main piece of advice would you give to folks who want to use their blogs to tell important stories in their communities?

You don’t need a Pulitzer to tell compelling stories. Tell them from your vantage point — from the carpool line, from the downtown you see growing into something more, from the conversations in which you and your friends dream. Get out and live in your community, then do the reporting. Talk to other people. Share what they and you experience.

If you have more questions for Erin Shaw Street leave them in the comments section and we will add them to our list of questions for our upcoming event. 

Panelist Spotlight: André Natta

Andre Natta will be one of the panelists featured in our
discussion on blogging and community journalism
set for Thursday, Jan. 10. 

Long before I returned to my hometown of Birmimgham, Ala., in 2009 I was hearing talk about The Terminal. André Natta started this critically acclaimed web publication about Birmingham in 2007 and the site has since garnered him plenty of attention and respect in the Magic City and beyond. 


Natta will be one of the panelists featured in next week’s event Blogging and the Future of Community Journalism. The Terminal is just one of the reasons I’m excited to have Natta as part of this discussion. 

In addition to his work with The Terminal, Natta has two blogs — a personal one (Dre’s Ramblings) and another looking at modern communication methods and urbanism (Urban Conversations). He also contributes a monthly column on technology and how it’s affecting the future of Birmingham (The Digital City) for B-Metro Magazine. 


This week over on his blog Urban Conversations, Natta started a series he calls The Four Agreements of Blogging. Inspired by The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, this series will examine principles we should all keep in mind when it comes to writing and digital strategy. You can begin reading the series here. 

And you can learn even more from Natta about blogging and community journalism on Thursday, Jan. 10 at our next event. Click here to register. 

There are two questions I asked all our panelists after they agreed to be part of this discussion. Check out Natta’s responses below: 

What must bloggers who want to be considered journalists do to be taken seriously?

I’d say they’d want to approach writing their posts with passion. They got to be willing to tell the truth and have the ability to connect dots most folks wouldn’t at first glance. Always be willing to question and to learn as much as possible.


What main piece of advice would you give to folks who want to use their blogs to tell important stories in their communities?


Be willing to do the research necessary to make sure no stone is left unturned. This includes reaching out to all sides of the story; there are normally more than two. Even if folks don’t reciprocate, you know you’ve done all you can to present as complete a piece as possible. Being thorough and transparent matters much more than being balanced and objective.


If you have more questions for Natta leave them in the comments section and we will add them to our list of questions for next week’s event. 

3 Reasons You Should Join the See Jane Write Facebook Group



You’ve signed up for the See Jane Write mailing list and you’ve liked our Facebook page. And for that I am truly grateful. But, believe it or not, you may still be missing out on See Jane Write happenings. Here are three reasons why you need to join our Facebook group. 

Reason 1: You’ll learn about new events first!

Long before I announced the next See Jane Write panel discussion on this blog or via email, I announced it first on the See Jane Write Facebook group page. In case you missed it, the next See Jane Write event, Blogging and the Future of Community Journalism, is set for Thursday, Jan. 10. This panel discussion will feature editors from AL.com, Magic City Post, Southern Living, and The Terminal. This event is perfect for bloggers looking for a way to use their blogs to support and promote the communities they care about and for journalists wondering about the future of community journalism in the digital age. This event, like all See Jane Write programs, is free, but registration is required.  Click here for more details and to register. 

Reason 2: You’ll make new friends.

Last month I hosted a blogging challenge called #bloglikecrazy over on my blog WriteousBabe.com. The idea was to publish a new blog post every day for 30 days for the month of November. When some of the Janes found out about this they jumped on it, ran with it, and turned #bloglikecrazy into so much more than I could have ever imagined. These awesome women shared their #bloglikecrazy posts on the See Jane Write Facebook page and something beautiful happened. Not only were they reading each other’s blogs but they were having discussions on an array of topics and finding out they had much more in common than writing. For example, several of us discovered we had an interest in fitness. The result was See Jane Write’s first fitness event, See Jane Move, which was organized by Tanya Sylvan. If you missed it, you can learn more about that wonderful event here.  

For January I’m hosting another blogging challenge called 31 Days to a Better Blog. I hope you’ll join us!

Reason 3: You’ll find new readers. 

The Facebook group page is a great way to spread the word about your blog, but don’t think it’s for bloggers alone. You can also use it to promote other projects such as your latest published article or your new book. For example, check out Murder on the First Day of Christmas by Billie Thomas, a new book by See Jane Write member Stephanie Naman. I found out about this book via the See Jane Write Facebook group and bought it right away to show my support. I’ve enjoyed reading it so much that I was eager to interview Naman. You can find the Q&A on this blog and at WriteousBabe.com. 


And now that you are thoroughly convinced thta you need to join our awesome Facebook group, you can do so here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/seejanewritebham. 

31 Days to a Better Blog

super cute photo found here

I’m not a fashion blogger, but I regularly read the Independent Fashion Bloggers website because it always features such great tips for bloggers of any niche.

At the beginning of this month I came across a blog post on that website on 31 Ways to Boost Your Blog into 2013. Taylor Davies gave a list of 31 things to do in the month of December to make for a more successful blog in the New Year. Unfortunately, I didn’t see this post until a few days into the month and since I’m not a fashion blogger several items on the list didn’t really apply to me. Then I thought, “I feel another blogging challenging coming on!”

Drawing inspiration from Davies’ post, I’ve put together a list of my own: 31 Days to a Better Blog. Here are 31 things to do in January (that’s one task for each day) to improve your blog. What a great way to kick off the New Year.

Below is the entire list so you can play along, but each day I’ll be posting at WriteousBabe.com or tweeting @writeousbabe about the tasks (with the hashtag #31Days).

If you plan to join me on this challenge let me know in the comments so I can swing by your blog to check on your progress.

Happy blogging!

31 Days to a Better Blog

  1. Carve out a new niche for yourself. Create the blog you wish existed!

  2. Create an editorial calendar and stick with it!
  3. Update your Twitter header.

  4. Write a mission statement for your blog. 

  5. Revamp your About page (and include that new mission statement). 

  6. Redesign your header. 

  7. Take a photo that you will use on all your social networking sites and add the photo to your blog as an “About Me” graphic that links to your About page. 

  8. If you’ve been thinking about changing your URL, title or platform, do it! 
  9. Sign up for a blogging class or conference.

  10. Recommit to being more engaging on Facebook and Twitter. 

  11. Dust off your LinkedIn profile. Believe it or not, I’ve had more people contact me about writing and social media gigs through LinkedIn than Facebook or Twitter. 

  12. Update your Google profile. 

  13. Learn how you can use Pinterest to boost your blog. 

  14. Update your blogroll. 

  15. Now recommit to leaving thoughtful comments on most of those sites in your blogroll. 

  16. Cut ties with some of your tweeps to streamline you Twitter experience. 
  17. Make commenting on your blog easier.

  18. Organize an event for bloggers in your area.

  19. Get connected with an online blogging community such as BlogHer, Skirt or IFB.
  20. Make a pitch to be featured on or to contribute to one of your favorite blogs. 

  21. Make a pitch to be featured in local (or even national) media. 

  22. Start a video post feature on a topic related to your niche. 

  23. Post an interview with someone you admire. These posts generally bring lots of pageviews.
  24. Introduce yourself to important people in your niche. 

  25. Blog about a controversial topic. These posts are shared over and over in cyberspace and are sure to bring you more traffic.

  26. Start an e-newsletter.
  27. Have a blog date. Go to your favorite coffee shop and blog for hours.

  28. Highlight your best blog posts. 

  29. Cover a local event. These types of posts tend to be popular, too.
  30. Compile a post of all the lesssons you’ve learned about blogging thus far. Your readers who are also bloggers will appreciate it, and this will be a great post for you to refer back to when you feel you’ve lost your way.

  31. Create a list of great blog post ideas for 2013.