Keeping Up with the Janes: Cherith Fluker

See Jane Write Collective member Cherith Fluker has had quite a year. Her blog, WhatCherithInks, won awards from Alabama Media Professionals and the National Federation of Press Women. Her career as a freelance travel writer is flourishing, and she published her first book — Secret Birmingham: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure (Reedy Press). And she’s done all of this while working full time in the field of education. So it seemed only right to catch up with Cherith for our next Keeping Up with the Janes feature.  Keeping Up with the Janes is a new feature that allows us to revisit past See Jane Write Collective Members of the Month to see what they’re up to now. Let’s learn the secrets of Cherith’s success.

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Word for the Year 2026

What’s your word for the year 2026?

I’ve been choosing a word for the year for several years, and it’s a practice I’ve happily passed on to the women of the See Jane Write Collective.

Some years, I’ve picked three words. In other years, I’ve chosen a phrase.

Some years, I get completely obsessed with the word that I chose. It becomes my mantra or prayer that I constantly whisper. Other years—like this year, I must admit—I forget which word I picked until someone asks me.

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How to Set Writing Goals That Actually Work

I’m obsessed with goal setting. I set writing goals and goals for other areas of my life each year, each quarter, and each month. Because I’m so passionate about goal setting, I’m constantly reading books, attending workshops and listening to podcasts to help me get better at setting and achieving my goals. I take what I learn, tweak it and try it out. Then I figure out how to share what I’ve gleaned from my personal experiences with you. That’s why I get so excited for my annual Write the Vision Workshop! (This year’s workshop is on Sunday, December 14 at 4 p.m. CT. You can sign up here.)

Why You Aren’t Achieving Your Writing Goals

If you HATE goal setting, it’s probably because you’re not following through. And if you’re setting writing goals each year and nothing in your writing life is changing, chances are it’s NOT because of laziness. You work hard. Probably too hard. You are NOT lazy. But I think I know what’s holding you back.

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4 Writing Books Every Pantser Should Read

Editor’s Note: See Jane Write publishes guest articles by writers who identify as women, non-binary folks, and our allies. Learn more here.

By: Delany Diamond

I’m a pantser, also referred to as a discovery writer or intuitive writer. Unlike plotters, we write stories without an outline, “flying by the seat of our pants.” That means the story organically unfolds as we write.

Early in my career, I found it difficult to locate how-to books that aligned with my writing style. Typically, they encouraged me to become a plotter or offered advice from a plotting point of view.

The rigid structure and demand for planning left me frustrated and struggling to get words on paper. It didn’t help to hear about the many authors who started where I did and turned into plotters. I was certain that if I also learned to plot, I’d write faster and better stories.

The opposite turned out to be true.

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Gifts for Writers: 2025 See Jane Write Gift Guide

It’s time for another edition of the See Jane Write Gift Guide! Here you will find gift ideas for the writers on your holiday shopping list — and if you’re the only writer on your list, take this as permission to treat yo’self! Or you can send this post to friends, family, or your Santa Baby so they’ll know exactly what to get you this year. (This post contains affiliate links.)

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