Member of the Month: Safiya Robinson

Just before Safiya Robinson turned 40, she decided to start a blog detailing 39 lessons she’d learned in her 39 years of life. While sharing these lessons on the blog 39 and Counting Safiya learned something else. She learned that she had the courage, creativity, and consistency she needed to write and self-publish a book.

In September 2019 Safiya launched her debut book Everything is a Thing: My journey to living a truly authentic life. Though Safiya lives in Barbados — over 2,000 miles away from See Jane Write headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama — she’s one of the most active See Jane Write Collective members. Safiya takes advantage of virtual meetings and events as often as she can and stays active in the See Jane Write Facebook groups, too.

For these reasons and more Safiya Robinson is the See Jane Write Collective member of the month for October 2019.

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Can you change your life in 90 days?

image via Instagram

October is here which means we’re in the final quarter of the year. As a football fan, I love a good 4th quarter win — you know, when your team makes a comeback and steals the game. But if you see me strutting around holding four fingers in the air this season, it may not be for my favorite football team (Roll Tide!) but for myself and for YOU. I am declaring that this quarter is ours!

I believe you can change your life in 90 days. 

Here’s how I plan to do it:

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The Other Side of Fear

#unbothered

I’m sure you’ve heard this saying before: “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.”

That’s a great quote to post in your office, write in your journal, or share on social media.

And we know it’s true.

But how do we get to the other side?

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Body Image Issues Are Bad for Business

On September 8-10, 2019 I had the opportunity to attend Inspired Vacay, a retreat hosted by and for the members of the Female Entrepreneur Association. This year’s Inspired Vacay was held in Palm Springs and I headed to sunny California with a few set intentions: 1) I wanted to talk to FEA founder Carrie Green about See Jane Write and get her advice on how to grow my membership program. 2) I wanted to develop a vision and plan for my business for 2020 and the rest of 2019. 3) I wanted to make a genuine, long-lasting connection with at least one other attendee. 4) I wanted to get photographed in my new swimsuit.

Related Reading: How Inspired Vacay 2019 Turned Me Into the Dreamer I’d Always Claimed to Be

If you’re thinking that last item on my list has absolutely nothing to do with growing my business, think again.

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3 Reasons Why Freelance Writers Should Blog

The other day I was chatting with a friend who is also a writer and she told me that she felt she owed her writing success to me. While I was very flattered by the statement I assured her that was not true.

This friend has had a lot of success. She’s had her work published in literary magazines galore and is currently slaying the freelance copywriting game, too. She also edits books and is working on writing a book of her own. But her talent and tenacity made all this happen — not me.

My friend, however, said that many of the opportunities that she’s had and the community of supporters that she has built happened because of her blog and she said she never would have started blogging had I not encouraged her to do so years ago.

Her words made me so happy. I preach the gospel of blogging to anyone who will listen because I, too, have built a wonderful tribe of women writers who have my back and have had several writing opportunities land in my lap because of my blog. And it’s so nice to know others are reaping the benefits of blogging, too.

Related Reading: How to Start a Blog

Blogging has definitely boosted my career as a freelance journalist. It helped me get the attention of magazine editors who offered me my own column. And sometimes editors even pay me to republish my blog posts in their publications.

Here are 3 other reasons why freelance writers should blog.

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