Q&A with filmmaker Lauren Melinda

When filmmaker Lauren Melinda couldn’t find a story like her own, she decided to create the film she needed to see.

Melinda’s film Before You follows a couple in the wake of a decision they never thought they’d have to make: ending a planned pregnancy. With restrained storytelling and emotional honesty, this short film explores the intimate—and often invisible—grief of pregnancy loss.

Before You, which stars Tony-nominated actress Tala Ashe and features Adam Rodriguez, will screen on Saturday, August 23rd at 8 pm, as part of the 27th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, Alabama.  In addition to the screening, Melinda and her team have also helped organize a panel conversation at the festival on Sunday, August 24th at 5 pm, which will feature filmmakers and local advocates discussing the role that film plays in the fight for reproductive justice. 

See Jane Write had a chat with Melinda as she prepares for the upcoming screening.

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Life Lately: Taking My Teenage Self to North Italia (and a Book Signing)

On Tuesday evenings, I usually host “Write On with Javacia” for members of the See Jane Write Collective. It’s a time for us to check in, chat, and then write. But I played hooky last night because it was release day for Bones at the Crossroads, book two of the Blood at the Root series by LaDarrion Williams. The series centers on Malik, an African American teenage boy who discovers, through a traumatic event, that he has magical powers. He lands at an HBCU for other Black kids with powers, where he begins to learn how to control his powers while also uncovering secrets about his family and even the school. LaDarrion, who’s an Alabama native, had a book signing and Q&A at the downtown branch of the Birmingham Public Library and I had to be there!

Last night, LaDarrion said so many things about the importance of representation that had me wanting to yell “Amen!” But the thing that stuck with me most was his statement that he’s healing his teenage self by writing the BATR series.

We often talk about healing our inner child, but what about our inner teen? I don’t know about you, but mine definitely needs some TLC.

What can you do, what could you write, to help heal your inner teenage self?

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Fitness Routines for Busy Women Writers: Staying Active Without the Gym

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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: Isabella Francis

For many women writers, there are so many deadlines, so many edits, and an endless amount of stories to tell and they do all this while managing home responsibilities, coffee refills, and, let’s be honest, some healthy doses of self-doubt. Between all the hours spent in front of our desks and the mental gymnastics it takes to build characters and formulate plots, physical activity is often neglected. Going to the gym might even, at times, seem like a time commitment that cannot be afforded.

But the truth is that being active does not have to be hours spent on machines or high-intensity workouts. It is a matter of incorporating movement into our lives in ways that nourish our creativity, health, and ability to tell compelling stories. But for women, many of whom may be experiencing recovery from surgical procedures or other physical limitations, fitness can be gentle, exploratory, intuitive, and ultimately a powerful motivator.

Let’s jump into realistic, accessible fitness routines specifically made for busy women writers because your wellness should be a priority and not an afterthought!

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Introducing “Life Lately”

New blog feature alert!

Life Lately is a new feature to the See Jane Write blog that will allow me to share snippets of my life beyond the laptop in a more in-depth way than I can on Instagram.

My hope is to share what I’m watching, reading, listening to, and obsessing over while still telling you a bit more about my writing life with the goal of sparking your creativity along the way.

Let’s jump in…

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How to Beat Imposter Syndrome Before It Beats You

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

Imposter syndrome affects people from all walks of life and in any profession. But what exactly is imposter syndrome?

The Oxford Dictionary describes it as “the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills.”

If you’re a writer suffering from this affliction, you might think your success is not attributed to your writing skills. Rather, there are other reasons for your success, such as luck. These thoughts can cause serious problems. For example, low self-esteem, fear of your incompetence being “discovered,” and a lack of drive to pursue your writing dreams.

The good news is, you can break free from the shackles of imposter syndrome and beat it with these three strategies: celebrating your accomplishments, connecting with other authors, and treating criticism and failure as an opportunity to learn.

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