Events

Food for the Writer’s Soul at the 3rd Annual Eat & Greet by LaDarrius “LHUT” Hutcherson

On Sunday, February 22, I had the chance to attend the Third Annual Eat & Greet event, hosted by popular content creator LaDarrius “LHUT” Hutcherson.

The event was a celebration of LHUT’s debut book, Bloom Where You’re Planted, which tells his story and how he is building the life of his dreams, growing his influence, and making an impact all in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. (Learn more about LHUT’s book in my latest article for The Birmingham Times.)

But LHUT told me that he wanted this year’s Eat & Greet event to inspire attendees to bloom where they’ve been planted, too.

So, while the event served up delicious food and drinks, LHUT wanted attendees to fill up on nuggets of wisdom too. And so much of what was shared by LHUT and other guest speakers were words I felt writers especially need to hear.

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How to Make the Most of a Writing Conference

You’ve signed up for a writing conference. Now what?

Whether you’re polishing your first manuscript, building your freelance career, or just craving some quality time with fellow writers, a conference can be a total game-changer. Attending a writing conference can be one of the best investments you make in your writing career, as they offer opportunities to learn, network, and find inspiration. But how do you make sure you walk away with more than just a tote bag full of handouts?

I recently attended the 2025 Alabama Writers Cooperative Conference in Orange Beach, Alabama. This was my second time attending. I had the honor of being the keynote speaker at last year’s conference. Each year, I’ve left with a journal full of ideas!

Here’s how you can make the most of the first or next writing conference you attend.

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My Top 10 Takeaways from WordCamp Birmingham 2019

An African-American woman (me!) dressed in a blue t-shirt and floral skirt poses in front of a building standing next to a sign that reads "YP Y'all"
Another WordCamp Birmingham is in the books!

August 10-11, 2019 I attended WordCamp Birmingham 2019, which was held at Rosewood Hall in Homewood. The event featured several different tracks of workshops including sessions on content and business. I had the opportunity to speak, as well, and gave a presentation on using group writing challenges to boost your blog.

I’ve been attending WordCamp Birmingham conferences for years and I always leave with a notebook full of tips and tricks on how to improve my blog and overall content creation process. Honestly, I leave with too much information. I leave with so much information that I usually get too overwhelmed to put any of it into practice.

But this year I’m going to rewrite my story! This year reviewed my notes and made a list of 10 things I will do to put the information into action.

Here are my top 10 takeaways from WordCamp Birmingham 2019…

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Member of the Month: C.J. Wade

C. J. Wade // Photo by Desiree Danielle

The See Jane Write book club See Jane Read is back and this month we’re reading the novel The Morning After by C.J. Wade. C.J. is also the See Jane Write Member of the Month for July 2019 — and not simply because we’re reading her book this month.

C.J. is a powerhouse of a woman — a Jane of all trades and a master of many. She’s an author, blogger, teacher, dancer, and massage therapist! She’s also one of the kindest and most compassionate people you will ever meet.

If you’re in the Birmingham area, you can see for yourself when you meet her at our book discussion, set for Tuesday, July 23 at 6:30 p.m. CT at the Panera Bread located at 521 Fieldstown Road in Gardendale. You can RSVP here.

If you’re not in Birmingham, don’t fret. We’ll be having an online discussion of the book throughout the month here.

Read on to learn more about C.J. and more about The Morning After.

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How to Get Picked to Speak at Conferences

Are you looking to speak at conferences to share your knowledge of writing, blogging, or brand building?

This month I’ve had not one, not two, but three speaking engagements — including the opportunity to teach a workshop on blogging at the Southern Christian Writers Conference. And in August I’ll be speaking at WordCamp Birmingham.

Today I want to share how I’ve managed to get picked to speak at writing conferences and what I’ve learned along with way.

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