Events

Win a Designed By Didi statement necklace at our upcoming magazine launch party

Sponsor Spotlight: Designed by Didi



Darlene Robinson Millender has been such a great supporter of See Jane Write Birmingham and she’s showing her love for See Jane Write Magazine too.

Darlene is a writer and a crafty lady. You may know her for her blog The Birmingham Buff or perhaps seen her byline in local publications as she is a freelance journalist. But Darlene is also a jewelry designer.

Darlene’s jewelry line Designed by Didiis one of our July sponsors and Darlene will be giving away one of her statement necklaces to one lucky winner at our magazine launch party. Bring your business card to enter. Click here to RSVP for the party.

When I asked Darlene about her crafts she said:

For me, crafting jewelry is therapeutic, quite calming. Writing, on the other hand, is a more fiery pursuit.  I am passionate about both. As Maya Angelou says, “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” I’m thankful that I am a creator.

See Jane Move at Inspire Fitness

Sponsor Spotlight: Inspire Fitness

Gabe Rios will make you love Spinning!

On Friday, July 19 at 5:30 p.m. we’ll be having our next See Jane Move event. We’re taking a group Spinning class at Inspire Fitness, one of our sponsors for July.

If you’ve caught cycling fever watching the Tour de France, then this class will be perfect for you.

But maybe you’ve never attended a Spinning class because you’ve found them intimidating. Or maybe you prefer dance-based aerobics classes and you think spin will be boring. Well, I’m here to let you know that neither will be the case, especially with spin instructor Gabe Rios at the helm.

Gabe Rios is one of the co-owners of Inspire Fitness and is the scheduled instructor for next Friday’s class. Sure, most spin instructors play music during their classes but Gabe kicks this up a notch with music videos. Also, for Gabe the music videos aren’t just background noise. Whether we’re simulating jumps or climbing a hill, you can bet we’ll be moving to the beat.

So here’s what you can expect if you join us for class on July 19.

You’ll walk into the studio and Gabe will greet you warmly like you’ve come by his house for coffee. But you’ll look around and start to feel a bit uneasy because the other students have fancy cycling shoes. Don’t worry. The Nike, New Balance, or Saucony sneaks you’re wearing are just fine.

Then you’ll see people adjusting the seat and handle bars of the bike, which you have no idea how to do. Don’t freak out. Gabe or someone else on the Inspire Fitness team will help you get set up. Just be sure to arrive early. Also, remember to bring a towel and water.

Class begins.

The beauty of Spinning is that it’s a workout you can really make your own. You can make it as easy or as hard as you want with a simple twist of a knob. Turn it right to increase the resistance (which is the equivalent of making the imaginary hill you’re climbing steeper) or turn to the left if you need to make your ride less challenging. You can also change the intensity of your workout with your speed. And during some parts of the ride we’ll be in a standing position on the pedals and sometimes we’ll be seated (or “in the saddle” as the Spinning nerds call it).

Depending on the type of ride Gabe has planned for the evening, you may do sprints (during which you pedal as fast as you can) and hill climbs (during which you add as much resistance as you can). Gabe also loves jumps — that’s when you move from a seated to a standing position on your bike over and over. I won’t lie to you, this move is tough. But I have to say it’s my favorite. With Gabe’s music pumping I feel like I’m dancing with my bike and so I don’t care about my breathlessness or the sweat dripping from my nose.

Gabe is open to song requests, so if you have any leave them in the comments section of the post. But honestly, Gabe has a way of making you love any song he plays because he gets so into the music. Yes, he will sing along and don’t be surprised if at some point he takes his hands off his handlebars and starts dancing. (Don’t you try this. Remember, ladies, he’s a professional.)

Also don’t be surprised if Gabe plays your favorite 90s grunge song or your favorite hip-hop track from college or that he actually knows the words to that “Bad Boys” song.

From Mark Anthony to Macklemore, Pitbull to Prince, and Janet Jackson to Justin Timberlake, Gabe’s playlist is extensive. Beyonce or Shakira may make an appearance on the screen also to give you some extra motivation as you covet their toned physiques.

When the class is over you will have burned hundreds of calories and your clothes will be drenched, but you’ll feel like you just left a party.

Join us Friday, July 19 at 5:30 p.m. for Spinning with Gabe Rios at Inspire Fitness.  Arrive around 5:15 p.m. so you can set up your bike and be sure to bring water and a towel. You do need to pre-register for the class and spaces fill up fast. To sign up, visit InspireFitnessBirmingham.com and scroll through the schedule to find the special #SeeJaneWrite class. Drop-in classes are normally $15 but Gabe is offering us $5 discount. Just use the code seejanemove when you register. 

Join me at the July Alabama Bloggers Meet-up

From Bloggers Who Brunch, hosted last month by See Jane Write Birmingham



Blogging is hard. 

I know some people might disagree. Some people might believe that blogging can’t be too difficult since everyone and their cat (literally) seems to have one these days. 

But I believe that being a good blogger is no easy task. It takes creativity, consistency, and commitment.  And I believe it also takes community. 

In her book Writing Down the Bones Natalie Goldberg writes: “Writing is a communal act…Contrary to popular belief, a writer is not a Prometheus alone on a hill full of fire.”

Writers need community. This is why I started See Jane Write Birmingham and See Jane Write Magazine. And this is why I love groups like Alabama Bloggers. 

Birmingham resident Rachel Callahan started Alabama Bloggers in May of 2009 because she wanted to connect with more bloggers in her hometown. Rachel had made connections with writers all over the world, thanks to her popular blog Grasping for Objectivity, but she wanted to get to know the bloggers in her own backyard. Rachel first launched the group as an online community then took these connections offline with monthly lunch meet-ups. 

I’ll be hosting this month’s meet-up which is set for 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Friday, July 12 at Mix Bakery, 1819 5th Avenue North. Please RSVP by July 10. If you’re a member of the Alabama Bloggers Facebook group you can click here to RSVP. If not,  you can just RSVP in the comments section of this post. 

The hashtag for this and all Alabama Bloggers luncheons is #AlaBlogMeet. 

I leave you with more wise words from Natalie Goldberg. In Writing Down the Bones she also says: 


“It’s good to know some local people who are writing and whom you can get together with for mutual support…Kill the idea of the lone, suffering artist. We suffer anyway as human beings. Don’t make it any harder on yourself.”

Hope to see you July 12.

Tell Me a Story – A Recap of Bloggers Who Brunch: The Power of Storytelling

What story are you trying to tell with your blog? 

Can you explain that story in one sentence?

Can you explain it in one word? 

These are the questions Wade Kwon posed to us at Friday’s Bloggers Who Brunch event on the art of digital storytelling. We had about 30 people gather in the side room of Nabeel’s for an afternoon of lunching and learning.

Wade Kwon speaking on the art of digital storytelling

“You’re telling a story with your blog,” Wade told us. “As storytellers you’re not just dealing with story or narrative, you’re dealing with a theme.”

If you’re having trouble determining the theme of your blog, summing up your site with one word or one sentence will help.

“The one word or one sentence can help you when you get stuck,” Wade said.

Your one sentence, your one word, can help you through writer’s block and help you make important decisions about your blog such as what to include and what to exclude and the different ways you will share your story. These days we have so many channels outside of our blogging and writing with which to tell our story — such as Twitter,  Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Vine.

The theme could also help you decide if your audience will help tell the story. Will they be part of the narrative? Will they help shape it? You can include your readers in a number of ways from allowing them to leave comments to asking them to share stories of their own.

One thing that’s important to remember, Wade reminded us, is that with digital storytelling your audience is not experiencing your story from start to finish the way we experience books or films.  In digital storytelling there is no clear beginning, middle, and end.

“It’s all middle,” Wade said. Therefore your theme has to permeate every post because that post might be the only chapter a person reads of your story.

We had over two dozen bloggers attend this lunch event. 

In addition to theme, it’s important to determine voice and brand. Do you want your blog to be serious? Authoritative? Warm? Collaborative? If your site has a number of contributors how will you include diverse voices while maintaining a distinct brand? Your theme can help you do that.

If you’re sitting there staring at the screen thinking you have no idea how to describe your voice or brand, and if you’re thinking you have no idea what story you’re striving to tell with your blog, that’s OK. The answers to these question will become clearer in time. But you must keep writing.

Being persistent and consistent are key, Wade advised. Keep blogging and eventually your voice will be stronger and your fan base will grow larger, too.

During his talk Wade shared a story about the great success Birmingham blogger Tanya Sylvan had with a recent post. In her post Birmingham — I Run This Town, Tanya composed a photo essay of her favorite sites to see when she runs through downtown Birmingham. Tanya’s blog tells the story of her running adventures and in this post she included her love for Birmingham and her love for photography as well. The post went viral and her readership increased by 300 percent. But Tanya, who attended Friday’s lunch, stressed that this was not her goal when she wrote this post. She just wanted to show why she loves running downtown.

The point is simple: be authentic. Whatever the story of your blog may be, tell it with passion and sincerity. That’s a story people are going to want to read.

Today is the last day to register for the Y’all Connect social media conference, where you can learn even more about digital storytelling. Use SJW89 to receive a $30 discount. Click here for more details. 

See Jane Write Summer Calendar of Events

A peek into my planner

Happy summer solstice!

With the launch of See Jane Write Magazine approaching, some of you may be wondering if this new online publication means there will be less See Jane Write Birmingham events. Well, I’m here to tell you that you can actually expect even more events!

Here’s what’s on the horizon this season:

July 12 — See Jane Write hosts the Alabama Bloggers Luncheon
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at Mix, 1820 4th Ave. N.
See Jane Write will play host to the monthly #AlaBlogMeet luncheon.
More details coming soon.

July 18 — See Jane Write Magazine Launch Party
5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at aloft Hotel, 1903 29th Avenue South, Homewood
Help us celebrate the launch of our new online blog-style magazine!
Click here for more details and to RSVP.


July 19 — See Jane Move at Inspire Fitness
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. at Inspire Fitness, 2255 Highland Avenue
Remember you can’t write the next great American masterpiece if you’re dead. So jumpstart your plans to get in shape with an exciting spinning class by Gabe Rios at Inspire Fitness. Only $10.
More details coming soon.

July 21 — Headshot Session with Lynsey Weatherspoon Photography
Beginning at 1 p.m. on Morris Avenue (or Lynsey Weatherspoon Photography studio if it rains)
Local photographer Lynsey Weatherspoon is offering an unbelievable discount on headshot sessions to the women of See Jane Write. These headshots can be used on your blog, author website, social media networks and more.
Click here to reserve your spot today!

Aug. 3 — Sketches & Scribes at Naked Art Gallery
2-4 p.m. at Naked Art Gallery, 3831 Clairmont Avenue
Join us for a mid-afternoon mixer at Naked Art Gallery. We’ll enjoy a few snacks, browse the shop, and get inspired by art. In fact, we’ll be conducting a fun writing challenge at this event, asking attendees to write a poem, a piece of fiction, an essay, or a blog post inspired by a piece of art they saw at Naked Art Gallery. Your work may be featured in See Jane Write Magazine!

Aug. 22 – Meet the Press Media Mixer
5:30 p.m. at The Wine Loft, 2200 1st Ave. North
Mix and mingle with editors from some of the city’s top publications and learn about freelancing opportunities. Publications that will be represented include The Birmingham News, Birmingham Magazine, B-Metro, and Southern Living.
More details coming soon.

Pull out those planners and mark your calendars now!