Member of the Month

Member of the Month: Dondra Goldsby

“You deserve more ease.” Whenever I read those words from Dondra Goldsby – whether they’re in the caption of an Instagram Reel or in her new book – I feel like I’ve been given a permission slip to let go of the weight of overwhelm. Dondra – a writer, coach, and licensed therapist – recently released It’s Lighter Over Here: A Guide for High Achieving Women Who Already Do Enough. Even the title of Dondra’s book makes me feel better, reassuring me that I’m already doing enough and it’s okay to relax, to delegate, to say no.

I’m proud to say that Dondra is not only a member of the See Jane Write Collective but is also an ambassador for the group. She hosts virtual cowriting sessions for the Collective on most Thursdays at noon.

On Thursday, November 19 at 6:30 p.m. CT, Dondra will be leading an online workshop for members of See Jane Write and Alabama Writers’ Cooperative that will show us, writers, that we don’t have to sacrifice our well-being to achieve our goals. Sign up for the workshop, titled The Well-Rested Writer, HERE.

Because of her new book, her upcoming workshop, and all the ways she inspires others to see the best in themselves, Dondra is the See Jane Write Member of the Month. Read on to learn more about Dondra.

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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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Keeping Up with the Janes: Audrey Atkins

See Jane Write Collective member Audrey Atkins is on the go! Let’s find out what she’s been up to.

New feature alert! I’m excited to introduce Keeping Up with the Janes. With this feature, we will revisit past See Jane Write Collective Members of the Month to see what they’re up to now.

To kick things off, we have Audrey Atkins. The last time we had a chat with Audrey, she had just released her book, They Call Me Orange Juice. She was also busy blogging. Later, Audrey would also start teaching non-fiction writing workshops and she eventually became a full-time freelance writer. Now Audrey has a new career working with the Alabama State Council on the Arts, she’s moved her blog musings to Substack and she’s launched People Reading Prose in Bars — which is exactly what it sounds like. On the second Sunday of each month, Audrey gathers Birmingham-area writers in a local bar to read short stories and essays. On average, her events draw more than 50 people, and the Alabama Writers Forum recently signed on as a sponsor.

Let’s learn more about what Audrey is up to these days!

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Member of the Month: Jenn Schultz

A cancer diagnosis turned Jenn Schultz’s life upside down. But writing helped her make sense of the world again.

Jenn Schultz is a four-time melanoma survivor. As a cancer survivor myself, I know how a diagnosis such as that can shake your sense of self. But I also know that you can write your way back to yourself, and that’s exactly what Jenn did with her book Bravely Becoming. But she didn’t stop there. Jenn is also an ambassador and advocate for melanoma research and prevention. May is Melanoma Awareness Month and the perfect time to celebrate Jenn as the See Jane Write Member of the Month. In addition to her advocacy work for organizations like the Melanoma Research Foundation and the Melanoma Research Alliance and her full-time job as a college educator, Jenn somehow finds the time to be an active member of the See Jane Write Collective too. Not only does she attend many virtual meet-ups and workshops, but she’s also led write-in sessions for other members.

Read on to get to know our May Member of the Month — Jenn Schultz.

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Member of the Month: Margaret Smith Marston

I can’t remember when or how I first met Margaret Smith Marston but I do remember that we reconnected after she attended an in-person journaling workshop I hosted a while back. Since then, she’s been one of the most active members of the See Jane Write Collective, showing up on Zoom for our weekly write-ins and monthly critique sessions not only to get help with her own projects but to be a source of encouragement for other members too.

We’re celebrating Margaret this month because this month she’s making one of her writing dreams come true. Margaret’s first children’s book Eureka, Paprika is set to be released on Tuesday, August 13, and is available for pre-order now.

Hand illustrated by Margaret’s cousin Susanne St. Clair Hebden, Eureka, Paprika is a touching tale that brings kitchen spices to life to teach children the importance of including others. Determined to bring this book baby into the world, Margaret signed up for my 1-on-1 coaching program for additional guidance and I’m so excited her book launch is finally here. Read on to learn more about Margaret and her labor of love.

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