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Start the New Year Off “Write”

Princess Jai

It’s finally here — my favorite day of the year: New Year’s Eve.

If you caught me on WBHM 90.3 FM last week then you know that I’m not much of a fan of Christmas. But New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are my favorites! On these days I am full of excitement about the future.

I hope you’re feeling that way today, too.

Last week a lovely local lady emailed me after ordering her ticket to next month’s event with Carrie Rollwagen and said she was eager to attend the event because she wanted to “start the year off write.”

I love that!

If you want to start the year off “write” too, here are a few things you can do to help you do just that:

1) Buy your tickets for From Blog to Book. At this event, set for January 20, Carrie Rollwagen, author of the book The Localist, will give tips on how to transform your blog idea into a book idea, how to rock your Kickstarter campaign, and how to self-publish the right way. Carrie will also give tips on how to better support local businesses. Order your tickets here.

2) Twenty lucky official See Jane Write members will have the chance to attend a free goal-setting workshop with me in early January.

3) If you don’t want to miss out on events like this in the future become an official member today. Basic membership will increase to $50 starting tomorrow and premium membership will no longer be available. Learn more here.

4) If you have a host of dreams for 2015 but you think you don’t have the time to go after them, think again! My new e-course How to Write and Have a Life will help you find the time to pursue your passion. The course opens tomorrow! More details coming soon!

Partner with See Jane Write for January

Collage Consignment
Collage Consignment was one of our lovely sponsors for this summer’s Bloganista Mini-Con

January will be a busy month for See Jane Write, which means it will be a great time to partner with us. In January we will be hosting a special members-only goal setting workshop and a From Blog to Book — a special event with local author, blogger and bookseller Carrie Rollwagen at which Rollwagen will discuss how to transition your blog idea into a book idea, how to successfully self-publish and how to rock your Kickstarter campaign.

January sponsors will receive the following: one sponsored blog post, the opportunity to speak directly to attendees at one of two events scheduled for January, and promotion via the See Jane Write Facebook page, Facebook group, Twitter account, and weekly newsletter. Also your logo will be added to our blog’s side bar for the month of January.

If you are looking to promote your product, service, book, blog, or business to creative and ambitious women in Birmingham, See Jane Write is the perfect way to do just that. But don’t take my word for it.

Emerging graphic designer Aly Hathcock partnered with See Jane Write this summer after attending our Bloganista Mini-Conference. Here’s what she had to say:

See Jane Write proved to be a game-changer in my media career. I initially attended the SJW conference as a regular attendee, hoping to learn a couple tips of the trade for blogging (something I had tried and failed at many times) and meet some cool people. What I got out of the conference was so much more. I learned so much about blogging, met some incredible women, and (after offering discounted services to SJW participants) received multiple freelance jobs from connections I made. The amount of work I received from SJW participants allowed me to invest in new equipment, further expanding my business. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to attend the SJW conference, and I look forward to being able to continue this partnership with SJW members.

There are 4 January sponsorships available at only $100. January sponsorships will be offered through December.

Click here for more information on partnering with See Jane Write.

If you are interested in partnering with See Jane Write for January contact me, Javacia Harris Bowser, at javacia@seejanewritebham.com.

The #bloglikecrazy All-Stars

Each November I challenge the women of See Jane Write to #bloglikecrazy, to publish a new blog post every day for a month.

Today I’d like to take a moment to salute the women who stuck with it and gave their readers 30 posts in 30 days.

JenJennifer Dome King of Stellar Fashion & Fitness

As you might have guessed from the title, Jennifer’s blog is about fashion and fitness but is also about so much more. Jennifer says she wants her blog to motivate her readers to “become stellar people.” Whether you’re trying to become more physically fit or learn how to dress in a way that truly expresses your personality, Stellar Fashion & Fitness needs to be in your blog roll.

irene1

Irene Latham of Live Your Poem

Irene Latham is a poet and novelist whose blog Live Your Poem encourages readers to do just that. How can you live your poem? “Cultivate a secret life,”  Irene urges. “Take the road not taken,” Irene challenges. And “when the time comes, let it go, let it go,” she says. For musings on books, writing, and living a life worth writing about, you need to read Live Your Poem.

LLG home

Leslie Golden of The Books That Follow You Home

For some people books may just be words on a page. But to Leslie Golden books are magic and that’s what her blog is all about. Leslie’s blog is about books “that follow you home,” books whose stories and characters become a part of you.  Leslie blogs about all types of books —  fiction or non-fiction, classic, modern or indifferent, genre specific or fusion — “as long as they’re good. Good enough to be thought about, good enough to be re-read, good enough to be shared.” If you love good books, Leslie’s website will become the blog that follows you home.

Edward_Bowser_2_alt_2

I also want to give a shout out to Edward T. Bowser of Soul In Stereo. Since he’s my better half, Edd is basically an honorary member of See Jane Write. Every year the hubster blogs like crazy with me and my Janes on his music blog Soul In Stereo. Edd has an encyclopedic knowledge of pop culture and one of the reason his blog has become so popular through the years is the fact that he never pulls any punches. If you want honest rants and reviews of hip-hop, R&B and even current events, you need to check out Soul In Stereo.

Thank you all for blogging like crazy with me this year!

What did you learn from this year’s #bloglikecrazy challenge?

kate spade she is quick and curious
I finally believe this popular Kate Spade quote applies to me!

Today marks the end of #bloglikecrazy  — See Jane Write’s annual challenge to post a new blog post every day for 30 days in the month in November.

Usually I survive #bloglikecrazy by planning ahead. I usually spend October brainstorming ideas for dozens of posts and will even start drafting some of them. That wasn’t the case this year. Because my fall has been so busy, I was often developing the idea for and writing a post the same day I published it. But I’m glad things turned out that way because this year’s #bloglikecrazy taught me something valuable: When it comes to writing and blogging, I actually do know what the hell I’m doing!

I suffer from major impostor syndrome, that feeling we women often have that tells us that we’re not good enough and that we don’t deserve the position or power that we have. I often feel this way about writing and blogging. Because of the popularity of See Jane Write, people in Birmingham regard me as a blogging and writing expert, a title I often shirk because I don’t have a New York Times best seller on my resume and because I don’t seek to make money from my blog through advertisements or sponsored posts.

But when See Jane Write members emailed me questions about blogging (questions I had promised to answer in the form of blog posts this month) I could answer their questions thoroughly and easily. I didn’t have to consult any “expert.” The answer was already beneath my curly coif!  And on days when I didn’t have a question to answer I was able to easily come up with a blog post idea and write it quickly and concisely while still making it an interesting, inspiring, or informative narrative.

Who knew that, of all things, this year’s #bloglikecrazy challenge would help me overcome my impostor syndrome!

I’ve realized that I may not know everything, but I know a lot, and I’m smart and resourceful enough to figure out and learn the things that I don’t.

 

What did you learn from this year’s #bloglikecrazy challenge? 

How can I get more involved with See Jane Write?

Christina-J.-Wade

How can I get more involved with See Jane Write? — that is a question I love to hear!

Being a part of See Jane Write is quite simple. Here are 3 easy things you can do:

1) Sign up for our weekly newsletter. This is the best way to stay up-to-date about upcoming events and other opportunities. If you’re not receiving the weekly newsletter click here to sign up now.

2) Actually read the newsletters. Look, I get it. You probably receive hundreds of email messages a day and so those messages in the “Promotions” folder of your Gmall account are often ignored. But missing a newsletter could mean missing an event (or even an announcement about a job opportunity). For example, at the beginning of the month I hosted a four-hour blogging workshop to kick off #bloglikecrazy. Because I wanted to give the workshop attendees hands-on, one-on-one help, there were only 10 spaces available. See Jane Write members were informed of this workshop first and then those who subscribe to the See Jane Write newsletter. The workshop sold out in less than 48 hours. Afterwards, I received several emails from women who wanted to attend the workshop but said they didn’t find out about the event until after all the tickets were gone. And some of these women subscribe to the newsletter. I felt awful that I couldn’t make room for them. But this story illustrates why it’s important to not only subscribe to the newsletter, but to make time to read it, too.

members only jacket
Image by Jessica Quirk via Flickr/Creative Commons

3) Become an official member. Currently, membership is $25 per year but membership rates will increase beginning December 31. Advantages to membership include an opportunity for early registration for limited seating events, invitations to special members-only events and workshops, and discounted tickets to See Jane Write conferences. Additionally, perks such as job opportunity announcements, discounts to local blogging and social media conferences, and other special offers frequently extended to See Jane Write are available to members. Right now I’m also offering premium membership for $100 per year which will get you all the benefits of basic membership plus four one-on-one consultations with me about blogging, freelance writing, or social media. I will not longer offer premium memberships beginning December 31. Click here to apply for basic or premium membership.

 

Each day in November for #bloglikecrazy I’ll be publishing a blog post that answers your questions about blogging, social media, writing, wellness or women’s empowerment. Send your questions to javacia@seejanewritebham.com.