blogging

What if you just went for it?

slay
That look you have on your face when you know you’re about to slay the game…

I have notebooks on notebooks filled with tips, tricks and strategies that I need to implement to grow my blog, business, and writing career.

Some of the advice on these pages I’ve actually put into practice. Much of it I have not. I tell myself I haven’t done these things because I just don’t have the time. And to be sure, my schedule is quite chaotic. But last month I managed to blog five days a week and keep my business afloat despite family drama, sickness and a heavy workload at the day job. To quote entrepreneur Melanie Duncan, “Successful people don’t have the time to learn and grow; successful people make the time to learn and grow.”

But I recently realized it’s not the lack of time that’s truly holding me back. It’s me!

Last week I looked at that stack of notebooks and asked myself, “What are you waiting for?!” And I realized I’ve been waiting for perfection.

I’ve been putting off a much-needed brand photo shoot because I’d convinced myself I needed to lose 20 pounds first. I’ve been putting off trying to collaborate with my favorite bloggers because I’d convinced myself I needed to revamp my website and Instagram feed first. I’ve been putting off submitting story pitches to my favorite publication because I’d convinced myself I needed to improve my writing skills first. And I’ve been putting off taking See Jane Write beyond Birmingham because I’ve secretly wondered if anyone outside of my hometown would care.

But this is all bull shit.

I recently heard someone say, “You don’t have to get it right; you just have to get it going.” It’s not about perfection, it’s about progress. I say this to the women of See Jane Write all the time. Now I need to take my own advice.

So as I sat down to set my goals for September, I decided to pick five things I’ve been putting off and just go for it. Ashes to ashes, dust to self-doubt. (You’ll catch that on your way home.)

I’m sharing my bold goals in hopes that they’ll inspire you to set a few of your own.

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How to Blog Consistently Even When Life Sucks

blog consistently

Last month I decided that beginning August 1 I would update my blog 5 days a week.

I couldn’t have picked a worse time to do this.

This month school started, which meant I’d have to juggle blogging (and freelance writing and business building) with my full-time teaching job. And the week I had to go back to work my mother also had to be put in the hospital. So after work I wasn’t going straight home to work on blog posts but instead going to take care of my mom. And to top it all off I was having health problems of my own.

But I did it, anyway.

Despite everything going on, I still managed to blog 5 days a week this month. Here’s how I did it and how you can blog consistently, too, even when life sucks.

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What Every Boss Lady Blogger Needs In Her Bag

boss lady blogger bag

When school is in and I’m back to juggling my full-time teaching job with my part-time blogging business, my whole life changes. My workout schedule changes, my wardrobe changes, what I eat changes. Even the bag I carry gets a makeover. I go from carrying a chic handbag from H&M to rocking a huge Target tote that could be mistaken for carry-on luggage. But in that tote are all the things I need to manage both my teacher life and writer life and my life as a boss babe blogger.

Let’s take a look inside!

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5 Things I Read This Week

5 things

Some nights when I can’t sleep I do the very thing you should not do when you can’t sleep: I reach for my phone. I know that staring at the light from the screen is going to keep me awake till daybreak but I do it anyway. I grab my phone and binge read blog posts.

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7 Ways to Build Buzz for Your Blog, Book or Brand

build buzz graphic

We had a packed house Saturday at the See Jane Write workshop, How to Build Buzz.

During this free workshop I shared with attendees the story of how I’ve grown See Jane Write from a small women’s writing group and BlogSpot blog to an award-winning business.

It all started on March 24, 2011 when I gathered with a group of about 14 women at a local Mexican restaurant. Most of these women I had never met before, but these women and I all had one thing in common — we all loved to write. And I’d gathered them there that evening  to ask them what they wanted and needed from a women’s writing group. This meeting would be the first See Jane Write event.

Two months later See Jane Write hosted a workshop on Twitter that drew 40 women.

Two months after that we hosted a panel discussion that drew 75 women.

See Jane Write was in full swing!

crowd
We had a packed house at “How To Build Buzz” Photo Credit: Christina J. Wade

Eventually I started to get quite a bit of attention because of See Jane Write and even started winning awards. In 2012 I received the SMART Award from the Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham, an award given to local women who are doing innovative things in business, education, or the arts. In 2015 I was named one of the city’s Top 40 Under 40 by the Birmingham Business Journal and just this year Southern Living magazine included me on its list of Innovators Changing the South, a list that included the likes of the iconic Dolly Parton and actress Reese Witherspoon.

After this recognition people started to ask me my secret. They wanted to how I was getting so much attention for myself and my brand. And I told them, “I know how to make a scene!” In other words, I got really good at self-promotion.

If you’re still stuck in the mindset that self-promotion is somehow dirty or wrong, read this.

Go on! I’ll wait…

Now here are the seven ways I build buzz and make a scene!

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