If you’ve had a conversation with me that lasted longer than 10 minutes, I probably in the course of our discussion brought up Beyonce.
Yes, I’m a bit of a stan and proud member of the BeyHive. I even have a ritual of listening to her music every Friday.
Ironically, I don’t listen to Queen Bey to get pumped up to party. I listen to her to get motivated to work. The weekend is my time to turn my attention to building my blog and my business and songs always make me feel like a boss.
One of my favorite tracks to listen to is “Upgrade U” and this song has been playing in my head on repeat lately as I consider all the ways I plan to upgrade my blog for 2016. Here’s how you can do the same.
I woke up Monday morning determined to get in a 2-mile run before the end of the day. Rainy days and a busy schedule had kept me from pounding the pavement for a few days and I’m trying to get back into the groove of running so I can register for a few big races next year.
The elements were against me. Thanks to the end of Daylight Savings Time I knew it’d be pitch black before 6 p.m. and because of a little run-in a sports car had with my rear end back in 2008, I’m terrified of running at night. But I left work on time (I’m a teacher and can technically leave at 3:06 p.m. but rarely ever do) and made it home and changed into my running gear before 4 p.m.
But there was another problem. Those same clouds that had been raining on my parade for the past few days were threatening to do so again. I considered putting on one of my favorite fitness DVDs and giving up on my run but something inside rebelled against that idea.
Last night the ladies of See Jane Write gathered for our first ever watch party to celebrate the return of ABC’s Scandal. We called this event See Jane Handle It and, of course, I picked out a special outfit for the occasion.
Photos by Andrea Walker
Because Olivia Pope loves her wine and her popcorn, I knew the Wine Loft in downtown Birmingham would be the perfect place for this event and I knew the party wouldn’t be complete without delicious gourmet popcorn from Naughty But Nice, a kettle corn company based in Birmingham and owned by two awesome local women — Tanesha Sims-Summers and Tiffany Turner.
Before the show began the Janes had time to mix and mingle and learn more about Naughty But Nice. Tanesha and Tiffany were bitten by the entrepreneurship bug 20 years ago when they were just girls. Growing up in College Hills gave them direct access to Legion Field and the gridlock traffic that football games often brought. So they decided to start selling popsicles curbside, one window at a time. For their next business venture they wanted to sell a food that was as all-American as football and as nostalgic as hearing the ice cream truck. Kettle corn it was! “We hand stir and hand pop every kernel,” Tanesha said.
With Tanesha of Naughty But Nice (& her little one on the way)// Photo by Sherri Ross of You Got Rossed
Last night I also led a 10-minute master class titled “How to Be the Olivia Pope of Blogging.” Here’s how to do just that:
Always wear the white hat. On ABC’s Scandal wearing the white hat means being the good guy or doing the right thing. Be ethical in your blogging. Don’t steal content or post images you don’t have permission to use. Be kind to your readers and to fellow bloggers. And strive to inspire or encourage others with every post.
But let’s also recognize that Kerry Washington looks fabulous in that white hat and in everything else she wears. So I want to encourage you to dress like a fashion blogger even if you’re not one. In the world of blogging you are your brand and you want to make sure you represent that brand well by always looking your best. This applies to your blog too. Make sure your website is updated, easy to read and navigate, and is aesthetically pleasing. (Pro tip: When possible, be sure that your images are as wide as your posts column.)
Let your readers know it’s handled. Like Olivia Pope, be a fixer. With every post seek to solve a problem for your readers. Even if you’re a fashion blogger posting an outfit of the day, your posts are still inspiring your readers to better their wardrobes so they can have more confidence to go out and handle their days.
Gather your gladiators. We all love Olivia Pope but she couldn’t do much of what she does without crazy Quinn and Huck. Likewise, every blogger needs a tribe. You need a blogging buddy to hold you accountable to posting consistently. You need someone to bounce ideas off of, someone to help you celebrate your successes, and someone to grab some red wine with you when things go wrong.
Last night these women were my gladiators showing up early to help me set up gift bags for guests.
Thanks Jen, Sherri, and Andrea!
To see more pictures from See Jane Handle It: A See Jane Write Scandal Watch Party, check out the photo album on our Facebook page.
