business

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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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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Why Self-Promotion Isn’t Selfish

selfpromotion

Most days I pose a question to the ladies of the See Jane Write Facebook group designed to help us get to know one another better. Recently, I asked, “What are your superpowers?”

For mine I listed “teaching, writing, inspiring people, connecting people and cultivating community.” One superpower I failed to mention, though, is my knack for building buzz.

Earlier this year when Southern Living magazine included me in its list of Innovators Changing the South, I wrote a blog post about how I believe I’ve received recognition such as this and a number of other awards and opportunities because I’m good at self-promotion.

I know that for many people, especially women and especially writers, self-promotion feels dirty. Perhaps it even feels selfish. But you’ve got it all wrong.

If you have something truly valuable to offer others, you’re actually being selfish if you don’t promote it!

If your blog post could make someone’s day, if your book could change someone’s life, if your business could solve someone’s biggest problem, why would you keep that to yourself?

Self-promotion seems dirty because it’s usually done in a pushy, forceful, and slimy way. But despite how it sounds, “self-promotion” shouldn’t be simply about promoting yourself. It should be about letting someone know that you have something they need and that you want to help.

Perhaps you’ve gone so long shunning self-promotion that now you’re not even sure where to start. No worries. I got you, girl!

On Saturday, July 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. I’ll be hosting a FREE workshop at DISCO on how to build buzz.

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The 3 Cs of Blogging

3cs of blogging

On Tuesday, June 28 I’ll be the guest speaker at the Alabama Women in Business Luncheon to be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Club, 1 Robert S. Smith Drive in Birmingham.

I’ll be speaking about how to use blogging and social media to boost your brand or business.

If you are a small business owner or aspiring entrepreneur, I’d love to see you there. Tickets are only $30 and can be purchased here. (If you are a member of ALWIB admission is free.)

During my talk, I’m going to cover what I call the three Cs of blogging: clarity, content, and community.

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How to Turn Your Blog Into a Business

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When I started See Jane Write in 2011 it was just a small women’s writing group and a simple Blogger blog. Now it is an award-winning business that has allowed me to make money and make a difference. In fact, just this year Southern Living magazine included me on its list of Innovators Changing the South because of my work with See Jane Write.

In my e-course Lady Blogger to Boss Lady, which is now open for enrollment, I share all my secrets as to how I’ve grown See Jane Write and used blogging to land paid freelance writing gigs and speaking engagements.

Here are the seven steps I took to turn blogging into a business:

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