See Jane Write

8 Lessons Learned from 8 Years of See Jane Write

Eight years ago I walked into Cantina Tortilla Grill in Birmingham, Alabama to have dinner with about a dozen women I’d never met before. We talked about writing, blogging, social media and more. We talked about our current writing projects and the projects we dreamed of pursuing. And with this meeting See Jane Write was born.

At the time I had no idea that See Jane Write could become a business with members all over the world. At the time I had no idea that because of See Jane Write I’d get the opportunity to write a monthly column for B-Metro and Birmingham magazines. I had no idea I’d have the chance to share the story of See Jane Write on the TEDxBirmingham stage. I had no idea I’d win awards because of See Jane Write or meet some of my dearest friends through this group. Eight years ago I had no idea that See Jane Write would completely change my life.

Over the past eight years I’ve learned a lot about writing, blogging, and entrepreneurship. And I’ve learned a lot about myself. Here are eight lessons I’ve learned from my eight years of managing See Jane Write.

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How See Jane Write Can Help You Succeed in 2019

“Over here we measure success by how many people successful next to you/ Here we say you broke if everybody else broke except for you.” — “Boss” by The Carters

I am determined to make 2019 my most successful year yet, but I can’t count 2019 as a win unless you’re winning, too.

Here are some things I think you should do to be successful in 2019 and how See Jane Write can help you with each step.

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Why Writing Is a Communal Act

Writing is a communal act.

Now you may be thinking, “No, it’s not! We must write in solitude to produce our best work.”

But as Natalie Goldberg says in her book Writing Down the Bones, “Contrary to popular belief, a writer is not Prometheus alone on a hill of fire. We are arrogant to think we alone have a totally original mind.”

In other words, everything we write is somehow influenced by the work of writers who have come before us.

But it goes even deeper than that.

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My Journey from Lady Blogger to Boss Lady

I sometimes call myself an accidental entrepreneur, even though a part of me has always wanted to own my own business. In fact, as a kid, I started a “boutique” in my bedroom and tried to convince family members and friends to buy purses and costume jewelry I no longer wanted.

Nonetheless, it would be a blog, not a boutique, that would be the start of my first real business.

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What I Wish I’d Done Differently While Growing See Jane Write

When I returned to my hometown of Birmingham, Alabama in 2009 to teach I immediately knew I wanted to surround myself with creative women who write. For two years I searched for a networking group for women writers that would welcome bloggers, poets, journalists, and creative nonfiction writers (all hats I’d worn at some point in my writing life), but to no avail. Finally, in 2011 I decided to start one of my own and See Jane Write was born. My little writing group is now an award-winning business and website. I am so proud of what I’ve built over the past 7 years, but if I had to do it all again there are some things I would do differently. Here are some confessions about my See Jane Write journey.

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