a website & community for women who write & blog
This summer my husband threatened to toss my iPhone and iPad in the trash. Every five minutes they both kept making an annoying whistling sound. Well, the sound was annoying to him. For me, the sound sparked a rush of excitement because it meant that someone I followed on Periscope was starting a broadcast!
Many of the women writers I know say Instagram is not their jam. They think it’s only useful for fashion bloggers or for people who want to pretend their lives are more fabulous than they actually are. But Instagram can be a great place for writers to share ideas, show off their work, collaborate with other writers, and get inspiration. So go on and start that Instagram account, and here are five women writers you should follow on Instagram once you’ve joined the party.
G.G. Renee is the writer behind the blog All the Many Layers. In addition to her own writing she also creates books and courses to help other women “embrace their layers + writer from the heart.” Her Instagram account shows snippets of her writing and her many layers.
Nikki Woods is a senior producer for the Tom Joyner Morning Show, a best selling author, and a coach for writers and entrepreneurs. Her Instagram account often offers writing and publishing tips, advice on how to get attention from the media, and inspiration to get you through the day.
Tyece Wilkins is the author of the blog Twenties Unscripted and a book by the same name that was released this summer. Her Instagram account, as well as her book and blog, is all about exploring womanhood, relishing in life as a writer, and navigating relationships. Check out my interview with Tyece to learn more.
@_samantha.king
Published author Samantha King is proof that Instagram isn’t just for style bloggers. She has more than 57,000 followers and mostly posts snippets of her writing, snippets that are sure to inspire you on days you’re struggling with writer’s block.
And last but not least… ME!
I recently started an Instagram account — @seejavaciawriter — specifically for providing inspiration and encouragement to women writers. You can also follow my personal Instagram account @writeousbabe.
Who are you favorite writers and bloggers of Instagram?
If you want to turn your blog into a business, you need to act like it! And one of the things you’ll need to do is invest in your blog and invest in yourself. Here are 4 investments you should consider making this month:
Enrollment for my new e-course Lady Blogger to Boss Lady opens Saturday. This 7-week course will help you develop your best blog yet and show you how to turn that blog into a business without relying on ad sales or sponsored posts. A value of $497, I’m offering this beta version of the course for only $75! Plus, if you sign up for my Lady Blogger VIP list you’ll receive a discount. If you’ll be in the Birmingham area Saturday, Sept. 12, be sure to register for my Lady Blogger to Boss Lady kickoff event for an even BIGGER discount. (Only 6 tickets remaining for this free event.)
Writer, blogger and social media maven Carrie Rollwagen is offering a social media workshop on Saturday, Sept. 19 specifically for those building a small business or personal brand. The workshop is an overview of social media marketing and an introduction to all kinds of social media tools. This daylong session will help you find the social media strategy that’s right for your small business or personal brand and give you the inspiration to get started. Topics covered include: Managing websites and blogs; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest; basic keyword optimization techniques; scheduling and organizing; and much more. Tickets are $100 and include lunch. Use the code BHAMJANES for a 20% discount. Class meets Saturday, September 19 at Innovation Depot from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Innovation Depot is located 1500 1st Ave N #31, Birmingham, AL 35203. Get more details and register here: tinyurl.com/popupworkshopsept.
Moving to a self-hosted WordPress site was one of the best investments I ever made in my blog and business. After revamping my website people instantly started to take me and See Jane Write more seriously. If you need help setting up your self-hosted WordPress.org site, WPBeginner offers a free service through which they’ll do it for you FOR FREE as long as you purchase your web hosting using one of their affiliate links. Get more information here.
Perhaps you already have a self-hosted WordPress site, but you’re just not happy with the look of your blog. BluChic can help with that. BluChic offers beautiful WordPress themes designed specifically with female bloggers and business owners in mind. I use a BluChic theme for the See Jane Write website and my portfolio site. Themes are $79 and BluChic offers a number of other design elements, too. Click here to visit Bluchic (affiliate link).
I know that investing in all four of these in one month may not be feasible for most people. So decide which investment will be most beneficial for your blog and your business and go for it!
How will you invest in your blog and business this month?
The other day I came across the high school yearbook from my senior year. My senior quote was this: “If you always do what you’ve always done, then you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
This quote has been attributed to nearly a half dozen people, but regardless of who said it first, it’s great advice. Teenage Javacia knew it was great advice and, fortunately, grown-up Javacia knows that, too.
And so I’m always eager to try new things and eager to encourage others to try new things as well. If you’re a writer or blogger, here are five things you should try next month:
Social media can offer wonderful ways to build buzz for your blog, book, or brand. And that’s why See Jane Write hosted a social media workshop for writers and bloggers on Saturday, March 21.
The workshop kicked off with Bertha Hidalgo of the fashion blog Chic In Academia sharing her tips on how to grow your Instagram following. Bertha has over 14,000 followers on Instagram and has been very successful at using this platform to build her brand. In fact, she was recently invited to speak at a conference in Los Angeles because of her Instagram popularity. Visit Bertha’s blog for a recap of the tips she shared Saturday.
Next, Heather Brown of the popular lifestyle blog My Life Well Loved shared tips on how to use Pinterest and Facebook to build your blog’s readership. Heather has over 13,000 Facebook fans and nearly 27,000 followers on Pinterest. Yesterday, Heather started at series on social media tips on her blog. Visit My Life Well Loved today to check out her tips on how bloggers can get the most out of Facebook.
I ended the workshop by offering attendees four lessons I’ve learned about social media as a writer, blogger, and entrepreneur.
Pinterest is not my jam. Twitter might not be yours and that’s OK. Instead of trying to be everywhere all the time, choose two or three social media platforms and crush ‘em! How do you choose? Pick the platforms your ideal reader frequents and the platforms you actually enjoy. It’s OK to have an account on all platforms, but you only need to focus on a few and you can use the other platforms to direct people to where you spend most of your time. For example, Hilary Rushford, the style and business coach behind DeanStreetSociety.com is an Instagram guru. And so her Twitter bio includes this statement: “My party is on Instagram @HilaryRushford.” And her Twitter feed has a pinned tweet that reads: “Twitter, you’re nice. But I go steady with Instagram. Come join the daily party: Instagram.com/hilaryrushford.”
That said, I do urge writers to not be afraid of image-focused platforms. You can easily turn your favorite quotes or even words of wisdom from your own writing into an image for Instagram or Pinterest. Use tools like Canva, Pinterest, or Word Swag to create beautiful backdrops for your words.
Take for example BossBabe Inc., an online network for millennial businesswomen. BossBabe’s Instagram account only shares snarky, witty and inspiring sayings for girlbosses and has a over 81,000 followers.
Participating in Facebook groups is a great way to network with potential readers and even find friends who understand the creative work that you do. The Southern Girl Blog Building Group is a good one to join as is, of course, the See Jane Write Birmingham Facebook group. Starting a group of your own could be a great way to build your brand. Interest in See Jane Write grew exponentially after I started the Facebook group. One way to cultivate community is by offering the group a challenge. When I launched the annual #bloglikecrazy challenge group members were eager to share their daily posts in the group and read the posts of others. And they used the Facebook forum as a space to cheer on their fellow Janes and even form friendships.
I landed a paid freelance gig with one of my favorite online publications through Twitter. Twitter is a great place to build relationships with editors or agents you want to work with. But be genuine. The first communication you have with them shouldn’t be asking for information or a favor. Chat about common interests and build a rapport. When the time is right for you to bring up business, you’ll know.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have many editors approach me about freelance writing opportunities and, believe it or not, most of those editors have found me through LinkedIn. The first time this happened I was shocked. Back then I posted updates on LinkedIn so infrequently I’d forgotten I had an account! But once an editor said she had learned of my work through that platform I began to wonder how many editors had stumbled upon my LinkedIn account and decided – due to my lame profile – that I wasn’t the right woman for the job. I then decided to make sure that my profile was current, complete, and fresh. I also try to post updates more. All users can now post articles to the LinkedIn network as well. For more on LinkedIn check out the post You Need to Get “LinkedIn.”
Do you need one-on-one help with social media, blogging, freelance writing or building a brand? Then you need Java with Javacia — a one hour session with me, See Jane Write founder Javacia Harris Bowser. Email me at javacia@seejanewritebham.com for more details.
