writing

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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Meet Joi Miner

joi miner

If you’re coming to the See Jane Write 5th Anniversary Party tomorrow you should prepare yourself to meet a host of interesting female writers and bloggers. One of the most interesting women in the room will be poet, author, editor, and motivational speaker Joi Miner.

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16 Blogs to Read in 2016

16 blogs

One of the best ways to be a good blogger is to read good blogs. Here are some blogs I recommend following religiously in 2016 if you’re passionate about writing, blogging, entrepreneurship, and feminism.

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Gift Guide for Women Writers, Lady Bloggers, and Girl Bosses

badass-blog-planner
From the Badass Blog Planner by Sarah Morgan

Allow me to be transparent.

I’m calling this a “gift guide” but here’s what happened: My husband asked me to make a list of things I wanted for Christmas, and I needed a blog post for today because the one I’d originally planned didn’t work out. So…today I’m sharing with you things from my holiday wish list that I think other women writers, lady bloggers and girl bosses would also enjoy.

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DIY Marketing with Books-a-Million

Birmingham-based authors, learn how to be your own publicist at the next See Jane Write event.

On Tuesday, June 16 we’re partnering with Books-a-Million to bring you a FREE workshop on how to market your book. You’ll also learn more about BAM! Publishing and Books On-Demand — which could be just what you need if you’re looking to self publish your next book.

The event will feature talks by Chanda Temple, co-author of the Birmingham’s Best Bites cookbook and A.D. Lawrence, author of the book When the Lioness Roars.

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Chanda Temple worked as a journalist for nearly 20 years before switching gears to public relations in 2012. This change meant that no longer would she cover buzz-worthy events but would now be responsible for building buzz and she’s going to help you build buzz for your book, too. For the past three years Temple has crafted numerous public relations campaigns that the public and media noticed.

Her latest success was coauthoring the Birmingham’s Best Bites cookbook. The self-published paperback book sold out three times in late 2014 and earned an international gold medal award in 2015. Also in 2015, her public relations campaign for the book and the Birmingham food festival it was connected to, won a first place state award in public relations.

AD Lawrence

Although, A. D. Lawrence is new to the official writing world, she is not new to the art. She has spent a lifetime putting pen-to-paper to express her deepest feelings and thoughts and to do research.

A.D. grew up in Tennessee at a time when children were to be seen and not heard. In 1989, she moved further south where she believed blacks were treated the same. During this major transition, she wrote. This era helped to hone her writing skills by giving her an outlet for unspeakable truths, while she dealt with social changes.

Lawrence is the author of When the Lioness Roars, When the Lioness Roars…Again, and When the Lioness Roars…Again and Again. She also has two works in progress. One is entitled Life Beyond the Shadows and the other is A Coloring of Hearts. The underlying theme in both deals with personal disappointment, struggle, growth, and survival. Unlike these two, the current book uses humor, anger, fact, prayer, rhyme and reason to produce a personal journal/textbook.

Join See Jane Write and Books-a-Million as these authors share the secrets to marketing their books. Zach Kendrick of Books-a-Million will also be on site to tell you all about the Espresso Book Machine and how you could use it to self-publish your next book.

This book is free and open to the public but seating is limited so arrive early.

DIY Marketing for Authors: How To Be Your Own Publicist

Hosted by Books-A-Million, Brookwood Village in Partnership with BAM! Publishing and See Jane Write

6 – 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 16 at the Brookwood Village Books-a-Million