Next month See Jane Write will host its second big event of the year -- Tweets & Sweets: A See Jane Write Tweet-Up. This event will be held Friday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. at The Wine Loft, 2200 1st Ave. North in Birmingham. The evening will feature drink specials and sweet treats from Birmingham-area shops and bakeries.

This event is also a birthday for me! So even if you're not a writer or blogger, come on out and help an old lady celebrate her special day. 

In lieu of birthday gifts, please consider bringing a cash donation to See Jane Write. 

If you think you can make, please click here to RSVP or if you're not on Facebook just let me know in the comments section of this post that you'll be there.

And here are three reason you should be there:

1. You love networking. Well, maybe you don't love networking, but you're smart enough to know it's an important thing to do. If you're a writer Tweets & Sweets will give you the chance to meet and mingle with other writers in Birmingham, some of whom you may have only previously chatted with on Twitter. Maybe you'll meet your future writing partner -- someone you can meet occasionally for writing sessions, someone to hold you accountable for writing regularly, and someone to critique your work. If you're not a writer, here's your chance to introduce yourself to people who are. Tell them about the big project you're working on and maybe you'll be the topic of their next blog post or news feature story. In other words, don't forget to bring your business cards!
2. You love cake. It's the beginning of the year, so you're probably on a diet. You're trying to lose weight and get in shape. I am too. But it's my party, I'll eat cake if I want to. And I give you permission to do the same. We can go running together the next day to burn off those calories. 
3. You love me! Okay, there's a chance you have no idea who I am and this is your first time ever visiting this blog, but hear me out. As I mentioned before, this event is also my birthday party and I'd love to celebrate my special day with anyone who takes the time to read my rants.  

Hope to see you on Feb. 8!

xo,

javacia a.k.a. writeous babe

PS -- If you're not in Birmingham, consider hosting an event like this in your own town. Remember, today's task for 31 Days to a Better Blog is to "Organize an event for bloggers in your area." So get to it, and let me know how it turns out. 

When it comes to Twitter I am not a member of #TeamFollowBack. For those of you not hip to Twitter lingo, let me explain. If a person follows me on Twitter I am not going to automatically follow him or her in return. 

I hope that doesn't make me sound like a snob, but I take my Twitter timeline seriously. If you don't have a picture or a bio I will not follow you, unless I know you personally. I need a picture to show me you're not a robot and I need a biography to get an idea of what your tweets will most likely be about. I want to see that we have something in common. 

And I suggest you be just as picky. 

Today's task for 31 Days to a Better Blog is to "cut ties with some of your tweeps to streamline your Twitter experience."

Try to maintain a 1:1 ratio on Twitter, meaning you should follow approximately the same number of people who follow you. This shows you're actually thoughtful about the people you follow. Streamlining your Twitter experience will make room for new connections and keep you from missing great content. 

Here are three things you can do: 

• Stop following folks who haven't posted in over two months. (Try UnTweeps for help.) 
• Stop following people who never followed you back (unless they're a big shot whose tweets you love to read). 
• If you can't remember why you followed someone in the first place and their tweets cause you to strain your eye-rolling muscles, it's probably time to unfollow. 

Bonus: Follow me at @writeousbabe. :) 

Happy tweeting!

Today’s task for 31 Days to a Better Blog is to recommit to being more engaging on Facebook and Twitter.
 

Treat Twitter and Facebook like a cocktail party – that’s the best advice I’ve ever read about the proper way to engage your audience and build your brand via social media.

Remember that you’re trying to have a conversation with people and that you want those people to find you interesting.

Post regularly (several times a day), but don’t ramble. Be intentional about what you post. Obviously, you should use Facebook and Twitter to share your blog posts. Also post tweets and status updates that are informative, inspiring, helpful or humorous. Don’t bore your readers with every detail of your life and don’t use social media as a place to rant about how much you hate your job, your neighbor, or your husband. Save that for your therapist.

Get personal. While you shouldn’t use social media as free therapy, don’t be afraid to show your personality. Share posts about fun, funny, or exciting things going on in your day. You don’t want to be all business all the time.

Stay on topic. The people who follow you on Twitter do so for a reason, so make sure you deliver. For example,  people tend to follow me because they’re interested in writing or blogging, feminism, fitness, or faith. There are also several fellow Birmingham residents who follow me. So I try to tweet about those topics and about things going on in my city. 

Remember you’re not the center of the twitterverse. Make sure your tweets and Facebook posts aren’t all about you all the time. This is like having a friend who only wants to talk about herself. Use your social media channels to promote other bloggers and writers as well. Retweet and share intriguing posts by others. Compliment and thank people for sharing something insightful.

Ask questions. You don’t want to spend your time on Twitter and Facebook talking to yourself, do you?  Social media outlets are meant to spark a conversation, so ask questions to show your readers you care what they think too.

And to lead by example…

What are your Facebook and Twitter rules of engagement?

BlogHer '08 Conference
Photo by Wendy Piersall via Flickr/Creative Commons

Today's task for 31 Days to a Better Blog is to sign up for a blogging class or conference. 

If you live in Birmingham, I have just the thing for you. Tomorrow evening See Jane Write will host the panel discussion Blogging and the Future of Community Journalism. 

At this free event you can learn how to use your blog to cover communities and topics you feel don't get adequate attention from mainstream media. You'll also learn how to make your blog stand out from other local websites and find out how you can work with journalists and even get respected as a journalist yourself. 

Our panelists include: 

• Staci Brown Brooks, Community News Director for the Birmingham Hub of  Alabama Media Group
• Emily Lowrey, founder of Magic City Post, a web publication that offers a daily posts on the Birmingham metro area and shows off the best the region has to offer.
• Andre Natta, founder of The Terminal, a critically acclaimed web publication about Birmingham.
• Erin Shaw Street, travel editor for Southern Living magazine and editorial content manager for the magazine's social media including its blog, The Daily South 

The panel discussion will be moderated by Edward T. Bowser, who is a community engagement specialist for the Birmingham Hub of Alabama Media Group, author of the blog Soul In Stereo, and my hubster!

Click here for information on time, location, and how to register. 

But that's enough shameless self-promotion. Here are a few blogging conferences you should check out: 

FoodBlogSouth

Independent Fashion Bloggers Conference

BlissDom

Blogging While Brown

BlogHer '13

What conferences are you going to this year?

Image by Dean Meyers
via Flickr/Creative Commons

Today’s task for 31 Days to a Better Blog is for those of you who think you might need a change. Maybe you’re considering changing your blog platform or maybe you've been thinking about changing your blog’s title or URL. If you've decided a change is what you need, go for it!

But after you make this switch branding is going to become even more important for you as you try to market your new name. Lucky for you, on Saturday I participated in the monthly Twitter chat Blog Brunch and this month’s topic was Branding 101. Here are a few tips on how to build your brand.

Write a mission statement. I know you’re tired of me telling you this, but I’m not the only one who believes this is a good idea. So does Sarah Tolzmann (@notetosarah) of the blog Note to Self.  During Blog Brunch she tweeted “Your blog should have a mission statement, even if you keep it to yourself. It will help you decide if content is relevant.”  Remember, you can’t send a clear brand message to readers if you’re sure what your message is.

Be consistent. Having a mission statement will help ensure your message is clear, but you need a consistent writing style as well. You also need to make sure you’re consistent throughout your social media channels.  The author of the blog Sarah Hearts (@sarahkhandijan) tweeted “All social media pages should look like you! Your readers should instantly know by the look & content that it’s yours.”  I, for example, use the Twitter handle @writeousbabe and usually tweet about the same topics you’ll find on my blog – writing, blogging, feminism, fitness, and faith.

While consistency is key, don’t be afraid of change.  “I think your brand should maintain a common visual aspect – but it shouldn't hold you back from trying something new,” tweeted Katie (@mspinkandblue), co-founder of Blog Brunch.  Kait Kucy (@yuppielove) advised not changing your branding more than once a year. And most bloggers agreed that when you are making a change be sure it’s for a good reason and not simply just to follow a trend.

Network. Now that you've put all that work into crafting your message and polishing your blog’s look, you need to spread the word about who you are and what you’re all about. You need to network. Several bloggers from Saturday’s Blog Brunch agree that some of the best ways to market your blog and your brand include: commenting on other blogs, writing guest posts for blogs with a mission similar to yours, hosting events, attending conferences and, of course, using social media outlets such as Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

I’ve been thinking about branding a lot myself, lately. I've been considering changing the name of my blog, worried that “Writeous Babe” is too silly. What do you think? I’d love to get some feedback in the comments section.

Happy brand building! 

Today is Day 4 of 31 Days to a Better Blog. Today's task is to write a mission statement for your blog, a task that some of my blogging buddies have told me is quite daunting. And I get it. "Mission statement" sounds so big and scary. But it doesn't have to be. 

To start, ask yourself two simple questions: Why do I blog? and What do I want my readers to get out reading my posts? Your responses will quickly lead you to your mission statement. 

I blog because I want to express myself as a writer and because I want to empower other women with my words. I want my readers to leave my blog feeling a connection to me but also feeling inspired to go after their dreams and do what needs to be done to live their best lives. 

And if you're wondering if you need a mission statement for your blog, yes you do. This post from November explains why. In that post I shared a rough draft of my blog's mission statement and it hasn't really changed over the past two months. 

My blog's mission statement: 

The Writeous Babe Project is a blog about writing and women's empowerment. My blog is designed to help creative and goal-oriented women -- especially those who write and blog -- achieve their artistic ambitions and live their best lives. The Writeous Babe Project is also a feminist lifestyles blog, which means I address topics such as fitness, fashion, family, and faith, but from a feminist perspective.

For me, however, women's empowerment is more than a blogging niche; I consider it my life's work and my purpose for being on this planet. So I'm constantly thinking about how I can take my mission beyond the blog. 

Lately, I finally feel as if I'm doing just that and it's all thanks to See Jane Write. The sense of community we've been building lately has made me giddy with joy. Case in point, I spent yesterday evening with seven other women of the group having dinner and drinks at The Wine Loft, a popular wine bar here in Birmingham. The meetup was an impromptu one that came about Wednesday evening over Twitter. We spent three hours chatting about fitness, bad wedding experiences, movies, music, and so much more, and, of course, about writing and blogging.  At one point in the evening we all pulled out the notebooks (both paper and electronic) that we use to jot down ideas, which made for a great photo. 

Photo by Tanya Sylvan

So after you write a mission statement for your blog consider if there is a way you can reach out to your readers offline as well. I still believe that blogging is about people, not pageviews. 

You probably already know that Twitter is a great way to promote your blog and Twitter's latest look makes this even easier to do. If you haven't updated your profile since Twitter rolled out its new look, today is the day to do so.

With the addition of a header photo and the focus being shifted to the center of the page, branding just got easier. So here's what you need to do:

1. Choose a header photo. Twitter recommends the image have the dimensions of 1252 x 626. And I recommend you pick an image that somehow represents what you and your blog are all about. For example, my header is a cropped image of a journal cover I have, one with the image of a typewriter. If you have a graphic in the header of your blog, perhaps you could use that. 
2. Consider a new avatar. Your avatar is now more visible since it's centered. So choose a photo that you love and one that you will use on other social media networks too, as this helps with branding. Remember, as a blogger or writer, you are your brand.
3. Review your bio. Your bio is now part of this new header, which means it may get more attention than before. Independent Fashion Bloggers once gave good advice on how to write a great social media bio. They recommend that you share who you are and what you do and give a peek into your personality. (Click here to check out some examples.) My bio tells you that I'm a writer, blogger, teacher, and founder of See Jane Write. It tells you I'm a feminist and proud Southerner. And it reveals that fitness is a hobby of mine. And if you follow me on Twitter you know that these are exactly the things I typically tweet about and the topics you'll find on my blog. (What? You don't follow me on Twitter? Well, let's fix that now. You'll find me @writeousbabe.) 

I can't wait to see your new Twitter header. Leave a link to your Twitter page in the comments so I can check it out!

Image by Kelly Loughlin via Flickr/Creative Commons

I've said it again and again: you need an editorial calendar. 

Developing a weekly editorial calendar that is centered on the mission of your blog will help you beat blogger's block and post more consistently. If you find yourself sitting there staring at your computer not sure what to write for the next day just check your editorial calendar. It will help you focus on a particular topic and quickly come up with an idea for a post. 

While you have your blogging planner out, you may want to consider looking ahead and doing a bit of planning for the entire year. Make note of any special events you want to blog about. Or perhaps you may want to take on a special theme for certain months like something about Black History in February or Women's History in March. 




To develop your weekly editorial calendar, first, decide how often you can (realistically) post each week. Then decide on topics (related to your niche and your blog's purpose) for each day. 

Here's my new editorial calendar, which I plan to kick off in February after 31 Days to a Better Blog. 

• Monday -- Monday Motivation: On Mondays I'll share personal stories and life lessons that aim to offer encouragement to women and my fellow writers and bloggers.
• Tuesday -- My Town Tuesday: This will be my time to show off Birmingham by highlighting local events or profiling interesting folks in my city. My goal is for the posts to be related to writing, blogging, or social media in some way.  
• Wednesday -- Writer Wisdom: These posts will offer practical advice on the craft of writing. 
• Thursday -- I have no cute name for this, but on Thursdays I'll write about blogging and/or social media. 
• Friday -- Feminist Friday: Each Friday I will take on a feminist issue, especially those related to literature or the media. 
• Saturday -- Feminists Just Want To Have Fun: Sometimes I want to just post something fun and Saturday seems like a good day to do that. 
• Sunday -- The Writing Life: These posts will explore various issues we writers face in our everyday lives. 

This calendar is subject to change, especially if posting every day gets to be too much, but this is the plan for now. Be sure to extend to yourself the grace to change your editorial calendar as well. Remember, blogging is supposed to be fun, so don't be too hard on yourself. 

What's your current editorial calendar? 

Women writers, this blog is for you!
Image by Julie Jordan Scott via Flickr/Creative Commons

Happy New Year! 

It's t he first day of 2013 and the first day of 31 Days to a Better Blog. 

Today's task: Carve out a new niche for yourself. Create the blog you wish existed!

Pulitzer prize winning author Toni Morrison, who is one of my favorite writers of all time, once said 

“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”

I believe this applies to blogging as well. 

With so many blogs out there it's obviously imperative to find a way to make yours stand out from the rest and trying to be everything to everyone is not the answer. Find a niche and stick with it. 

Look around the blogosphere and ask yourself what's missing. 

As I scoured the 'net I saw plenty of blogs for fiction writers, but not many for writers of creative non-fiction and most of the ones I did find felt like a boys' club. Though I know this wasn't the intention of the writers, as I read many of these blogs I kept seeing in my mind a sign that said: NO GIRLS ALLOWED. 

The blog I want to read is one that's for creative non-fiction writers and one that's bursting at the seams with girl power. And so, that's exactly what I'm going to strive for The Writeous Babe Project to be.

What's your niche? How would you describe you blog?

super cute photo found here

I’m not a fashion blogger, but I regularly read the Independent Fashion Bloggers website because it always features such great tips for bloggers of any niche.

At the beginning of this month I came across a blog post on that website on 31 Ways to Boost Your Blog into 2013. Taylor Davies gave a list of 31 things to do in the month of December to make for a more successful blog in the New Year. Unfortunately, I didn't see this post until a few days into the month and since I’m not a fashion blogger several items on the list didn't really apply to me. Then I thought, “I feel another blogging challenging coming on!”

Drawing inspiration from Davies' post, I’ve put together a list of my own: 31 Days to a Better Blog. Here are 31 things to do in January (that’s one task for each day) to improve your blog. What a great way to kick off the New Year.

Below is the entire list so you can play along, but each day I’ll be posting or tweeting @writeousbabe about the tasks (with the hashtag #31Days).

If you plan to join me on this challenge let me know in the comments so I can swing by your blog to check on your progress.

Happy blogging!

xo,
Writeous Babe

31 Days to a Better Blog

1. Carve out a new niche for yourself. Create the blog you wish existed!
2. Create an editorial calendar and stick with it!
3. Update your Twitter header.
4. Write a mission statement for your blog. 
5. Revamp your About page (and include that new mission statement). 
6. Redesign your header. 
7. Take a photo that you will use on all your social networking sites and add the photo to your blog as an "About Me" graphic that links to your About page. 
8. If you've been thinking about changing your URL, title or platform, do it! 
9. Sign up for a blogging class or conference.
10. Recommit to being more engaging on Facebook and Twitter. 
11. Dust off your LinkedIn profile. Believe it or not, I've had more people contact me about writing and social media gigs through LinkedIn than Facebook or Twitter. 
12. Update your Google profile. 
13. Learn how you can use Pinterest to boost your blog. 
14. Update your blogroll. 
15. Now recommit to leaving thoughtful comments on most of those sites in your blogroll. 
16. Cut ties with some of your tweeps to streamline your Twitter experience. 
17. Make commenting on your blog easier.
18. Organize an event for bloggers in your area.
19. Get connected with an online blogging community such as BlogHer, Skirt or IFB.
20. Make a pitch to be featured on or to contribute to one of your favorite blogs. 
21. Make a pitch to be featured in local (or even national) media. 
22. Start a video post feature on a topic related to your niche. 
23. Post an interview with someone you admire. These posts generally bring lots of pageviews.
24. Introduce yourself to important people in your niche. 
25. Blog about a controversial topic. These posts are shared over and over in cyberspace and are sure to bring you more traffic.
26. Start an e-newsletter.
27. Have a blog date. Go to your favorite coffee shop and blog for hours.
28. Highlight your best blog posts. 
29. Cover a local event. These types of posts tend to be popular, too.
30. Compile a post of all the lesssons you've learned about blogging thus far. Your readers who are also bloggers will appreciate it, and this will be a great post for you to refer back to when you feel you've lost your way.
31. Create a list of great blog post ideas for 2013.