Image by Tamas Buti via Flickr/Creative Commons

To all my blogging babes out there, answer this question: Why do you blog?

Before you respond, I want you to consider not only what you hope to get out of blogging, but what you want your readers to take away from your site. What's in it for them? 

Answering these questions will help you develop a mission statement for your blog, something I believe we all need. Having a clear vision for your blog will help you develop content, choose guest contributors, and, if you have advertising on your blog, it can help you decide which sponsors are right for you. 

Some of you may be thinking: My blog is just about me and my life. I just write what I'm thinking and feeling. Do I need a vision or mission statement for my blog too? If you want to get and keep readers, yes. Even personal blogs have a distinct voice and as you're writing about yourself you are essentially creating a character with which you want your readers to make a connection. Showing every facet of ourselves online is pretty difficult to do and probably not even the smartest thing to do. So even with personal blogs we must decide which parts of ourselves we will share and which interests and philosophies we will discuss. 

So go write your blog's mission statement and once it's polished, consider adding it to your blog's About page. I'm a woman who believes in leading by example, so here's a rough draft of my blog's new 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. 

Now it's your turn. 

Currently is a little feature Dani Hampton of Sometimes Sweet and several other bloggers I follow occasionally post on their sites. Currently is essentially a list of what you're into at the moment and is a great way for your readers to get to know you better. I realized last night I haven't done a Currently post in nearly a year. (Here's one from Dec. 14, 2011). So I figured I was long overdue for an update. And away we go...

Watching: Most of my friends know I don't watch a lot of TV. When my husband's out of town I can go days without even turning the thing on. Furthermore, even though I'm African American for years I couldn't tell you what channel BET (Black Entertainment Television) was on. That all changed with the premiere of Don't Sleep hosted by T.J. Holmes. When Holmes left his job at CNN to head over to BET most folks thought he was crazy. And I must admit his decision left me scratching my head too. But Holmes knew what he was doing. Don't Sleep is the late night news show I've been waiting for. Think The Daily Show, but a bit more serious and focused on black issues.  Because of T.J. Holmes and Don't Sleep I'm running to the remote every weeknight at 10 p.m. to turn to BET. Wow, I never thought I'd type those words.

Listening to: I'm not sure if it was because of the 2012 presidential campaign, but I've been quite the news junkie lately. Not only do I stay up late to watch Don't Sleep, but I've traded in listening to my favorite CDs (yes, I still own those) for listening to my local NPR station, WBHM, on the regular. But I love WBHM not only for the news updates but for all the compelling stories. As a writer, you know I'm a sucker for good storytelling.

Planning: I know it's only November but I'm already making plans for 2013, especially for See Jane Write. There is so much I want to do next year including organize a panel discussion on blogging and the future of community journalism, a social media seminar and a memoir writing workshop. I'd also like See Jane Write to partner with some other local literary groups. I want to start a See Jane Write book club and by the end of 2013 I hope to file the paperwork necessary for See Jane Write to officially become a non-profit organization.

Thinking about: My future as a blogger has been on my mind a lot lately. I've decided that after #bloglikecrazy I'm going to focus on working to establish myself as a feminist blogger.

Looking forward to: Thanksgiving Weekend. I'm looking forward to food, family, and fun. The writer in me is looking forward to time off so I'll have more free hours to blog. And the Alabama fan in me can't wait for the Iron Bowl. Roll Tide!

Reading: How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran has been sitting by my bed for months collecting dust. I started reading it weeks ago, but then got so busy with freelance gigs I abandoned this hilarious memoir. I'm determined to finish this book soon. Also, these days I'm reading all the thought-provoking blog posts being written by all the folks who decided to #bloglikecrazy with me this month.

Making me happy: This month's #bloglikecrazy project has me giddy. Sure, blogging daily and sending out writing prompts to the participating bloggers is a lot of work, but it's worth it. In just one week I've seen women bloggers, of Birmingham in particular, connecting like never before and inspiring one another in the process. Blogging is a beautiful thing!

Image by Paul H. via Flickr/Creative Commons

 A few weeks ago I took a pregnancy test.

No, not because I'm trying to get knocked up. (Did you not read this post?) And no, I hadn't missed my period. But I figured the growth of a tiny human in my body was the only explanation for my rapidly expanding waistline. But, alas, the test was negative. So the only person I can blame for this bulging belly is myself.

Lately I have been extremely busy juggling my teaching career with my freelance writing gigs, working to grow See Jane Write, and striving to maintain an active church life and social life. Thus, I've had little time for exercise. I usually only work out twice a week, which is quite a difference from the 6-days-a-week regimen I usually maintain. And when I do have free time to hit the gym or running trail, I'm usually too exhausted to do so.

Meanwhile, I've been eating like I really am pregnant. I eat ALL THE TIME. You see, I'm an emotional eater. While I'm grateful for all the opportunities that have been coming my way lately, I've been very stressed and that stress is making me feel down. When I'm sad, I eat. The problem is I also think eating is the best way to celebrate. So when I'm happy, I eat. Ergo, whether I'm wallowing in self-pity or jumping for joy, I want cupcakes nearby.

I do have the ability to control this. When I am focused on a fitness goal I can overcome my urge to eat an entire bag of candy corn and make more healthy choices. Trouble is I haven't been truly focused on a fitness goal since I completed my first half-marathon.

So it's time to get focused. My new fitness goal is two-fold: 1) I want to lose 30 pounds and 2) I want to complete my second half-marathon in February.

Training for the half will begin Mon., Nov. 26 and I'll be using the Hal Higdon plan for novice runners.

The weight loss plan begins today. I'm going to the gym after work no matter how tired I am. My plan is to try to burn 3500 extra calories a week through exercise. Additionally, I'll be tracking my activity and my caloric intake with MyFitnessPal.com. If that doesn't seem to be making much of a difference by the end of the year, I'm going to do Weight Watchers again, something I've had success with before.

So, is this beginning of a weekly Weigh-In Wednesday feature here at The Writeous Babe Project? Maybe. Maybe not.

But I do plan to blog about my efforts to get healthy and fit. Why? Because I can't write the next great  literary masterpiece or spread the gospel of Southern Fried Feminism if I'm dead.

Image by Mike Licht via Flickr/Creative Commons

It's Election Day.

As soon as I left work today I headed straight for the polls. There were no lines at my voting site, but I had come armed with plenty to read in case I had to wait. And I was willing to wait, for hours if that's what it took, because since I turned 18 nearly 14 years ago I have always been determined to exercise my right to vote.

I vote because I am black.

There was a time when people with skin like mine were not allowed to step foot in the voting booth. And even after laws changed making their disenfranchisement illegal they still faced one obstacle after another -- such as poll taxes and literacy tests -- as they tried to cast their ballots. This is the history my grandmother recounted to me every time she took me to the polls with her when she voted. And she voted, always -- not just in presidential elections, but every local election too, because she understood those were just as important.

I vote because I am a woman.

We American women have been guaranteed the right to vote for less than a century. This still stuns me.
When I voted today I couldn't help but think of Malala Yousufzai, the 15-year-old Pakistani girl who was shot in the head by the Taliban after gaining international recognition for advocating for girls' education.
Not only are girls like Malala being denied an education but they're being denied a voice. For them speaking out against their government means risking their lives. So how dare I take for granted this opportunity that I have in my country!

I vote because I am an American.

Being born in this country is a privilege. I've always known this but I don't think I realized the gravity of this truth until last Tuesday when I attended an immigration town hall meeting here in Birmingham that was led by undocumented journalist and immigration reform activist Jose Antonio Vargas. Hearing his story and hearing both the love and the pain in his voice as he expressed how much he wants to be an American citizen broke my heart and made me think about how I should show appreciation for my country by being a good citizen. Part of being a good citizen is being an informed voter. So I sat in front of my computer one night and researched all the state amendments that would be on my ballot so I could make educated choices.

This is why I vote. What brought you out to the polls today?

When  I was in my early 20s I kept a little notebook of inspirational quotes and carried it with me all the time. That book would have come in handy last night as I was watching Black Girls Rock.

Black Girls Rock is a non-profit youth empowerment organization that promotes the arts for young women of color. Founded by Beverly Bond, the group also encourages an analysis of the ways women of color are portrayed in the media and hosts an annual awards show that airs on BET. 

The women honored at this year's awards show were offering up so many words of wisdom I could barely keep up as I was scribbling their sage sayings onto any pieces of paper within my reach.

Actress Regina King, who hosted the show with Tracee Ellis Ross, said to the audience at the start of the show, "We can solve any problems when we stand strong and support each other."

Even though Black Girls Rock is mostly about celebrating the accomplishments of African-American women, I believe King's statement applies to all women regardless of race, color, or nationality. When women band together we have the power to bring about change. I believe in the value of community which is exactly why I started See Jane Write.

Kerry Washington
Image by David Shankbone via Flickr/Creative Commons

Kerry Washington, star of the hit ABC show Scandal, was one of the night's honorees. Washington is the first black woman to lead a prime-time serious on a major network in 38 years and is known for playing an active role in politics helping most recently with the Obama campaign.

"True power comes from authenticity," Washington said. "Power come from being yourself."

Janelle Monae
Image by Michael Dornbierer via Flickr/Creative Commons

Janelle Monae, another celebrant at the event, is proof that Washington is right. Monae has made a name for herself in the music industry without changing her style or her unique sound to conform to trends. She was even recently tapped to be a Cover Girl.

"I didn't have to change who I was to become a Cover Girl," Monae said. "I didn't have to become perfect. Perfection is often the enemy of greatness."

She went on to say, "Embrace what makes you unique even if it makes other people uncomfortable."

Alicia Keys
Image by Walmart Stores via Flickr/Creative Commons

Singer Alicia Keys was also recognized for both her accomplishments in music and her foundation Keep a Child Alive, which is dedicated to providing life-saving AIDS treatment and support services to families affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India.

Keys reminded black girls (and women) of this: "Everything that you want to be you already are and you are simply on the path of discovering it."

Image by Danny Getz via Flickr/Creative Commons 

A few months ago I discovered the virtual blogger meetup known as Blog Brunch.

Blog Brunch is "a collaborative network powered by bloggers wanting to share, dream and learn with other creatives in the blogging community." Blog Brunch hosts Twitter chats on various blogging topics the first Saturday of each month. 

This month's chat, held yesterday, was about finding your blog's voice and couldn't have come at a better time for me as I strive to do exactly that this month during the #bloglikecrazy challenge. 

Ironically, even though I participated in the chat because I have so many questions about the future of my blog, during the chat I realized I already had many of the answers I was seeking. 

For example, during the chat I began to think about and shared with others the importance of having a clear vision for your blog. This vision will help you stay focused, can help you develop an editorial calendar and regular features, can keep you from being preoccupied with traffic and page views, and can even help you when trying to select the right guest bloggers for your site. I'm going to work on drafting a mission statement this week. 

But even after you've figured out a focus for your blog, you may still have trouble finding your voice. Here are some great tips from other bloggers I picked up yesterday: 

Don't be afraid to show your personality. Write as if your reader is a pal having coffee with you, one blogger suggested. 

One thing so many of us agreed on was the importance of blogging about your passion. If you're just writing on a topic simply because it's popular, it shows. 

If you want to know what's working and what's not, just ask. Several bloggers recommend doing reader surveys. And don't rely simply on comments to gauge if your content is resonating with readers. Pay attention to what they share on Twitter, Facebook and other social media outlets as well. 

And speaking of readers, it's important to truly engage them. "I make sure that I end every post with a question or two," said @alliepal. "I don't blog to hear myself talk -- I'd rather hear from readers." 

It's important to engage other bloggers, too. Leave comments on the blogs that you read. Don't be a "phantom reader" one blogger said. 

If you're looking for ways to improve your content and writing skills remember good writers are also avid readers. Read other blogs, books, magazines, and more for inspiration. You may want to try free writing workshops too, @mspinkandblue suggests. 

Work on expanding your vocabulary. Not everything can be "AMAZING!" And remember that sites like Grammar Girl are your friends. 

While reading blogs and other online publications can be helpful, if you've fallen into a rut you may need to unplug.  "Nothing gets unique content rolling like being away from your computer and living in the real world," @thecuisinerd said. 

Others agreed and talked about how writing about local events can really boost traffic. I can say that some of my best content and most popular posts were those written after attending inspiring events, such as the post I wrote after attending a panel discussion on the future of journalism. 

Other traffic tips included using titles that are similar to a Google search, which @stacyandcharlie recommended. And @mspinkandblue offered this great tip regarding post length and SEO: "Shoot for at least 250 words to get Google's attention."

That said, be sure not to get too focused on traffic. "Try not looking at your stats or ad sales for a month. See if that changes the way you blog," said @passionfruitads. Obsessing over numbers, @passionfruitads said, is like "looking in the mirror all night and forgetting to go out and have fun!"


Crossposted at the See Jane Write blog. 

Image by Julie Jordan Scott via Flickr/Creative Commons

If you know me well, then you probably know that I'm a feminist. Actually, even if you don't know me well you probably know I'm a feminist. My students seem to figure this out about me one week into the school year as if it's oozing from my pores. Even the Twitter robots seem to know I'm a feminist, often placing feminist bloggers, writers and organizations in my "Who to follow" list.

Despite all this I've had trouble committing to truly being a feminist blogger. I'm a feminist and I'm a blogger but I've always doubted if I could or should call myself a feminist blogger. I've told myself I can't be a real feminist blogger because I don't have a degree in women's studies, because I don't know enough about politics, and because I'm not in the online feminist in-crowd.

Sometimes I wonder if I even want to be a feminist blogger. Do I want to feel responsible for writing about about every stupid thing clueless politicians say about women and our bodies? That's a lot to keep up with these days. I do have a full-time job, you know. And besides, writing about that all the time could get pretty depressing.

So I considered billing myself as "the joyful feminist," and focusing on positive, uplifting feminist news, but I'm not sure I can live up to that either because sometimes I need to vent. Sometimes I need to bitch and moan about the stupid things clueless politicians say about women and our bodies. Sometimes I need to complain about the way women are represented in magazines, movies, and music videos.

And furthermore, how do I balance this all with my desire to blog about writing?

I've been blogging for over four years and I still don't feel I've found my place here in the blogosphere. And honestly, I'm a bit angry with myself about that. For the past four years I've had a long list of blogging goals that I have failed to achieve because I've just been revving my engine instead of really getting in the race. But I guess I feel that before I can get started I need to make sure I'm in the right lane.