Image via Flickr/Creative Commons

My list of life goals is about a yard long. Seriously.

But here are some goals of mine that pertain specifically to blogging:

• Win a Voices of the Year award from BlogHer.
• Have a post syndicated on BlogHer.com.
• Speak at BlogHer.
• Have one of my websites recognized as one of the best websites for women by Forbes. 
• Have one of my blogs be recognized as one of the best blogs for writers by Write to Done. 
• Actually make money from one of my blogs or websites.
• Attend Blogging While Brown.
• Speak at Blogging While Brown.
• Speak at WordCamp Birmingham.
• Speak at Blogalicious.
• Guest blog for GoinsWriter.com
• Guest blog for Write to Done.
• Guest blog for Erika Napoletano's RedHeadWriting Blog. 

I'm a dreamer. I love drafting lists of aspirations, but lately I've been looking at these lists and getting a bit frustrated with myself because I'm not doing enough to make these dreams come true. 

When it comes to my online writing life, I'm trying to figure out what I should do next. Should I pour all of my energy into See Jane Write Magazine? Should I finally try my hand at being a feminist blogger and not just a blogger who happens to be a feminist? Should I simply continue to blog about writing? And then there's that part of me that wants to start a blog celebrating Birmingham. What's a girl to do?!

I'm hoping to make a decision by the end of the month or at least the end of the year and then get busy living a life worth blogging about!

I have a confession: one of my biggest role models in life is about half my age.

Tavi Gevinson is only 17 years old but she's been a huge inspiration for me. Gevinson came to public attention at the age of 12 because of her fashion blog, The Style Rookie, which she started in 2008. The blog started drawing nearly 30,000 readers a day and eventually caught the attention of The New York Times, which interviewed her for an article about young bloggers. Because of her blog’s success, Gevinson was invited to attend New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week and even commissioned to write articles for popular publications like Harper’s Bazaar.

Later the focus of her blog began to shift to feminism and pop culture and in the fall of 2011 Gevinson launched Rookie Magazine, an online publication aimed primarily at teenage girls. RookieMag.com, is a huge inspiration for SeeJaneWriteMag.com. 

You may think it's silly for a 30-something to admire a teenager, but after watching this talk Gevinson gave in 2012 at TEDxTeen, I think you'll become a Tavi fan too. 

In her speech, Gevinson broaches questions like What makes a strong female character? and discusses how one-dimensional portrayals of women in film and television can harm us in our everyday lives. She also discusses feminism and the struggle to figure out what that word truly means. And on the topic she has this to say: 

Feminism is not a rulebook. 

Feminism is a discussion, a conversation, a process. 

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. So without further ado...

My Olivia Pope-inspired outfit I wore to the Celebrate Black TV
Scandal Season Premiere Watch Party at BlogaliciousFIVE. 

Watching: After resisting for two seasons I’ve finally been sucked into the Scandal craze and am officially a part of the Gladiator Nation. I shouldn’t be surprised that I fell for this show as soon as I started watching the old episodes on BET. Shonda Rhimes won me over long ago with Grey’s Anatomy and I’ve had a girl crush on Kerry Washington for years. Initially, I chose not to watch the show because all anyone ever talked about was Olivia Pope’s affair with the President and as a married lady I couldn’t get on a board with a show that glorified adultery. But after watching I quickly realized that Olivia’s love affair with Fitz isn't actually the center of he show’s storyline. And -- though I’m probably the only Scandal fan on the planet that feels this way – I couldn’t care less if Olivia and Fitz end up together. I’m much more interested in how Olivia fixes PR nightmares and how she can rock a white trench coat like nobody’s business. And besides, I’m Team Jake!

Listening to: As loyal readers know, my car radio is normally tuned to WBHM 90.3 FM, Birmingham’s NPR station. But I still make time for music occasionally. Lately, I’ve been listening to Solange’s EP True, Janelle Monae’s The Electric Lady, and Kendra Morris’ Banshee. If you don’t own these you need to change that immediately.

Planning: I’ve already planned all the See Jane Write events I want to have in 2014 and I’m currently working on the 2014 editorial calendar for See Jane Write Magazine.

Reading: Sexy Feminism: A Girl's Guide to Love, Success, and Style. I bought this book back in March and for months it’s been sitting on my bookshelf literally collecting dust. I finally started reading it and I’m in love. The book offers ways we modern feminists can practice feminist activism in our everyday lives and have fun along the way.

Looking forward to: Summer Break. Is it too early for me to say that?

Making me happy: If I’m really honest with myself, not much in my life is making me happy these days. Nearly every thing in my life is draining me dry. I need to make some life changes and I need to make them soon.

Thinking about: Margin. I have no margin in my life. Nearly every second of every day is filled with tasks: teaching, grading papers, working on freelance stories, blogging, running See Jane Write, leading a church small group, exercising, cooking, cleaning. And I have to make time to eat, shower and comb my hair – things I honestly sometimes struggle to find time for. On top of all of this, my family is going through a really rough time right now and I’m dealing with some health issues, issues that are only exacerbated by my stress level. Something has to give. But what? I love all of the things I do, fiercely. How can I choose?

A friend of mine whose life is pretty hectic these days said something to me recently that really struck me. When I asked how she was doing she rattled off all the things going on and I expected her to follow this laundry list with complaints about the chaos of her life, complaints I felt she'd be justified in voicing. But instead she said, quite happily, “My life is full.”

That’s the attitude that I want to have. When people ask how I’m doing I typically give a heavy sigh and say, “I’m OK, just really busy.” 

But I want my answer to be: “I’m wonderful! My life is full.”

Image by Abhi Sharma via Flickr/Creative Commons

Because of my work with See Jane Write, at least once a month I am asked about "my book." Some people want to know if I'm working on a book. Others simply assume I am and ask what my book is about. While some people assume I already have a book on the shelves of their local Barnes & Noble or that they can order it from Amazon.com.

All these people are sadly mistaken.

I have not published a book, nor is this a goal I'm even striving toward right now.

This may be surprising, and perhaps even seem hypocritical. Here I am working day and night to encourage women to write and share their stories, but I have no plans to pursue publishing a book!

I could say I have no interest in writing a book, but that would be a lie. I've thought about writing a book. A lot.

The truth is, I'm afraid to write a book. Here's why:

I'm afraid I'm too indecisive. Before I write a book I would need to actually decide on a topic. I have three book ideas I've been kicking around for years, but I can't settle on one. So I simply choose to not make a choice and push those publication pursuits to the back burner.

I'm afraid I'll get bored. I have commitment issues. I get bored with things (and people) very easily. I will stop watching a favorite television show mid-season if I'm disappointed by too many episodes. When I was younger, I didn't even have plans to get married because I feared I'd wake up one morning utterly bored with my husband. Writing a book is a long, arduous process that takes serious dedication. I'm afraid that if I get started on a book I'll eventually get bored with the project and dump it for a shiny new idea.

I'm afraid I'll have to abandon my other goals. Writing a book -- a good book -- takes a lot of work. It's like a second job. And since I essentially already have four jobs (teaching, freelancing, See Jane Write Birmingham, and See Jane Write Magazine) taking on a fifth would mean I would have to completely give up exercising, showering, and sleeping -- or I'd have to give up teaching, freelancing or See Jane Write. Right now, that would be like asking me to choose and give up my least favorite child.

I'm afraid I'm not smart or talented enough. Two of the three book ideas I have center on feminism, which I'm sure is no surprise if you've known me for longer than 5 minutes. But I don't have a degree in women's studies and for that reason I don't feel I have the knowledge necessary to write a solid book on feminism. And what if I don't have what it takes to write a solid book on anything? Sure, I can write blog posts and news articles, but can I really write a entire book?

But then I started reading Sexy Feminism: A Girl's Guide to Love, Success, and Style. This book is by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong and Heather Wood Rudulph, the authors of the blog SexyFeminist.com. Armstrong and Rudolph don't have PhDs in women's studies. Like me they are journalists, bloggers, and imperfect feminists looking for ways to practice feminist activism through their writing and through the decisions they make in their everyday lives.

Armstrong and Rudulph empower me to believe that I can write a book about feminism.

Yet, I'm still faced with the issue of when on earth will I find the time to write it.



I've heard fiction writers talk about characters speaking to them and poets speak of verse chasing them through space and time. Perhaps the non-fiction book I carry inside me will tell me when it's ready to be born and one day I'll just wake up and know it's time.

Image by Keith Williamson via Flickr/Creative Commons

It's Day 3 of #bloglikecrazy. Yesterday's prompt asked "Why do you blog?" Today's prompt asks "How?"

Here are some things I've noticed, over the years, about my writing process:

My best ideas come to me in the shower. I will repeat words and phrases over and over like a chant until I can get to a notebook or electronic device to record my thoughts.

I usually come up with titles for posts before writing them. That was not the case with this post. I had no idea what to title this until about five seconds before I hit "Publish." (And as you can see, I didn't come up with anything creative.)

My titles are usually not SEO friendly, but I don't care. I'm a sucker for a clever headline.

Whether I'm working on a blog post or a reported article for a freelance gig,  I can't write a word until I've decided on my lede.

 My best blog posts are always those that I wrote on paper first.

Even though I love my laptop, tablet and my phone, I still prefer to plan posts and collect ideas the old-fashioned way -- in notebooks.

In my bedroom, I have about a dozen notebooks filled with lists, dreams, and ideas.  And I ALWAYS keep a notebook with me -- even if I'm at a party. I have a special tiny notebook perfect for stashing in a clutch.

I still keep a journal, but not in the "Dear Diary" sense. In my journal I write prayers and things I've learned about God.

I strive to write prose that reads like verse.

I'm afraid to write a book.

When it comes to generating blog post ideas, I am a machine. I have an uncanny ability to find inspiration anywhere. Sure, I read magazines, books, and blogs for ideas but I also find inspiration while people watching at the airport, while painting my nails on a Friday night, while watching good movies and bad TV, and while dancing to my favorite song.

I write best in the morning, but I've taught myself to write anytime, anywhere -- sort of. I still haven't figured out how to write in the shower.

What's your writing process?

Image by Steve Hankins, via Flickr/Creative Commons

I am not a poet.

I used to be. But verse and I parted ways long ago. We broke up in a bar, ironically, in the middle of a spoken word open mic night.

Sitting there in my chair at a tavern named Rudyard Kipling I decided to dump poetry.

This was not a bad breakup. We both knew it was for the best. My heart was elsewhere.

I wanted to be a columnist. I wanted to write opinion pieces and reported essays that would change people's minds and even their lives.

For awhile I had the chance to boast the title I coveted and I wrote a bi-weekly column for the newspaper I worked for in Louisville, Ky.

Then I quit my job.

I quit my job to teach literature. And though in this new job I spent my days and nights devouring  words, the writer in me was still hungry. At one point I thought I had starved her to death.

One day I stopped feeling like a writer.

Through all this I had a friend to turn to -- blogging. We became pals in 2008. Our friendship was easy and fun. And as we got closer, blogging began to help me find my feminist self.

Our relationship grew more serious; my passion for blogging grew more intense. We became more than friends. Blogging became much more than a hobby.

Like a new lover who gives you the courage to open your heart again, blogging gave me the courage to once again call myself a writer and reminded me what being a writer really means.

I was back to carrying around a notebook of ideas as I did when I called myself a poet. I was back to writing for writing's sake, and not simply for an audience or for money. I was back to writing simply because I couldn't help myself.

And together blogging and I birthed something beautiful -- See Jane Write.

Blogging is the love of my (writing) life.

And this is why I blog.

Image by Marcelo Braga via Flickr/Creative Commons

2014 is two months away, but I've already started drafting my list of goals for the New Year. Sure, this might demonstrate how driven I am, but it also shows I need to slow down. 2013 isn't over. I need to make the most of the time left in this year. 

So I'm setting four simple goals for November. 

The four simple goals concept is the brainchild of Elsie Larson, co-author of the wildly popular blog A Beautiful Mess. The purpose is to challenge you to create healthy, life-enriching habits during what is, for many of us, the busiest time of year. You're to choose activity-oriented goals that will improve your everyday life. Elsie encourages those of us who set four simple goals to blog about our goals and to reward ourselves for each goal accomplished. 

Here are my four simple goals: 

1. Blog every day for 30 days as I celebrate #bloglikecrazy with See Jane Write and my other blogging buddies. 

2. Exercise every day for 30 days. 

3. Pray and meditate on Scripture daily. 

4. Do something each day to show my husband I love him. 

What are your four simple goals for fall?