Blogging 101: Finding Your Niche, Building Content, and Tackling Instagram

Last week, I made up my mind to stop reaching out to companies and universities. The rejection was just too much and clearly, I’m not cut out to be an entrepreneur. I planned on redoing my resume and looking for a ‘real’ job. Which is hard in itself. People aren’t hiring like that here in Detroit. I’m overqualified and they would surely underpay a creative Black girl with two masters degrees.

My heart sank as I lost a little of myself.

Last night, my sisters told me that the knowledge I have is valuable. And that I’ve worked my ass off to build a platform. She said that I give myself for free and ask for nothing in return.

Last month, I asked God, the universe to tell me what to do with tears strolling down my face. My question wasn’t answered. I contemplated doing many things that had no good in it. Things that I’d probably regret later on...

Sometimes, the answers are within us, in front of us. But, we don’t stay quiet long enough to listen.

I’ve never thought of myself as an entrepreneur. Although, I’ve always wanted to be one. So, I’m trying one more time...I won’t be working on my resume to make a random company rich. Instead, I’m launching my own. I’m launching a Blogger 101: Building an Online Presence Webinar and compiled information from how to find your niche, building an online community, social media algorithms to get your work seen, as well as reaching out to companies for collaborations.

All night, I’ve been pouring years of mistakes and lessons I wish I was told and had to learn about building an online community and social media into a legit blogging webinar. I couldn’t even fit all the knowledge into one session! I want to make this a thing y’all! I’m scared. But, I’m hopeful that you trust me to guide you in your journey of getting your business or your craft or message out there.

So, I’m gonna start with 20 spots. And, I’m gonna push until those 20 are filled this week. I’m 30 and I’m tired of struggling, negative in my bank account, and bill collectors.

Support small Black, Muslim, and female owned businesses. That’s so important right now.

So, Blogging 101: Finding Your Niche, Building Valuable Content, and Tackling Instagram is NOW available.

-One Hour Live Session (Skype/Google Hangouts)

-Topics: Utilizing social media to build your brand, what you need to start, finding your market, and unlocking Instagram’s algorithm to get your work viewed by thousands, and more...

Price: 99$ to the first 10 folks to sign-up and after that, 149$

This is not just for bloggers! It's for anyone who has a service, product, brand, and/or non-profit that they want to get out into the open. If you want to grow your business, online presence, and get your work/services seen or heard, then this webinar is for you.

*Webinar open to all countries* 

Thank you in advance for supporting a fat, Black, and very Muslim entrepreneur from Detroit. 

Purchase Webinar Here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BeautyandtheMuse/100

XOXO, 

Leah V 

My Photos Tell A Story

Usually, I have these long, drawn out blog posts about identity or weight or the usual struggle. We are nearing the end of 2017, gearing up for the new year. A fresh start as I like to call it. But, for right now, I’d like for you to enjoy this photoset as I have enjoyed creating it with my #BlackGirlMagic team.

ELOQII allowed me to choose two items. I searched high and low until I stumbled upon this one. I’ve always been a fan of the vintage glam look. The kind of look that you’d imagine in the Great Gatsby. Which is my fave, by the way. Of course, women who look like me weren’t the pillars of those stylish times. They were usually white, thin and most likely, weren’t Muslim.

Dress: ELOQUII

I like to take concepts and make them my own. Make them modern. I want them to tell a story. What does each photo say to you?

The day of shooting, I was very tired and had just started my period. Score! I had wanted to buy a pair of shoes to match the outfit better, but hadn’t had the money, so I found the ones I’m wearing at the bottom of my shoe bin from two years ago and made it work.

I told my makeup artist, Madinah, that I wanted makeup with red and blue hues.

Makeup: Madinah Muhammad

We picked up Tiarra, the photographer, then drove all the way to Ann Arbor to Graffiti Alley.

Ann Arbor is a suburban city with lots of white folk. I was a Muslim gal wearing an award show dress and face beat to the gawds. As, we made our way to the location I got lots and lots of stares. I wanted to ask, “Have none of you ever seen a celeb in real life before?” Instead I sashayed down the sidewalk. LOL.

When on set, it takes me a moment to get into the ‘modeling’ zone. The first photos are usually trash because I am trying to get a feel for the ensemble, the photographer, and the mood.

Model: Kostya Dombr

What helps is taking on a character. Any character that fits what I want to portray. For this golden dress, I imagined myself as a confident yet sassy ‘Roaring 20’s’ speakeasy owner. The kind that smoked cigarettes from fancy, bedazzled holders and wore feather boas on Friday nights. She probably knew how to use a shotgun. She was feminine yet strong and hadn’t taken no shit.

After we took photos with the graffiti, we went back towards the car. We stumbled upon an old-style looking theatre. My friend said, “OMG. You gotta take some photos here.”

We took some more amazing shots at Michigan Theatre.  

Then my friend, pointed through the glass door. “Yo, we need to get that guy inside to take a photo with you.”

“Go ask,” I said. “That’d be dope to have a male model.”

Minutes later, my friend emerged with Kostya, who did an amazing job.

Location: Michigan Theatre

When I model, it’s all about expression and going with the flow. I love how I can just be. I feel most confident in front of the camera, creating these amazing images that will forever be floating around and inspiring others to continue to create visual masterpieces. Create content, written, painted, drawn, or digital.

Just keep creating.  

xoxo,

Leah V

On the Verge of Quitting

Well, this is quite embarrassing. But, what’s ego nowadays? For the last few months, I’ve known this day was coming. The day where I ran out of grant money and maxed out of a few credit cards just to stay afloat.

I’m a 30-year-old woman with multiple degrees and face plastered on the internet having to beg for money.

I laid in bed, in the dark, trying to crunch the numbers. What can you possibly do to make a quick buck to cover next month’s bills? I could sell my plasma as I had done years before when I was at the bottom of the barrel. Yeah, I almost passed out a few times and the huge needles left scars on my arms but at least you had gas money. I thought about sex work. I could make an incognito Tumblr page. No one would know if I sold a few ‘butt’ pics to some scum dude living in a basement. Although, I’m not technologically smart enough to cover my tracks and not be exposed as ‘Leah V, Muslim Blogger Sells Nudes’. I could start taking on clients that I’ve recently denied and sell my readers and supporters shit like Flat Tummy Tea, bundles of Brazilian weave, waist trainers, teeth whitening kits, and miracle creams.

Just for the money.

Basically, I’d have to change up my entire brand just to make money. How stupid of me to think that I could possibly be an organic content creator, keep it real, and not go commercial, and still pay my phone bill.

I don’t want to sell you guys (gals) stuff that I wouldn’t buy. I don’t want to sell you pipe dreams. I want to keep my blog organic and helpful and my social media a safe place for us to congregate and speak our truths, but honestly, I can’t maintain this.

I’m crying as I write this because I shouldn’t be asking for money. I should maybe have a paid off home, a nice husband who doesn’t cheat, and a family that supports me. I should maybe have a job with insurance and a 401k and a savings account. I should have two sane parents that tell me that everything is going to be okay and that they got my back.

I don’t have any of those luxuries. I’m on my own in every way possible. And, I don’t have a choice but to figure out a way. Hustle.

“Leah V has been on all these websites and magazines, I don’t believe she doesn’t have money.”

Let’s dispel that myth. Just because you are Insta-Famous doesn’t mean that you are capitalizing off of it. How many people have gone viral and are still living in their mom’s basement? Social media attention does not equate cash flow.

I have NEVER made a penny off my blog. Why? I don’t believe in forcing ads on people. I don’t believe in forcing people to buy clothes they don’t want. I don’t believe that art always has to be turned into some capitalist system. I want my blog to be a place where people go for inspiration because they want to.

I don’t make money modeling. I don’t have the luxury of living in LA or NY where modeling gigs pay. I live in Detroit. They don’t pay models here. You get the photos and that’s it.

I give out free advice and consultation. All the knowledge I have and built and created is worth something. I must not know my worth because I give out free advice all the time. I give of myself free all the time. I help people build their brands, for free. I help people gain self-confidence, for free. And, I’m not saying this to make you feel bad or to make you feel like I was doing all of this for some ulterior motive, but I’m on the brink of quitting.

I cannot sustain myself by doing free or volunteer work any longer. I cannot host events for free. I cannot be on panels for free. I cannot blog for free or consult with you for free.

As my bills pile up, as the collectors call my phone, I am angered that I am giving so much and receiving so little. Do I not value myself enough to charge? Why do I have to hit rock bottom before I start to value myself and my work?

I’m an artist first and a business person last. I have a need to create and share my art, my work with you, the world. And, although I want to quit and say F it all, I will always find a way to create.

So, will you help me continue to create?

Instead of sex work or selling bodily organs, I came up with a campaign that I’m launching right now.

I’m selling ‘10’ spots of 1 on 1 sessions. We’ll call it “Chats with Leah V”.

In this 30-minute session, you can pick my brain, ask me questions about branding, building social media platforms, how to break into modeling, networking, content creation, fashion, style, body-image, mentorship, or you can just talk to me for half an hour about whatever you want. It’s your time.

I’m charging $99 per session.

All the proceeds will go to paying off my credit card bills, creating new content, rent, tissue, food, and toothpaste and gas in my car, etc…   

So, email me Leahjvernon@gmail.com or Paypal the $99 fee to lock in your session because I’m only doing ten to start.  

I just made a Patreon account, where readers like yourself can also donate $1 to $200 monthly. Some awesome goodies are attached to those donations.

And, if you just want to help a sister out, you can either Venmo (@LeahV) or PayPal (Leahjvernon@gmail.com) me a donation, so I can keep going, stay afloat and stop crying because I can’t pay my bills.

Support the arts and the artists that make it possible.

Paypal: Leahjvernon@gmail.com

Venmo: @LeahV

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/leahvernon

Diversity In YA Books: Brown Girls Need Heroines, Too!

https://www.launchgood.com/project/muslimah_author_seeks_selfpublish_funds

This is a call to action!

So, you guys (my readers, my loves, and supporters!) have been rocking with me since day one. Since the grainy photos, the horrid style choices, and the iffy fashion shows. You witnessed my growth, my insecurities, and my accomplishments.

This year has brought about some major family and personal challenges in my life. A lot of them negative and unexpected. But I’ve chosen my path. And I CHOOSE to keep moving forward. I’ve chosen to drown out all the ‘NO’s’ and turn those bad boys into some fuckin’ YES’s! I’m sick and tired of being scared of success and failure. Because at the end of the day, I’m battling MYSELF. I’m the one who holds myself back… No one else.

I was going through some things last week, being challenged heavily on the mental side. I took a night drive and was thinking about all the stuff I’ve done and could be doing. I thought about my book. The novel I spent years and years and years on. Why wasn’t in out there? Why wasn’t I allowing anyone to read it? How many brown girls are out there waiting to see a kick-ass protagonist that looks just like they do?

Rough draft cover of my novel by student: Fatima Harbali

Fear.

I was afraid that if I did publish it on my own that I wouldn’t be able to handle the business, production, and upkeep of a small publishing company. I’d fail miserably and all the people that ‘told-me-so’ would be vindicated. I knew Leah couldn’t do it. I knew she didn’t have it in her. So I thought: what if I died tomorrow. Yes, grim, I know. But necessary. What if I died tomorrow and never tried to publish my book?

That thought catapulted me into what I’m doing now. I’m publishing my book. I don’t care. I’m doing it. Failure or not. I’ve mustered up the courage and maxed out my credit card to get a few printed.

One of my friends suggested I run a campaign. Oh, how I hate asking for handouts. But she assured me that people WANT to help me succeed. And here we are…

I have a Launchgood campaign to offset some of the costs of printing, production, marketing, and launch. And I really want you guys to hear me out. It’s donating to a good cause. There aren’t enough women of color who are leads in Sci-Fi novels. There aren’t enough girls of color who are superheroes. There isn’t enough color in the publishing world altogether. Help be a part of that change that we’re always tweeting about. I really need you guys to come through and donate and even share the link if possible.  

I’m asking you guys to make someone’s dream come true. We all have been helped to get where we are today. I believe in karma. When you put good energy out into the world, it comes back to you in an abundance.

How my face will be when I reach my goal! And sell the mess out of these books. Hehe.

DONATE, SHARE the link, and SUPPORT your fellow artist.

I’ll be ever so grateful… and you get some goodies for donating, too!

>>>>Click here to Donate<<<

And donating offline is also an option.