about jane
jane boursaw: more than just a cool entertainment writer
I’m ridiculously blessed in so many ways, it’s hard to know where to start. First, my family. I’m married to Tim, a “car guy” with old Jags and Austin Healys stashed in every storage shed for miles around. My two kids are Will and Marissa. They’re entering the teen years, and I don’t know what to think about that. Maybe not thinking is best.
We live in a beautiful log home on the Old Mission Peninsula near Traverse City, Michigan. Out my window, I see the sparkling waters of Grand Traverse Bay, an offshoot of Lake Michigan. We spend a lot of time in the bay during the warmer months, of which there are few in this part of the country.
But I love the snow and cold, too! Well…until about February, when I just want it to be over. Hey, maybe we’ll see how my wireless laptop works on a Caribbean beach.
growing up in old mission
I had a wonderful childhood growing up on a cherry farm with my parents, two brothers (still farming) and one sister (also a writer).
Tim and I are happy to be raising our own kids where we grew up. We love spending time with our extended family – about 50 people in a 10-mile radius.
movies and TV: the early years
I’ve been making a living as a writer since the 1980s, and I can’t imagine doing anything else. My love of movies and TV goes back to the 1960s, sitting around the TV with my family and watching Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar on The Wonderful World of Disney every Sunday night.
After school, I would race home, grab some Pop Tarts, and watch That Girl, The Monkees, and Gomer Pyle on my brother’s little TV in his room. The Galloping Gourmet and The Mike Douglas Show were on the opposite channel (we only had two channels).
As I got older, we went to movies at the State and Michigan Theatres in downtown Traverse City. I remember seeing movies like The Love Bug and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang there in the 1960s. The State was recently restored by the Traverse City Film Festival and is now being used year-round for movies.
what I do now - the big resume
Basically, if it has anything to do with entertainment writing or blogging, I do it. I write feature articles, celebrity profiles, Q&A and narrative interviews, TV/movie/DVD reviews, news items, essays, quizzes, and editorial pieces. I’m an experienced blogger skilled in all aspects of blogging, including numerous platforms (WordPress, Blogger, Blogsmith, TypePad, LiveJournal and others), SEO, social media, images and videos, drawing traffic, html coding, and contests and giveaways.
I also maintain an extensive network of publicists for movie studios, TV networks, DVD distributors and celebrities, and receive screener copies of many TV shows and movies.
I’m currently assistant editor at TV Squad. My work there:
• Write, edit, and proofread blog posts for AOL’s TV blog, which draws more than 3 million page views each month.
• Co-manage a team of 18 bloggers; assign, edit and schedule blog posts.
• Lead teleconferences on blogging, including formatting, interviewing, working with images and videos, and writing skills.
• Work with publicists for TV networks, DVD distributors, and celebrities.
• Promote the blog via Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites.
I blog about movies at Film Gecko,
b5media.com‘s only film blog. My work there:
• Write a variety of blog posts, including reviews, news, opinion pieces, contests and giveaways, polls, and interviews with filmmakers and celebrities.
• Work with publicists for movie studios, DVD distributors, and celebrities.
• Promote the blog via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media sites.
• Manage guest bloggers writing on a variety of movie-related topics.
My family movie column, Reel Life With Jane, is currently published in 300+ print and online publications.
My feature article credits include Woman’s Day, Family Circle, Ladies’ Home Journal, USA Weekend, Christian Science Monitor, SELF, Fitness, New York Times, MovieMaker, Emmy Magazine, Kaboose.com, iVillage.com,
CliqueClack.com, Latitudes, Oxygen, SoapNet.com, Parade.com, and People.com.
And because that’s not enough to do, I also teach an online blogging class, “Blogging for Passion and Profit.” The class covers blogging basics, images and videos, social media, drawing traffic, creating a community, contests and giveaways, and monetizing blogs. Read more or sign up for the class here.
I’m a member of the Television Critics Association and American Society of Journalists and Authors. Oh, and check me out on Twitter and Facebook.
Thanks for stopping by, and please if I can be of service to your publication!
