daphne

My blog began its life as a weekly newsletter, starting in 2006. As a result, my earliest way of measuring reader interest came from counting how many emails I received from readers each week. Thus, some of my most popular posts have no Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn shares or even any comments. This is because I entered the posts onto my blog retroactively. More recent posts have many more comments and shares.

Favourite posts of readers

The JOY of the crappy first draft

How to rewire your brain for better writing

7 habits of highly effective writers

William Shakespeare’s 5 best copywriting tips

When are you ready to freelance?

Do I need an agent? How do I find one?

 

Help

How to comment on my blog

 

A few of my favourite posts

10 ways to make your writing more fun

Eat your frogs early in the day

Why you should massage your mangoes

How to vacuum your brain

The Tyra Banks approach to writing

 

Some controversial posts

5 reasons why you shouldn’t outline

Why you should just say no

If not PowerPoint, then what?

Why you must murder your darlings

Were you taught or just taught to write badly?

 

All about mindmapping

Why I insist on blathering about mindmapping

A new use for an artist’s notebook

The difference between mindmapping that works and TMI

Are you making any of these mindmapping mistakes? (video)

 

Books I’ve read

I read at least 52 books — fiction and non-fiction — every year and always report on them to you, my readers. (Starting in 2011, I divided the report in two and made it a twice-annual affair.) These booklists are always among my most popular columns.

2010

2011: (Summer) (Winter) 

2012: (Summer) (Winter) 

2013: (Summer) (Winter)

2014: (Summer) (Winter)

2015: (Summer) (Winter)

2016: (Summer) (Winter)

2017: (Summer) (Winter)

 

Tools you can use

Incredibly useful: readability statistics

Why you need your own pomodoro

Why you should copy (a modest proposal)

7 ways to stop editing while you write

In praise and honour of Dr. Wicked

Writing for 700 hours on three AA batteries

How to write a communications plan

7 ways to write a better speech

How to use Deliberate Practice: part 1

How to use Deliberate Practice: part 2

How to use Deliberate Practice: part 3

 

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