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
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
The Tyra Banks approach to writing
Some controversial posts
5 reasons why you shouldn’t outline
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.
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