• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Ann Handley

Writer. Speaker. Marketer.

  • About
  • Speaking
  • Books
  • Blog
  • WORK WITH ANN
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Newsletter

13 Writing Rules

Many hold a notion that the ability to write, or write well, is a gift bestowed on a chosen few. Writing well is considered a kind of art, linked murkily to muse and mysticism.

That leaves us thinking there are two kinds of people: the writing haves—and the hapless, for whom writing well is a hopeless struggle, like trying to carve marble with a butter knife.

But I don’t believe that, and neither should you. The truth is this: we are all capable of producing good writing.

Or, at least, better writing.

And we all should be producing better writing. Because in our content- and social media-driven world: Everybody writes.

We are all capable of shedding mediocre writing to reveal something more inspired and reader-centric. The first step is to get into the right mindset.

Here are 13 writing tips (or writing rules) to help you get started.

13 Writing Rules

1. There is no one way to write—just as there is no one way to parent a child or roast a turkey.

2. Our words are our emissaries; they tell the world who we are.

3. Good writing isn’t just any tool. It’s the power tool you should be able to wield expertly, just as every respectable building contractor can use the skilsaw he keeps in his truck.

4. The key to being a better writer is to be a more productive one. More simply: the key to being a better writer is to write.

5. Writing well is part habit, part knowledge of some fundamental rules, and part giving a damn.

6. No one will ever complain that you’ve made things too simple to understand.

7. Assume the reader knows nothing, but don’t assume the reader is stupid.

8. Buzzwords and jargon are the chemical additives of writing.

9. The Ugly First Draft isn’t a pass you give yourself to produce substandard work. But it is a necessary part of the process of creating above-standard work.

10. The people you think of as good writers are often terrible writers on their first drafts.
But here’s their secret: They are excellent editors of their own work.

11. Editing is not just about fixing the grammar, it’s about fixing the clarity for your reader.

12. “You can’t rush art” is folly. You do have to rush your art. Otherwise, that art sits on its butt on the couch watching Netflix.

13. Deadlines are the WD-40 of writing. (h/t to Doug Kessler for this one.)

header photo credit: Amy Guth

 

Everybody Writes Anti-Mediocrity Content ToolkitMy new book Everybody Writes launches in 3 weeks! There’s only a few more days to grab your free Anti-Mediocrity Content Toolkit, free with your pre-order.

Want one?

Or four?

Or enough for your whole team?

Don’t live with regret. See order details here!

 


Filed Under: Annarchy, Business, Content, Social Media, Writing Tagged With: Everybody Writes

SUBSCRIBE TO ANN’S NEWSLETTER,
TOTAL ANNARCHY:

Get the letter 21,000+ people love to get. New writing, useful ideas, high-spirited shenanigans. Straight to your inbox. Every 2 weeks.

Previous Post: « What’s the Formula for E-book Success?
Next Post: High-Fiving a Million Angels: It’s Launch Day for ‘Everybody Writes’ »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ronell Smith says

    August 24, 2014 at 1:30 pm

    Ann,

    I’m excited to the nth degree about your new book. I think it places the emphasis back where it should be, on effective communication. I hear business owners, on a daily basis, say, “I’m not a writer,” as if that’s a sufficient excuse. It’s not.

    We all can and should write.

    From where I sit, it’s an imperative.

    Too many businesses are trusting their content to “mills,” many of which quickly turn out swill and call it mocha java. Sadly, business owners don’t recognize that they’ve been hustled until it’s too late.

    If we can condition them to think “Yes, I can write,” they develop a level of understanding of the content their business needs, their prospects engage with their content and learn about the former’s business, and we are forced to look at far less crappy content.

    So, yes, I’m a little bit excited about Everybody Writes.

    Oh, from one biz journalist to another, thanks for using “Writes” in the title 😀 (Not the biggest fan of the word content.)

    RS

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      August 24, 2014 at 3:52 pm

      Love this line Ronell: “…many of which quickly turn out swill and call it mocha java.” And thanks so much for your support! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Doug Kessler says

    August 24, 2014 at 3:25 pm

    Now THAT’s a great list.

    Love. “Assume the reader knows nothing, but don’t assume the reader is stupid.”

    Great distinction.
    You should write a book.
    On writing.

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      August 24, 2014 at 3:52 pm

      Sorry. I said I’d never write another book… remember? 😀

      Reply
      • Nenad says

        August 25, 2014 at 1:54 pm

        So did Joe Pulizzi last year. He told me, “Never. This was my last.” A year later he’s thinking of the next one. 🙂

        Reply
    • Nenad says

      August 25, 2014 at 1:54 pm

      Awesome. Now I know how to say this in English. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Katybeth says

    August 24, 2014 at 4:07 pm

    Number 12. I’ve watched a lot of Netflix lately. 😀 Looking forward to your book!

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      August 24, 2014 at 6:46 pm

      You. Me. Same page. (Thanks, friend!)

      Reply
  4. stephen bateman says

    August 24, 2014 at 4:26 pm

    #4, #9, #10 and #11 really hit home for me. Great list and agree with @Doug, you should definitely write a book!

    Reply
  5. Sadie says

    August 25, 2014 at 7:52 am

    These are spot on, so simple but so true. Simply put, writing is like any other muscle and the more you train and flex it the stronger it gets over time. Editing is just as much as the writing process as the writing itself. Thanks for sharing these – I am going to bookmark it and reference often!

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      August 25, 2014 at 9:33 am

      Thanks Sadie! That’s exactly it. In my experience people tend to discount the editing process…. but truly it’s the thing that separates us from the chimps. 😀

      Reply
  6. Tim Washer says

    August 25, 2014 at 8:49 am

    my nemesis has been getting the ugly first draft down on paper. Your book is helping me.

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      August 25, 2014 at 9:32 am

      Try using the church Sunday program. That seems to work for you.

      Reply
  7. Ramin says

    August 25, 2014 at 10:06 am

    Looking forward to the book! 🙂

    Reply
  8. Dan Shure says

    August 25, 2014 at 11:53 am

    Great list! I also find having a rough structure in mind helps 🙂 I’ve tried writing posts where I had no idea where they were going, or what my goals were. Torture. Then, the ones with a solid outline and I know the topic inside and out usually come out the best.

    I also can emphasize the power of writing for your “boring” business stuff. I recently posted my first job description to hire and got complements on how interesting and exciting it sounded. I just added my personal touch, and made it unexpected so it stands out among other job descriptions – which may in turn attract better candidates, which will make my business better. I hope.. 😉

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      September 5, 2014 at 9:03 am

      I’d love to see that job description, Dan!

      Reply
  9. Roger C. Parker says

    August 26, 2014 at 12:13 am

    Dear Ann:
    Love the list…it cries out for wall-sized poster treatment. Equal parts informative, entertaining, and concise.

    I especially appreciated Point 5, with the words “…and give a dam.”

    I’ve never seen the point expressed so beautifully…a great preview of your new book.

    Best wishes, Roger

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      September 5, 2014 at 9:04 am

      Thank you, Roger! Some of our heroes have been an inspiration to me — especially Don Murray!

      Reply
  10. Howard Koor says

    August 28, 2014 at 11:54 am

    Love this “list.”

    Practical, insightful, and humorous.

    Thank you.

    Reply
  11. DJ Waldow says

    August 30, 2014 at 2:02 pm

    #4. Yup.

    Reply
  12. Josh St. Aubin says

    September 4, 2014 at 11:58 pm

    Great points Ann. Do you think mediocrity is self imposed or something we get labeled by our peers. I know I get writing “stage fright” when I’m working on a new post when I start to worry about what others think, but I guess I need to remember #10.

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      September 5, 2014 at 9:07 am

      Exactly, Josh. As Stephen King says, “Write with the door closed. Edit with the door open.”

      I think some amount of stage fright is inherent in writing — and I think it’s necessary, because it implies an audience-centric point-of-view. The key is to not be paralyzed by it, but to use it to consider the reader’s perspective: Is this useful to them? What is this giving them? Is it enjoyable? And so on.

      Reply
      • Josh St. Aubin says

        September 5, 2014 at 12:49 pm

        That’s great advice. Instead of using it as a weakness, turn it into a strength. Thanks Ann and have the best weekend EVER!

        Reply
  13. Kristen Hicks says

    September 6, 2014 at 2:16 pm

    Wonderful advice! I especially like numbers 6-8, they speak to some of my pet peeves in business writing.

    I’m surprised you didn’t include the main piece of advice I always give when the subject of writing better comes up: read. Read often, read outside of your industry, and read good writers.

    Reply
  14. Fabienne Raphael says

    September 9, 2014 at 9:40 am

    Hi Ann,
    Thanks for the great tips. I agree with you: writing is an art that needs to be polished through practice.
    #11 resonates with me. By reading books on writing, I learned that being clear is not always about adding words, but using fewer but more accurate words.

    Reply
  15. Shelia says

    September 10, 2014 at 4:45 pm

    Love this Ann! I especially love #6. Headed over to Amazon right now to to get the book.

    Reply
  16. Vivian Ramirez says

    September 14, 2014 at 3:31 pm

    Great and Simple list. Reading through this list and getting to #11 made me realize how afraid I am at editing my own work. I often think that editing my own work will make me want to re-write the whole piece over again. I will now more than every take the editing process more seriously and face my own work.

    Reply
  17. Molly says

    September 15, 2014 at 10:04 am

    This is a great list. As a college student, I feel as if we get caught up on what our requirements might be for a paper, when we should simply be focusing on getting our message across. I have never been a “good” writer by any means, but I believe it’s because I am scared to write and be criticized – by myself or others.

    Reply
  18. Krithika Rangarajan says

    October 14, 2014 at 3:28 pm

    Hey Ann

    Your writing educates, engages, entertains, encourages and empowers – (hey, I LOVE alliteration 😛 ) – thank you so much! #HUGS

    Kit

    Reply
  19. Jack Vincent says

    October 16, 2014 at 6:55 am

    Ann, I especially love the points about clarity. As a journalism student way back when at Syracuse, one of my profs was obsessive about it. He said he aspired to write with “simplicity, clarity and elegance.”

    My personal takeaway from that, years later, is that the third one we should set for real style — in my case, I go for “edgy.” But without simplicity and clarity, our third one will never shine.

    Simplicity and clarity are the forerunners of a style that we can achieve after that.

    Now on to your Point 4. Time to be productive. Thanks!

    Reply
  20. Cindy says

    November 13, 2014 at 1:22 pm

    As a former PR student, who is constantly working on improving her writing, I found this very useful! I wish teachers could make it a little bit more clear on strategies to become a better writer, like you did here.

    I am very excited to read your new book!

    Reply
  21. Md.Atiqur Rahman says

    June 3, 2016 at 3:50 am

    Thanks For Sharing This Useful Information. Just exactly about the things now I’m seeking out. Now I can write free hand English.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 13 Writing Rules | rédaction copywriting... says:
    August 24, 2014 at 1:17 pm

    […] We are all capable of shedding mediocre writing to reveal something more inspired and reader-centric. The first step is to get into the right mindset. Here are 13 writing tips (or writing rules) to help you get started.  […]

    Reply
  2. 13 Writing Rules | Redaccion de contenidos web ... says:
    August 24, 2014 at 1:56 pm

    […] We are all capable of shedding mediocre writing to reveal something more inspired and reader-centric. The first step is to get into the right mindset. Here are 13 writing tips (or writing rules) to help you get started.  […]

    Reply
  3. 13 reglas para redactar contenidos digitales - Making Contents says:
    August 25, 2014 at 8:30 am

    […] para redactar contenidos ridículamente buenos”), que saldrá en septiembre, Ann publicó en su blog una lista de 13 tips (reglas) para redactar contenidos […]

    Reply
  4. Marketing Day: Facebook Tackles Click-Bait, Amazon Aims To Compete With AdWords & More says:
    August 26, 2014 at 7:46 am

    […] 13 Writing Rules, https://www.annhandley.com […]

    Reply
  5. Marketing Day: Facebook Tackles Click-Bait, Amazon Aims To Compete With AdWords & More | CABizNews.com says:
    August 26, 2014 at 1:34 pm

    […] 13 Writing Rules, https://www.annhandley.com […]

    Reply
  6. 13 Writing Rules | Test | Scoop.it says:
    August 27, 2014 at 12:13 pm

    […] We are all capable of shedding mediocre writing to reveal something more inspired and reader-centric. The first step is to get into the right mindset. Here are 13 writing tips (or writing rules) to help you get started.  […]

    Reply
  7. Rush Your Art (your Writing)! - Stefanie Frank says:
    September 6, 2014 at 7:38 pm

    […] This bookmark lays out Ann’s 13 Writing Rules. You can read all of them on her blog.  […]

    Reply
  8. Ep #23: Creating Compelling Content with Ann Handley - Roger Dooley says:
    September 11, 2014 at 6:00 am

    […] AnnHandley.com […]

    Reply
  9. 13 Writing Rules | Content Marketing | Scoop.it says:
    October 30, 2014 at 1:58 pm

    […] We are all capable of shedding mediocre writing to reveal something more inspired and reader-centric. The first step is to get into the right mindset. Here are 13 writing tips (or writing rules) to help you get started.  […]

    Reply
  10. 5 Ways to Get More of the Online Attention You Crave - Joan Devecchi says:
    April 6, 2015 at 12:50 pm

    […] As Ann Handley says in her 13 Writing Rules: […]

    Reply
  11. 5 Ways to Get More of the Online Attention You Crave – StdGod says:
    April 6, 2015 at 1:33 pm

    […] As Ann Handley says in her 13 Writing Rules: […]

    Reply
  12. Simple is Better: How plain language benefits your content | INKsights says:
    October 29, 2015 at 5:11 pm

    […] is the not-so-secret secret to quality writing. Don’t try to edit as you write; hammer out what Ann Handley calls the Ugly First Draft, then go back and simplify. Style guides are helpful for questions on phrasing or […]

    Reply
  13. 5 Never-Fail Tips To Keep Creating Awesome Blog Content - Heidi Cohen says:
    November 6, 2015 at 6:01 am

    […] These are Everybody Writes author Ann Handley’s words. […]

    Reply
  14. 5 Never-Fail Tips To Keep Creating Awesome Blog Content « Epic Cash Systems says:
    November 6, 2015 at 6:43 am

    […] These are Everybody Writes author Ann Handley’s words. […]

    Reply
  15. Writing Plain English Does Not Dumb Down Content | Corporate Web Development Blog says:
    December 3, 2015 at 5:58 am

    […] No one will ever complain that you’ve made things too simple to understand. Ann Handley […]

    Reply
  16. Day 7: TUFDs | irresistible words says:
    December 14, 2015 at 8:41 am

    […] The past 8 posts on this blog, including this one, are TUFDs. […]

    Reply
  17. Plain English does not mean “dumbing down” | Digital communications team blog says:
    July 14, 2016 at 5:04 am

    […] her 13 writing rules Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer at Marketing Profs, reminds us: “No one will ever […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to Total ANNARCHY

Get new writing, useful ideas, fresh links, and high-spirited shenanigans delivered to your inbox every two weeks.
SUBSCRIBE

Footer

COPYRIGHT 2023 ANN HANDLEY

SITE BY MINIMA DESIGNS

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

About

  • Bio
  • In the Media
  • Newsletter

Speaking

  • Speaking
  • For Meeting Planners

The Books

  • Everybody Writes
  • Content Rules