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Ann Handley

Writer. Speaker. Marketer.

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a white brick wall with a written mural in black all-caps type "Be brave enough to suck at something new."

Brave Enough to Suck at Something New

A version of this story appeared in Total Annarchy, my fortnightly newsletter that helps you be a better writer, storyteller, marketer. Get it in your inbox; you’ll love it. * * * “Be brave enough to suck at something new.” The quote is attributed to business book author Jon Acuff, the great Greek god Pinterest, […]
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TikTok with the Best Writing Advice (No Really)

A version of this story appeared in Total Annarchy, my fortnightly newsletter that helps you be a better writer, storyteller, marketer. Get it in your inbox; you’ll love it. * * * I sense I’m being watched. Followed. Stalked, almost. He’s quiet as a ninja. And like a ninja, he seems everywhere at once. Often […]
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A french bulldog wearing star-shaped glasses sits in front of a star-shaped cake with a "3" candle in the center of it

What I Learned in 3 Years of Writing a Newsletter

A version of this story appeared in Total Annarchy, my fortnightly newsletter that helps you be a better writer, storyteller, marketer. Get it in your inbox; you’ll love it. * * * Three years ago this week—in January 2018—I decided to start a newsletter. Why? I wanted connection—not one-to-many social media connection, but me-to-you direct […]
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Image of a horse drawing, with the image becoming progressively simplistic as you scan from back to front. Near the horse's tail it says "idea," in the middle it says "outline," and the text near the head says "first draft."

How to Write a First Draft of Anything

A version of this story appeared in Total Annarchy, my fortnightly newsletter that helps you be a better writer, storyteller, marketer. Get it in your inbox; you’ll love it. * * * I re-posted the image above on Instagram a few days ago. Don’t we go into any new project (or year) with a vision in […]
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Image of a red Christmas ornament shaped like a virus, with 2020 stenciled in the center

20 Ridiculously Useful Holiday Gifts for 2020

A version of this story appeared in Total Annarchy, my fortnightly newsletter that helps you be a better writer, storyteller, marketer. Get it in your inbox; you’ll love it. * * * It’s easy to nod along to the narrative that 2020 is a raging dumpster fire, the worst year ever—what with the pandemic and the […]
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Two Little-Known Writing Tools to Help You Get Unstuck

A version of this story on the Two Little-Known Writing  Tools to Help You Get Unstuck appeared in Total Annarchy, my fortnightly newsletter that helps you be a better writer, storyteller, marketer. Get it in your inbox; you’ll love it. * * * I don’t believe in Writer’s Block. House framers don’t get 2×4 Block. […]
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Can Your Virtual Event Be Better Than Your In-Person Event?

How do you run a virtual program that has personality, joy, heart, humor, character, spirit, soul, magic? Can a virtual event be better than a physical, in-person event? Last Tuesday, I would have answered… I hope so (to the first question). And no (to the second)—not really, anyway. Maybe I was just exhausted. (Aren’t we […]
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Copywriting Counsel from an Unbearable Campaign

A version of this story on Copywriting Counsel from an Unbearable Campaign appeared in Total Annarchy, my fortnightly newsletter that helps you be a better writer, storyteller, marketer. Get it in your inbox; you’ll love it. * * * Fall 2020 has been dominated by a contentious, polarizing, absolutely gutting election—where one plumped-up challenger seeks to unseat […]
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Image of mops against red wall

How This Marketing Program Cleaned Up: A Case Study in B2B Storytelling

A version of this story appeared in Total Annarchy, my fortnightly newsletter that helps you be a better writer, storyteller, marketer. Get it in your inbox; you’ll love it. * * * Pop quiz time: You run Marketing at a B2B company that sells industrial floor-cleaning equipment. You want to amp up awareness and demand with […]
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Image of couch with dog and blankets

Pumpkin Spice Couches: A Case Study in the Power of Copywriting

A version of this story on the Power of Copywriting appeared in Total Annarchy, my fortnightly newsletter that helps you be a better writer, storyteller, marketer. Get it in your inbox; you’ll love it. * * * How do you sell two used couches upholstered in the exact, unfortunate color of the poop emoji? 💩 […]
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A Writer’s Hierarchy of Needs: How to Do Our Best Work

A version of this story appeared in Total Annarchy, my fortnightly newsletter that helps you be a better writer, storyteller, marketer. Get it in your inbox; you’ll love it.   Where to Do Your Best Work Yesterday, I disturbed the spider ecosystem thriving on Tiny Porch (TP), the official name of the screened porch of my […]
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The Best Marketing CTA (and Why It Works So Well)

A version of this story appeared in Total Annarchy, my fortnightly newsletter that helps you be a better writer, storyteller, marketer. Get it in your inbox; you’ll love it. * * * This is a story about the best Call To Action (CTA), and why it works so well. In my two decades of marketing experience, […]
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How to Not Be a Jerk at Work

A version of this story appeared in Total Annarchy, my fortnightly newsletter that helps you be a better writer, storyteller, marketer. Get it in your inbox; you’ll love it. * * * This summer, millions of new college grads are vaulting into adulthood and trying to stick the landing on a mat slippery with uncertainty. […]
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The Books

  • Everybody Writes
  • Content Rules