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Ann Handley

Writer. Speaker. Marketer.

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best writing advice

Unclog Your Copy With This Easy Four-Step Framework

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. * * * Above ^^ is a sign I read in a hospital waiting room a few days ago. It’s one of the top hospitals in […]

Filed Under: Annarchy, best writing advice, Ideas you can steal, storytelling, Writing Tagged With: good writing, marketing, messaging, storytelling, Writing

Addressing the Elephant In the Room: 6 Strategies for Writing About the Hard Stuff

grayscale drawing of an elephant throwing a paper airplane

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. * * * How do you write about Difficult Topics? How do you message to an audience about the Hard Stuff? At a time everything is wildly […]

Filed Under: Annarchy, best writing advice, Ideas you can steal, Writing Tagged With: better writing, content copywriting, email newsletter

How to Get Better at Writing: 10 Ideas to Ignite Your Best Work This Year

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. * * * <Hand over heart; eyes to the heavens.> This year, you resolve to…. 1. WRITE THE FIRST DRAFT AS FAST AS YOU CAN. Get it […]

Filed Under: Annarchy, best writing advice, Ideas you can steal, Writing Tagged With: become a better writer, better writing, daily writing habit, first draft writing

How to Build a Daily Writing Habit

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’m typing this with one hand—let’s call it Lefty, because it’s my left hand. Righty hangs by my side, injured but itching to get […]

Filed Under: Annarchy, best writing advice, Writing Tagged With: better writing, daily writing habit, Lynda Barry

How to Turn Editing Into the Best Part of Writing

an array of colorful erasers arranged against a white backdrop

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. * * * Long before I wrote books and your favorite newsletter 😊, I wrote for a financial newspaper about Federal Reserve regs and housing prices. […]

Filed Under: Annarchy, best writing advice, Writing Tagged With: better writing, copyediting, editing, first draft writing, process of writing, ridiculously good writing

Specific Writing Is More Relatable Writing: Standout Sentences #1

Normally I celebrate standout marketing writing. But this week I’m sharing a line from a novel I’m reading. It’s simple. It’s compact. And it’s perfect: “His skin was not just clammy but the color and consistency of actual clams.” —Ann Patchett, Bel Canto Ann is describing a Bel Canto character—a Russian bureaucrat named Fyodorov. I […]

Filed Under: Annarchy, best writing advice, Ideas you can steal Tagged With: Ann Patchett, Bel Canto, specific writing, writing advice

6 Signs That It’s Time for You to Write Your Book Already [A Checklist]

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. * * * From time to time I answer reader questions. This is one of those times. <Hoists mailbag onto table. Rummages around. Pulls out reader letter.>* […]

Filed Under: Annarchy, best writing advice, career advice, Writing Tagged With: book, writing advice, writing process

TikTok with the Best Writing Advice (No Really)

postcard with a blue and red heart stamp

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 […]

Filed Under: Annarchy, best writing advice, Writing Tagged With: show don't tell, Social Media, TikTok, writing advice

What I Learned in 3 Years of Writing a Newsletter

A french bulldog wearing star-shaped glasses sits in front of a star-shaped cake with a "3" candle in the center of it

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 […]

Filed Under: Annarchy, best writing advice, Ideas you can steal, Slow Marketing, storytelling, Writing Tagged With: culture of writing, email newsletters, process of writing, Total Annarchy anniversary

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