The Writer’s Guide
The fundamentals and secret sauce of successful non-fiction writing for a general audience. Subscribe for weekly updates at writersguide.substack.com
12 Insights from 6 Years Writing on Medium
12 Insights from 6 Years Writing on Medium
What works, what doesn’t, and how to serve readers and find success
7 Ways to Make Readers Stop Reading
7 Ways to Make Readers Stop Reading
Readers, not you, decide when your story ends
The Most Important Words in Your Story
The Most Important Words in Your Story
You’ve heard about the importance of first impressions. Yeah, true in writing, too.
Skepticism: The Writer’s Most Important Skill
Skepticism: The Writer’s Most Important Skill
A case study on a simple, oft-repeated fact that’s just not true
A Day in The Life of Rob, a Very Busy Writer and Editor
A Day in The Life of Rob, a Very Busy Writer and Editor
Someone wanted to know how I get so much done, so here you go
You Can’t Please Everyone with Your Writing
You Can’t Please Everyone with Your Writing
It’s OK, even necessary, to piss some readers off now and then
Why I Write for 12-Year-Olds
Why I Write for 12-Year-Olds
I’m not writing YA nonfiction. I just don’t want to limit my audience by turning people off.
The Best Headlines: Short and Simple
The Best Headlines: Short and Simple
Writers generally suck at headline writing, according to new research that reveals what works best.
How to Find and Improve Your Writing Voice
How to Find and Improve Your Writing Voice
Like Caitlin Clark’s phenomenal jump shot, great writing voices can’t just be “found”
How a Medium Article Hit №1
How a Medium Article Hit №1
The story behind the most popular story in March
The Illusion of Writer’s Block
The Illusion of Writer’s Block
It’s not a thing. And here’s how to shake it and get that draft done.
20 Words Writers Screw Up Often
20 Words Writers Screw Up Often
Misused words that negatively impact (or rather affect) your writing, as seen by an editor
I Was Doing Medium’s ‘Topic’ Tags All Wrong
I Was Doing Medium’s ‘Topic’ Tags All Wrong
Having finally learned how to maximize Topics to get in front of more readers, I’m gobsmacked by my ignorance
Improve Your Writing with These 3 ‘Specific’ Tips
Improve Your Writing with These 3 ‘Specific’ Tips
Avoid vagueness that kills credibility and ruins otherwise great articles
Don’t Ask Questions in Your Stories
Don’t Ask Questions in Your Stories
Your job is to answer questions, not pose them. Can you guess the 3 reasons why this is so important?
How to End a Story
How to End a Story
Specific tactics for a successful finish of any non-fiction article
10 Writing Tips from a Book Every Writer Should Own
10 Writing Tips from a Book Every Writer Should Own
If you don’t already have this little gem, get it. Your readers will thank you (and so will your editor).
Where Do Great Story Ideas Come From?
Where Do Great Story Ideas Come From?
How to dream up and otherwise spot more stories than you’ll have time to write
How Much Time Should You Spend Writing a Story?
How Much Time Should You Spend Writing a Story?
That’s the wrong question, but I do have some answers
The Evolving Language of Mental Health
The Evolving Language of Mental Health
Like it or not, language changes. Are you keeping up with the vocabulary shifts on sensitive topics?
What’s the Point of Your Story?
What’s the Point of Your Story?
Seriously, it’s so often not clear. Here’s a guide to making your point.
Cadence and Flow: How to Make Your Articles Sing
Cadence and Flow: How to Make Your Articles Sing
Turn mundane writing into music to reader’s eyes