Ann Handley on Ridiculously Good Writing

I’ve had the honor of knowing – and being friends with – today’s guest (#37!) Ann Handley – for … well … a long time.

Halloween Ann

She’s smart. She’s funny (proof here). She does not take herself too seriously (see #AnnIsNotImpressed).

Oh, and she also happens to be one of the best writers I know … and has a new best-selling book out, Everybody Writes (see my book review blog post / video). 

Follow Ann online, read her book, talk with her on Skype (or in person!) and you’ll quickly realize what her passion is. I’d ask you to guess, but it’s in the title of this blog post (and below).

Ann’s passion: Ridiculously good writing.

And while we certainly talked about Ann’s passion, we joked around and had a ton of fun on this show. Also, that picture of Ann? The one in this post with her in the Santa gear? Yeah. Let’s just say that was the toughest part of this post — choosing the picture! So many good/funny ones to pick from.

One more thing (confession): I have to admit, I felt a boatload of pressure to ensure this blog post was a “ridiculously good” piece of writing devoid of grammatical errors. Triple Serious. #SSS.

In case you missed any of the previous episodes, you can catch them here by visiting the Living Your Passion landing page.

Are you ready to learn more about Ann’s passion for ridiculously good writing?

During this episode …

  • We spent an inordinate about of time talking about how we met.
  • Ann taught me about adjectives and adverbs and other grammatical “things.”
  • Ann shared what she meant by “ridiculously good writing.”
  • Ann brought us back to her “Little Annie” days (hint: She’s always wanted to be a writter <—extra “t,” I know — listen to show to understand why!).
  • Ann talked about how she invented blogging – she used to hand write a neighborhood newsletter!
  • Ann revealed how she was VERY shy as a child. If you know Ann now, this is kinda shocking.
  • We heard from Morocco, our boxer/lab dog.
  • Ann shared how she’s really been writing her entire life — she had multiple pen pals — and multiple names/personalities. Too funny!
  • I basically told Ann she needs to write her autobiography. Yup. When it happens someday, I WANT THE CREDIT!
  • Ann talked about how her parents practiced “benign neglect” when it came to all of her endeavors. We talked about parenting in general.
  • Ann shared her career as “Little Annie” to her current job as Chief Marketing Officer at MarketingProfs (her common thread is “audience.”).
  • I praised Ann – often – about how she’s such an amazing communicator.
  • Ann shared a few of the “rules” of ridiculously good writing.
  • I read Ann’s “Ode to a Bookmark.”
  • Ann gave some sound advice on how to uncover — then live — one’s passion. #TrustYourInnerVoice

More About Ann

According to the About page on AnnHandley.com … Ann Handley is a veteran of creating and managing digital content to build relationships for organizations and individuals. Ann is the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content (September 2014, Wiley) and co-author of the best-selling book on content marketing, Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business (2011, Wiley). She is the Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs; a columnist for Entrepreneur magazine; a LinkedIn Influencer; a keynote speaker, mom, and writer.

Links Discussed In This Episode

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Finally, if you know someone who bleeds passion (or maybe it’s you), please email me at djwaldow at gmail dot com. Oh, and if you have a connection to LeBron James, please let me know. I think he’d be a great person to talk to about his passion for basketball. #DeadSerious