My most popular blog posts in 2023
I’m easing myself into the new year very gently (as you can probably tell from this post!). Although, that’s not strictly true as I seem to have a ton on my plate this January - including copyedits for my second Rixon book landing at the exact same time as even more edits on my new thriller, plus I have a big website project booked in this month too.
Ah well! Freelance life is like buses eh. Feast or famine.
As I’ve banged on about repeatedly in previous posts, in the second half of last year I really focused on blogging again, and I was so happy to see that it paid off, with a 100% increase in page views from 2022 (when I didn’t blog at all).
100% increase in page views!
I hope this proves to anyone reading that it’s NEVER too late to pick up blogging again. I literally didn’t publish any new posts for more than a year and when I did come back, my traffic picked up really quickly.
I love a little retrospective, so I thought it might be interesting to look back at which posts proved the most popular in 2023, and share them again with you, in case you missed them.
I published a lot of content last year and I know it’s easy for things to get overlooked, so hopefully this will be useful if you’d like a little catch up as you also ease yourself gently into 2024!
My top ten blog posts of 2023
1. Why I hated writing full-time
Eek. A controversial post with a clickbaity title, but still, I actually was so heartened by the responses I got from this post, and all the authors who reached out to me on social media or via email to tell me that it resonated with them.
I’m still feeling in a very strange place with my writing at the moment, but I’m taking some time away from it, and trying to take the pressure off myself, in the hope that our relationship will work out!
2. How not to be a dick when you get a book deal
LOL. I loved writing this post. And people seemed to find it funny - and also true. I promise it was written with love in my heart - I really do!
3. 30 things I’ve learnt - the size of your advance matters
This was a post from my 30 day blogging challenge!
You can catch up on those posts here →
Another that perhaps the powers-that-be in publishing might prefer that I hadn’t written, but that I’m so pleased I did. I’m always open to having new conversations about writing and the publishing industry and sharing insights that I’ve picked up over the past five years. I genuinely think it’s what all authors deserve - some transparency and honesty!
4. Why you need a custom email address for your author career
The first post in my list that’s only there thanks to the power of SEO! I am genuinely staggered by the number of hits this post has had. I think I wrote it back in 2021 - or maybe even earlier. Anyway, it’s consistently brought traffic to my site and - considering it’s not the most exciting of topics - I’m very grateful to it!
5. The ONE thing I wish I had known when I got my book deal
Of all the posts I wrote last year, I think this one is my favourite. I’m not going to tell you why. If you haven’t read it yet, then please do. I guarantee it will make you feel better.
6. Squarespace: how to fix your Instagram feed
Another post that gets lots of hits from Google. Unfortunately many of them aren’t from authors, but rather from anyone and everyone who has a Squarespace website and has become frustrated with the fact that the Instagram feed stops updating.
(Side note, if this is you, then it’s not Squarespace’s fault, it’s Insta’s for changing their security settings!).
7. The truth about most traditionally published novels
I hope this post is another one that makes writers feel a bit better about their career. It was very cathartic to write, and in a way, a helpful reminder to myself not to beat myself up when things don’t go as I’d hoped.
8. Why Squarespace is the perfect web platform for authors in 2023
This is one of the first posts I ever wrote when I launched my blog! And I revised and updated it last year, and again, it’s a post that brings in a lot of traffic from Google.
It’s probably THE most important post on my website, from a marketing perspective, as the chances are that someone googling and finding it are exactly the sort of people who might be interested in my services.
Hence I intend to update and republish it again soon.
9. How to set up your Bookshop.org author page
This is a surprise to see in my top 10 list, and another that’s bringing in traffic from Google! I don’t even remember when I wrote this post (so it’s a good reminder for me to go back and look over it and make sure the information is up to date!).
10. How to upload a file to your Squarespace author website
I’m pleased to see this post getting some love as it’s one of the most useful features in Squarespace and one not enough people know about, but at the same time, it’s not the most thrilling of topics, so I’m a bit sad to finish with it. LOL.
Some honorary mentions for the rest of the top 20
11. Author websites: what to put on your About and Contact pages
12. Why I prefer one-book deals
13. 30 things I’ve learnt - a loyal agent is better than a hotshot agent
14. What’s a good open-rate for my author newsletter?
15. 5 tips for surviving your book’s publication week
16. What to put in your author website’s footer
17. 30 things I’ve learnt - being on submission never gets any easier
18. My publication journey (so far!)
19. 30 things I’ve learnt - genre snobbery is real (and annoying!)
20. 6 signs it might be time to leave your literary agent
Now it’s time to throw it over to you! I intend to blog once per week for most of this year - so please do let me know which kind of posts you enjoy. Whether there’s anything specific you want me to cover on a technical level, or whether you want more Squarespace advice or whether you would like more interviews with author specialists or you’d just like me to talk more about my own writing career or more about author newsletter and marketing?
I’d love to know, so please feel free to email me or drop me a line on Twitter!
Pssst, want to get your author website sorted?! I can help! Find out more about my exclusive Squarespace services for authors…
