<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=658263587654409&ev=PageView&noscript=1" />

Tune In:

Share

last updated:
January 7, 2017

Author:

Use the same library of tools I use

Browse resources, book recs, aI tools & more tailored for creative entrepreneurs

Get my free, 5 min. 2x week newsletter—used by 51,700+ to be wittier, clearer copywriters

take the quiz

what's your voice vibe & selling style?

let me write your next sales email:

psychology nerd
j-school grad
conversion copywriter
business mentor
Youtuber
pencil affeciando
old-school ad hoarder

Hey! Ashlyn here, OG copywriter for creatives—reporting for duty. 

Let's get you a message so tight you can bounce a quarter off of it. Around here, we serve up science-based storytelling strategies the creative set.  Even while raking in more than 1.26M in agency work since I've been at it, I firmly believe working from a place of rest (not hustle) IS possible—and I want the same for you. Words matter. Best be sure they work (and oui, with math) ... and know how to party while they're at it. 

My Story

Download Now

Load up your copy bank with instant access to email copy templates, web copy snippets, swipe copy, subject line ideas, & more—my gift to you.

Get 1-month bundle of sales copy swipes & templates—free

Copywriting
templates

shop all

Reading time: 2 min.

A couple of sweet girlfriends asked me for some book recs, so I wanted to give you the 22 books I read in 2016 that moved the needle on my life and business. Below are the categories I tend to pick books in, butttttt … if ya look at my 2017 book list (link here!), you’ll see I’m branching out to add a couple … think marriage, finance, etc. 🙂 Told ya that Nancy Ray will get ya!

Ashlyn Writes 2016 & 2017 Best Books Book Recommendation List

As for reading rules, I don’t have many, but I do try to go by these:

  1. Read a little every day.
  2. Make sure 1 in every 5 is fiction (that’s a C.S. Lewis quote — I want to do better at this!)
  3. You can always stop, but give it 50 pages first (sometimes more).
  4. NEW RULE: An audiobook can count.*

*You’ll see Claire Diaz-Ortiz’s name below, when I learned she reads EIGHTY books a year, I was stunned. But, here’s the thing (well, two): 1. She says audiobooks count, and 2. She knows the # of pages she needs to read in a day to hit her goals.

I’m no where near 80 — or even trying to be — but I’ve got 36 books I’m drooling over for 2017. I want to read 2-3 books a month (one can be on Audible).

Here are the 22 books I read in 2016 (faves are starred). But first, here’s a link to my Housewife Life Trello board, where I keep all my recs for books and 2017 list. Feel free to swipe it!

2016 Books I read

Personal Development
Design Your Day by Claire Diaz-Ortiz***
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
Essentialism by Greg McKeown***

Faith
Hope Heals by Katherine & Jay Wolf
Women of the Word by Jenn Wilikin***
Grace, Not Perfection by Emily Ley
Present over Perfect by Shauna Neyquist***
Hidden Christmas by Tim Keller
Bread & Wine by Shauna Neyquist (second time — needed a refresher!)

Career
Permission Marketing by Seth Godin
Six-Figure Freelancer by Kelly James-Enger
How to Blog for Profit by Ruth Sokup
On Writing by Stephen King
Bird by Bird Anne Lamont
Unmistakable Creative by Srinius Rao (not my fave — I’d pass!)
The Art of Work by Jeff Goins
The Lean Startup by Eric Reis

Fiction + Enjoyment
The Paris Wife by Paula McClain***
In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume


I love seeing what others are reading, and getting wisdom in recommendation from others, and my go-to’s tend to be Nancy Ray, The Church at Brookhills, my church, and my girlfriends.

I’ve got my 2017 book ideas to read on Trello. Want to copy the Trello board to your own boards, and snag a copy of the list?

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

A couple of sweet girlfriends asked me for some book recs, so I wanted to give you the 22 books I read in 2016 that moved the needle on my life and business. Below are the categories I tend to pick books in, butttttt … if ya look at my 2017 book list (link here!), you’ll see I’m branching out to add a couple … think marriage, finance, etc. 🙂

1/07/17

💻 4. Own/run a small business & looking for a best-in-class copywriting agency? Add an insanely smart group of word whizzes to your contractor rolodex: tell us in this form what you need! →

✏️3. Need to master your message, write your site, & launch it to sell--without the 4-figure price tag for a pro copywriter? Copywriting for Creatives has served more than 2,227+. Get on the waitlist here!

📧 2. CopyBank.Club: Want 3 email copy templates per month? Snag that monthly copy drop, AI copy prompts, hooks, & more starting at $20/mo. It's like a subscription box, but make it copy. →

🍾 1. The Copy Bar: Needed stud copy like, yesterday? Get ASAP copy frameworks + templates to-go-style, starting at $29, when you saddle up to The Copy Bar template shop

here are 4 ways I can help ya—

whenever you're ready, 

comments +

  1. I don’t think the link is working! I’ve fallen in love with trello boards recently and was really excited to see how you organize your to be read list on it. I’ll be checking back later for sure to see if I can get through later.
    -Sabra

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

about page
.

I need help writing my

help!

just $9 (yes, f'real) → 

You're in your boss era—Let's make the bots work for YOU. 💅🏼

Snag instant access to my Notion template of 200+ AI Prompts to rev up your junior copywriting bot team, see what AI tools I use to create powerhouse conversion content, and more.

get the little black book
of ai copy

all-new: snag yours—

shop our trainings

book a discovery call

view our services

Totally ~*done-zo*~ with rage deleting
drafts & staring at the blinking cursor?

Step inside our copy cave.

(we have snacks & dogs.)