creative briefing

I’m usually not into writing best-of posts, but it’s hard not to get wrapped up in self-reflection and resolutions this time of year. It is the last day of 2008 after all, and seeing as how one of my 2009 resolutions is to bring this blog back to life with more frequent posts, I thought I would start by looking back at 2008.

On a sidenote, this blog was recently listed as one of 160+ RSS Feeds For Web Designers and Developers. As a result, my RSS subscription count has risen from the comfy ~380 range it was sitting at for so long, to a healthier 522 (as of writing this post). It’s not often that I’m privileged with so many new sets of eyeballs, so I wanted to welcome all my new readers! Grab a coffee and a bean bag – hope you enjoy your stay!

Okay, back on track. Here’s a skimmable (because nobody wants to read on New Year’s Eve) list of my best posts of 2008.

My Favs

Here are the posts that I personally like the most and had a blast writing.

• How to use WordPress to build a website with user-generated content
  Started the year off with a post that was unique not only for its exceptionally long title, but for its super easy tutorial on how to re-purpose comments on your WP blog to get user-generated content.
• The making of Creative Briefing
  A detailed post of all the nuances you wanted to know about the redesigned Creative Briefing (but just didn’t know it).
• How to use Photoshop to make notepad sketches
  A lot of mixed responses from my first tutorial; photoshop noobies loved it, photoshop jedis threw stones at me.
• 10 things you can learn from Gordon Ramsay about running a business
  This list does not include how to appropriately use the F bomb when your contractors don’t deliver. It does, however, cover 10 other valuable lessons from everyone’s favourite/most-feared chef.
• 12 ways to make the most of your downtime
  There are productive ways to be bored out of your mind. Here are 12 of them!

Best Comments

Every so often, I ask the right question and get a crap load of wicked comments that put my post to shame. Check out the following posts and then read up on the comments for even more beefy insight.

• 5 downsides to working at home
  Working at home isn’t all it’s cut out to be. Despite the fact that you don’t need to wear pants to work, there are a few downsides to consider.
• 13 ways to liven up your work-at-home routine
  I must have been on a bitter-about-working-at-home rampage or something. I meant well, I swear. Check out this post to see how you can make the most of the experience.
• Faith, Trust and Respect
  A rotten experience with a client begs the question: where do you draw the line to gain the faith, trust and respect of your client?
• Managing Mock-ups
  If you’re a freelance designer, you live and breathe through mock-ups. This post asked: how do you present mock-ups to your clients?

From both a content quality and reader interaction point of view, this blog made leaps and bounds in 2008. I’ve yet to be able to actively grow and market this site properly, so every day I’m shocked at the number that appears at the top of the sidebar. Small steps for real bloggers I’m sure, but definitely massive lunges for a small potato like me.

Here’s a snapshot at the growth of Creative Briefers throughout the year:

• Launched the redesigned Creative Briefing on February 11, 2008 with 44 subsribers
• By March, subscriptions had more than doubled with 100+ tuning in via RSS and email
• In April, subscriptions broke the 200 mark
• In June, subscriptions broke the 300 mark, then plateaued around the 380 range for 6 months
• On December 31 (today!), subscriptions hit an all time high of 522

Again (and as always), thanks for sharing the love. My primary goal for blogging has always been to spread the knowledge and experience I’ve accumulated through my journey to others. Knowing there are at least a few of you reading this makes it all worth it!

Let this mark the end of a great year for this blog! I hope everyone has an amazing new years and a kick ass start to 2009.

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