What You Read vs What I Wanted You to Read (2025 Edition)

You are not your audience

It’s been eight months into writing Work Fame weekly and we all know the end of the year is a great time to pause and reflect.

So for this end-of-year reflection, I'm serving up some curated reading lists, featuring:

• What you actually loved - the articles with the highest views, shares, and forwards

• What I was sure you’d love... but didn’t - the pieces I personally thought were stronger but somehow missed the mark

It’s impossible to predict the articles that resonate/not

Writing in public is a funny thing. You hit Publish on an article you think is banger/so good/super valuable.

The result? Crickets.

Then, you write something in the moment, thinking it’s fairly average…

And your inbox explodes!

This is a great reminder to us all:

YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN MARKET!

It’s difficult to predict what will hit or not. You have to hit that Send button to find out what resonates (or not).

Reflection 1: Spend 80% of your effort on the subject line

Based on my Top 5 Most-Read list, the pattern seems to be strong subject lines that feature a number, preferably with a dollar figure. This doesn’t mean you’ll see $$ headlines in all my articles next year, but it’s an interesting observation.

It doesn’t end with just writing the article.

It’s why Mr. Beast, the #1 YouTube creator on the planet, says: “Obviously, no one can watch your videos unless they click on it. I don’t care if we spend up to $10,000 making a thumbnail—I just want the best thumbnail possible. The thumbnail literally decides whether or not they watch your video.”

One of the best writing reminders I try to incorporate comes from legendary copywriter Joseph Sugarman: “The sole purpose of the first sentence in an advertisement is to get you to read the second sentence.”

(Btw, want to improve your writing? Read his book: The Adweek Copywriting Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Powerful Advertising and Marketing Copy from One of America’s Top Copywriters).

Tip: Pay attention to the emails you open. Screenshot the subject lines and headings you love, and see if you can turn those into templates.

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Reflection 2: Write to sort out your mind

There’s immense value in writing. It really helps sharpen your ideas.

As you know, this year I’ve been podcasting every single day on Leanne on Demand. However, I feel like my greatest growth has happened writing these weekly emails to you.

Talking is easy. You can loop around, come back to an idea later, and use your voice to amplify emotion or intention.

Writing is infinitely harder because you, the reader, set the pace. Language and formatting make all the difference.

The great thing about writing is it helps sort out your mind and clarify your thinking and by going through the process of writing weekly, the “Big Idea” for my next book finally crystallised.

And this week, I signed a worldwide book contract with Wiley for my second book, due for release in October 2026!!!!!! (I’m sure my editor will ban my use of exclamation marks, but we’re allowed to party here.)

Anyway, here’s my comparison list of what you actually read and shared vs. what I wanted you to read in 2025 :)

(If you can’t see the links, click ‘Open in Browser’ at the top of your email)

My Top 5 most-read/shared articles this year

1. The book I wrote in 52 days that made me $60K

2. This screenshot gets more buy-in than a $10,000 off-site

3. How 35 people paid 292 days early for an event that doesn’t exist

4. Dear Diary

5. The dark arts of interrupting someone

What’s the pattern with these top-performing subject lines?

1. A screenshot that beats a $10K off-site? And “52 days to make $60K” We love the math of small-time investment, big financial payoff.

2. “How 35 people paid 292 days early for an event that doesn’t exist” makes your brain go, whaaat? People don’t pay for things that don’t exist… So now you have to figure out how the hell I pulled that off by clicking the email.

3. “Dark arts” sounds like I know something sneaky and “Dear Diary” implies more of a back-stage email (which it was), we enjoy digging behind the scenes.

Of course, fundamentally, you need to deliver on your promise you create in your subject line.

The Top 5 emails I enjoyed writing the most

I remain convinced these were my strongest pieces, even if you didn’t click them as much. Maybe give them a second chance!

1. Exposure: Why hanging out is the new MBA

2. The average person’s guide to getting high

3. The 1,000,001 reasons trap

4. The ‘not my job’ mindset that’s costing you millions

5. The case for being uncoachable

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The 5 other articles I’d like to give some love to shout out

1. How to win at calendar tetris

2. This 7:24am ritual reveals who you really are

3. How to host a panel that doesn’t put people to sleep

4. Don’t read these 21 books

5. The career advice a 6’5” bestselling author gave me over dinner

Bonus: Here’s an email I wrote that came from the heart, I didn’t publish it to your inbox, but it’s a speech I wrote for a speaking gig I did for a Mother’s Day event this year: Where’s the training manual for daughters?

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Thank you for being here.

I don’t take it lightly that my ideas get the opportunity to hit your inbox.

💙 Hit the heart to give me a signal that you enjoyed reading some of my articles this year.

I hope you enjoy recharging with loved ones over the break.

Toasting you with a glass of bubbles.

I’ll see you in the new year!

Leanne “Now Engaging Sloth-Mode” Hughes