So why not take it a step further and put WordCount on your blog reader, or sign up to have it delivered directly to your email inbox?

It’s easy. Click on the orange subscribe button in the upper right corner of the page to add WordCount to your blog reader. If you’d rather get WordCount in your email inbox, click on the little envelop right next to it.

Sign up for WordCount and you’ll receive an average of three posts a week on subjects ranging from the best ways to do research online to top digital media trends to how to break into hyperlocal news.

Need more encouragement?

Here are 8 reasons why you should put WordCount on your blog reader:

1. You’ll get WordCount posts delivered to your email inbox or blog reader as soon as they’re published.

2. You’ll be joining more than 400 other WordCount subscribers – truly a well-informed bunch.

3. You’ll never miss an installment of WordCount’s Recommended Reading for Writers, published every Friday and chock full of links to interesting articles on writing and the writing business. For a sample, look here.

4. You’ll be among the first to get notices of upcoming WordCount Last Wednesday monthly chats on Twitter, where I lead discussions about the latest tech tools for writers and other topics of interest. For a sample chat, look here.

5. If you miss WordCount chats, you’ll be able to read recaps online. For a sample, look here.

6. You’ll get the scoop on the annual WordCount Blogathon, held every May, where writers and bloggers take part in a communal commitment to post 31 days straight – a great exercise if you’re starting a blog or need motivation to work on one you’ve already got.

7. You’ll be able to take “Put WordCount blog on blog reader” off your to-do list – such a good feeling.

8. You’ll become one of WordCount’s BFFs!

With WordCount coming up on its third anniversary and continuing to grow in traffic and reach, I realize how grateful I am to everyone who has added it to their blog reader, posted comments, participated in the annual May blogathon, and generally made it possible for me to talk about what I love – writing and the business of writing – for a willing audience.

As was the case in WordCount’s first two years, some of the posts I wrote this year drew more readers than others. In some cases it was because I touched on a topic that was in the news, or covered something with universal appeal. Other times it was because I stumbled onto the right set of tags to get a post to appear at the top of Google search results.

Whatever the case, here are the 12 most popular posts on WordCount in 2010.

1. 10 things J.K. Rowling taught me about writing – I hit the jackpot with this post on Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling’s writing style, which I wrote after finishing the seven-book series. The post tapped into interest in Rowling and all things related to the boy wizard. It also helped that I included a publicity photo – images help posts show up higher in search engine results. I wrote the original in summer 2009 and when it continued to get traffic after more than a year, I wrote an update this fall to coincide with the release of the “Deathy Hallows” movie. The new post was also among the top 20 most visited on my blog this year as well.

2. Best of WordCount – Beat the recession – This January 2009 compilation of posts on how freelancers can deal with the recession is proof that if the information is good enough, people will continue coming back to it.

3. The 2010 WordCount Blogathon - The third anniversary of my annual month-long blogging fest was the biggest ever, which helps explain all the traffic to this page, which describes the event.

4. Top 10 qualities of a good editor – An oldie but goodie, this 2008 post continues to draw traffic, mainly because it’s the No. 1 result in Google searches for the term “qualities of a good editor.” Takeaways from this post: write about things other people aren’t, and pay attention to keywords or tags you use to describe a post.

5. In Portland, the big story is snow – Another instance where including a photo has helped drive traffic. In this case, the photo that goes with the post drives most of the traffic – a good reminder that it’s important to tag photos so search engines can find them.

6. AOL’s Patch hiring spree – boon or bane for freelance writers? – This post drew traffic because I wrote it the day AOL announced it was expanding its Patch hyperlocal network – and hiring lots of journalists to staff it. Sine I’d blogged a lot about hyperlocal news, I was able to add my own opinions to the basic facts, turning into more of an editorial than a straight news piece. In the days and weeks immediately after, a number of prominent online publications referred to it. Moral of the story: it pays to write about the news, and add your own take to what’s happening.

7. Top 10 blogs for freelance writers – Posts about writing resources are always popular on WordCount, especially lists of writing-related blogs that freelancers should follow.

8. Back to basics: the nut graph – A while back I started a series called Back to Basics to cover fundamentals that all freelancers, writers and bloggers should know. This post on nut graphs – a paragraph high up in a story that explains what it’s about, puts the subject into context and tells the reader why they should care – has been the most popular entry in the series to date, with many other blogs linking to it.

9. 10 businesses freelance writers can start today – When the recession shuttered magazines and forced newspapers into massive layoffs, it irrevocably changed the way the freelance writing business works. Now more than ever, independent writers need to think like small business owners, and be more assertive in running their own show. This post was popular because it spells out 10 different writing related, single-person businesses a freelancer can start, with examples of writers who are doing just that.

10. Best WordPress plug ins for writers – This post about plug ins for WordPress blogging software with special appeal to writers was based on information shared during the inaugural WordCount Last Wednesday monthly chat I hosted on Twitter. Website developer/writer/tech guy Ron Doyle was my guest, and provided a lot of the material in the post.

11. WordCount Q&A: Suite 101 CEO Peter Berger and a question of quality – This is one of many posts I’ve done over the past two years on the pros and cons of writing for so-called content farms, sites that pay extremely low wages for people who may or may not be professional writers to crank out copy (I can’t even use the word “stories” to describe the end product) to draw in eyeballs and hopefully, money from click-through advertising.

12. 7 simple SEO tips for writers – Another post based on a WordCount Last Wednesday live chat, this one about search engine optimization (SEO) that I hosted with special guest Jason Lancaster, head of Spork Marketing, a Denver Internet marketing firm. I’ve purposely used my background covering technology and consumer electronics to blog regularly about tech tools for writers and it’s paid off, as traffic to this post attests.

Got a favorite WordCount post you’d like to see again? Or an idea for a subject you’d like me to write about more in 2011? Please let me know. I’m mapping out future posts and would love to hear your thoughts.

I’m still here.

I’m still looking at traffic stats.

I’m still reading comments, and sometimes even replying.

I’m still thinking of blog posts.

But that’s just it. I’ve been so busy lately with my editing day job the only thing related to this blog I’ve been doing is thinking.

I’m too pooped to post.

The editing job should settle down a bit over the Christmas holidays. When it does and I have some more time, here are the posts you’ll see from me:

• In praise of the nut graph – small, powerful, elusive and 100 percent unavoidable – why are you so hard to master?
• I love writers who… – a 180 from a post I wrote awhile back on the editors that writers love. Based on the last month, I have much to say on this subject.
• 2009: a freelance writing year in review – a horror story with a happy ending.
  
• Digital media trendsetters to watch in 2010 – The usual suspects, plus a few surprise picks.
• To incorporate or not to incorporate – That is the question to ask your accountant.
• A media incubator wish list – Portland freelance journalists are huddling this week to continue plans for a coworking space dedicated to indie writers. If you were going to design your dream shared newsroom, what would be in it? If you’re already working in such an environment, what do you love about it, and what do you hate?

Readers, which of those subjects should I tackle first? If there’s something else you’d like to read on WordCount in coming weeks let me know.

At last count, close to 65 of you chimed in on a poll I put up earlier this week asking what you’d like to read more of on WordCount: Freelancing in the Digital Age.

Close to a third (28 percent) said you’re most interested in seeing stories about running a freelance business.

An equal number – 17 percent each – said they wanted more articles about how to use Twitter and other tech apps, and Q&As with successful writers. And 16 percent said they want more links to other blogs and articles about freelancing.

Here are the complete results:

What subjects do you want to read about on WordCount?:

• Tips for running a freelance business – 28 percent
• How writers can use Twitter and other tech tools – 17 percent
• Q&A with successful freelancers - 17 percent
• Links to writing blogs & articles – 16 percent
• Other – 14 percent
• Writing basics – 9 percent

It’s interesting to note that a number of you marked “Other” and left comments asking for more, well, comments. That is, commentary on issues of the day that affect freelance writers, such as whether to write for content aggregators. Paul Berinstein, proprietress of The Writing Show podcast, says: “I’d like to see you continue to cover issues rather than offer advice. I also think we’ve seen way too many articles about how to use Twitter and other tech apps. Although you cover those topics beautifully, you’re way too good to waste your time on something so banal.”

Jesaka Long, a freelancer who runs the blog a.k.a. Writer, wants more posts on subjects like writing for content sites, and the great freelance rate debate. About a recent post on the latter, Long says:  “You presented a variety of opinions and gave readers an opportunity to form their own, educated opinions. It was so refreshing to see multiple sides of an argument presented in a more objective way that forced readers to think for themselves!”

Thanks again to everyone who participated. If you didn’t vote, the poll’s still open. (That’s the great thing about the Internet – the poll’s are always open.)

And stay tuned in here for more practical advice on the business side of the writing business, how-to tips, writer interviews – and, yes, plenty more comments.

In the fourth annual competition, 10 winners were chosen from 28 finalists and more than 300 nominated blogs. Writing White Papers’ Michael Stelzner picks winners based on several criteria, including the amount of community interaction, i.e., comments on blog posts. So thanks to anyone who’ve ever stopped in to read something and been inspired to leave a comment – it takes a village to raise a blog.

In case you’re new here, WordCount charts the evolution of the media business from print to online, and the changing role independent writers play in it.

I started WordCount in January 2008, so making it onto a list of blogs that have been around much longer is incredibly rewarding. Congratulations to the other winners, and to a fantastic collection of nominees. Here a peek at all 10 winners:

• Copyblogger
• Men With Pens
• Write to Done
• Editor Unleashed
• Freelance Writing Jobs
• Confident Writing
• Urban Muse
• WordCount
• The Adventurous Writer
• Fuel Your Writing

But getting started can be intimidating. What to write about? What software to use? And how to get anybody to visit once it’s there?

I addressed all of these issues in a post that’s making a guest appearance today on the national blog of the American Society of Business Publication Editors, a professional organization for business magazine editors and writers. You can read the post here.

If you’ve started blogging to support your freelancing business, how is it helping? What’s it taught you? How are you making it work for you?

I’ve committed to posting on my blog Monday through Friday, an activity that takes 15 minutes to an hour a day depending on how ambitious I am about writing the post. Days like today I cobble together a post based on interesting posts I’d read on a topic elsewhere. Original writing takes longer, but sometimes I’m inspired and then the writing goes quickly.

I’m an early riser and I work on my blog first before starting the rest of what I have to do that day. I’m eight months into it and it’s become part of my work routine. But I’d have to say that some weeks I’m more into it than others. This week I have some major deadlines so the blog will get a minimum of my attention.

If you’re going to blog the most important thing is to pick a schedule and stick to it, whether that’s once a week, twice a week, etc. If people subscribe to the blog through a reader they’re going to expect posts on whatever schedule you’ve determined and if you don’t stick to it it’s easy to lose them. I know this because I subscribe to a couple blogs and when old posts sit in my reader after I expect to see new stuff I’m disappointed. It’s like seeing headlines from last week’s newspaper: boring.

As for social networks, I’m most active on Freelance Success, then LinkedIn, then Facebook, which I just joined and haven’t really spent much time on.

I’ve become a big fan of the LinkedIn’s status report, which is LinkedIn’s answer to Twitter. The status report is that little box on the Home page that lets you answer the question: What are you working on? The number of characters you can use is finite so you can’t ramble. But it is enough to say “I’ve just updated my profile, check it out!”

More about time spent blogging: In a 2006 study, the University of Massachusetts found that 65 percent of bloggers spent an hour or less while the rest spent up to four hours. Read more results from the study here.

For Tim Ferriss, less is more. The blogger and author of the best seller The 4-Hour Work Week, advocates in this post, The top 5 uncommon timesavers for bloggers for blogging only a couple times a week so your posts have time to percolate and get picked up around the blogosphere – definitely food for thought.

Time spent on this post: 30 minutes. How much time do you spend blogging?

5/02 UPDATE: I’VE ADDED A COUPLE MORE LATECOMERS TO THE END OF THE LIST. MVR

NOTE: I’VE ADDED TWO LATECOMERS TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST. MVR

I’m ushering in May by kicking off a blogathon, where I promise to post something every day this month. I’m calling it A Post a Day in the Month of May.

I’m doing it to celebrate a milestone birthday coming up in a week or so, and the start of spring.

I’ve persuaded 19 other freelance writers to join me. During the course of the month I may write more about each one. For now, here’s a list of who’s joining me in my great birthday blogging adventure:

Janine Adams – Organizing tips galore.

Jane Boursaw - Covers everything about movies including reviews, trailers and industry news.

Diana Burrell – Diana is one half of the team behind the popular The Renegade Writer books and blog, which are both crammed with good stuff for writers.

Jackie Dishner – Writes about biking, but so much more. Her post today on biking and body image is amazing.

Marijke Durning – Writes about the newest in health and safety news, and a bit about life as a freelance writer.

Carolyn Erickson – Carolyn is using the blogathon to recharge her blogging batteries – good girl!

Amy Grisak – A good-looking blog about “seizing the moment,” with lots of posts about gardening, food, family life and more.

Roxanne Hawn - Covers the “true tales, brags and whines about my life with a rescued border collie named Lilly.”

Sandra Hume – A blog about Laura Ingalls Wilder! My 7-year-old son and I just read “Little House in the Big Woods” and I fell in love with it all over again.

Elizabeth Kricfalusi - “Miss Adventure” writes about adventure “in many different shapes and flavors.”

Trish Lawrence - According to Trish, “It’s mostly blather about my writing, gossip, and my opinions on things as opposite as Gossip Girl and James Frey.”

Sue Poremba – Writes for and about writers. Today’s post is about coming up with queries.

Sarah Ludwig Rausch – A mom of four and freelance writer: it’s worth visiting Sarah’s blog just to see the picture of her cute kids.

Meredith Resnick – Actually, Meredith has four blogs but I only picked one to link to for now, on “real world news and real world views” of adoption. Meredith, how can you keep 4 blogs going?

Dawn Weinberger – A fellow Oregonian, writes about life after her husband Carl’s successful liver transplant last year, chronicling “our journey of faith, hope and healing.”

Susan Weiner – “Coverage of investment-related topics by a financial writer-editor who’s also a CFA charterholder.”

Late entries:

Charmian Christie – Christie’s Corner takes a light look at food. Her motto: “Real food. Real life. It ain’t always pretty.”

Jen Miller – Writes about the New Jersey shore in support of her new book, “The Jersey Shore, Atlantic City to Cape May: Great Destinations: A Complete Guide.”

Claudine Jalajas – Writes about the joys and pain of remodeling her house.

Barb Adamski – A Canadian writer who blogs about lacrosse, “its past, its present, and its future.”

Leah Ingram – The Lean Green Family (formerly Suddenly Frugal), all about living frugally and green.

Dara Chadwick – Fit in Real Life.

Jennifer Willis – Thoughts from the spiral.