Here’s a new regular feature for you. I read lots of other blogs and websites (you should see my Google Reader – it’s stuffed fuller than a busy Ryanair flight). So now I’m going to share the best bits with you.

I won’t restrict it to sites solely by or about other writers. I’ll include anything that looks interesting, as long as it seems vaguely relevant. I read a fair few tech blogs and do a lot of small business writing, so expect a bit of a bias in those general directions too.

Right, here goes…

• Michael Stelzner has put together his 2009/10 list of top ten blogs for writers. As with most lists of this sort, it seems pretty subjective (and it’s rather US-biased), but I reckon most of the sites on there are worth a read. Good place to start if your reading habits need a bit of a shake up.
• Microsoft has launched what I can only describe as an interesting marketing push for the new version of Windows. Seriously, watch this video, then see if you can work it out. If you do decide to hold a party (you’ll see what I mean), please invite me.
• I really rate Fritinancy, Nancy Friedman’s blog about naming, writing and other related gubbins. She’s done a great round up of sites that dissect Dan Brown’s latest book. They’re highly critical, but perhaps that’s just because everyone’s jealous of his enormous success. I am.
• Creative Review spotted a surprisingly honest set of ads from Dixons on the Tube. Nice copy – and I admire their straightforwardness, but my recent experience of buying a new laptop suggests there are much better value retailers out there. Which sort of undermines their point.

Finally, listen up London start-ups: TechHub, which aims to create a physical space for new tech companies in the city, is coming. In the meantime, if you’re looking for a less-formal place to get some work done, I recommend Londonist’s free Wi-Fi map.

Don’t they say it’s the little things that count? Well, nothing makes me smile more than spotting some text that someone’s really taken time and care over – despite it being displayed in a seemingly unimportant or innocuous location (ok, actually some things do make me smile more, but bear with me here).

Take these sugar packets I spotted at a cafe in Oxford. Ropey pictures aside, aren’t they delightful?

It’s hard to argue that text on the back of a sachet constitutes a vital part of a company’s branding. And yet it’s equally hard to deny the effect it has: when customers notice their sugar packet says “rattle in background for atmos” on the back,  it helps set that particular cafe apart from the countless others that line Oxford’s touristy streets.

The lesson here? Small things matter too. A piece of well-placed text can make your brand stand out in people’s minds. I know where I’ll head for lunch next time I’m in Oxford.

I’ve been booking a holiday recently and searching lots of sites for deals and discounts. Lonely Planet‘s hotel booking service seems to need a bit of work – it broke more than once while I was using it.

Still, at least when it fell over, it didn’t display a dull generic error message:

Check it out! It’s a picture of a knackered bus – the type you might get in some the far-flung parts of the world that Lonely Planet can help you visit. (Full size here.)

Ok, never mind that in reality you’re probably just looking for a cheap week in Benidorm. This error page is a great example of how a bit of quirkiness can turn a negative (my hotel search not working) into a bit of a positive (making me chuckle).

It certainly put a bit of a smile on my face, and I’m more likely to give the site another chance as a result.

What could your site do differently to surprise its users?