There are people who thoroughly enjoy writing while many others find it a truly grueling and painful task. If you fall into the latter category you most likely spend hours and unnecessary energy trying to put together content, be it articles, blog posts, eBooks, or anything else for that matter. Do you end up frustrated and ready to throw in the towel or cringe every time the task of writing finds its way to the top of your to-do list?
If you’re shaking your head yes right now, I’ve got good news! There are ways to write faster, make the entire process easier and produce quality content that gets read time and again. This article will help you do all of those things. Interested?
I thought you might be. The following 4 quick tips will help you view writing in a whole new light.
Quick Tip #1: Plan Your Topics in Advance
Nothing is more difficult for a writer than staring at a blank screen without knowing what to write about. This leads to frustration and disappointment and is actually one of the main reasons people prefer not to write their own content. Planning your content in advance is one of the biggest keys to help eliminate writer’s block and make the task of writing easier and even enjoyable.
First, as you think of ideas, be sure to write them down somewhere – preferably in the same place each time. This will give you a running list of things you can choose from when the time to sit down and write rears its head. I keep an ideas notebook on my desk and scribble in it all day long.
If ideas are the problem, there are ways to combat that too. One way to find inspiration is by visiting forums, message boards and ning groups that focus on your niche. These places are full of people who need answers to questions in your field of expertise. Don’t forget social networks either. Sites like Twitter, StumbleUpon, and Digg are overflowing with people who need your help or advice. Find out what they want and jot the topics, ideas, and questions down on your list.
Looking to incorporate keywords into your content for SEO purposes? If so, the next step is to do some keyword research at a site like http://freekeywords.wordtracker.com. This is also another avenue to find extra topic ideas should you need them.
Doing this research will help get rid of writer's block, and allow you to deliver exactly the information your market is in search of.
Quick Tip #2: Get to the Point & Stay There
When writing, it’s particularly important to stick to the topic at hand. Don’t fill your writing with what’s known as garbage text that isn’t necessary. Find out what exactly your readers want and give it to them. Give your readers substance not just words. Here are a few good rules of thumb to keep in mind.
Once you’ve written your content go back through it and remove unnecessary words. Including these extra words will only bore your audience. One of the most common wasted words is the word “that.” If a sentence makes sense without the word in it – take it out.
An excellent way to combat this problem is through the use of bullet points. Before you begin writing you may wish to make a list of 5-6 bullet points that you want to “hit” through your article. As you write, cover each bullet point with approximately 2-3 sentences each. This will guarantee a concise, to-the-point article that your readers will enjoy reading each and every time.
If you need to add length to your writing, some options are:
− Examples
− Statistics
− Charts
− Case Studies
− Tips
− Definitions
Of course, there are many other ways to add value to your content without filler. Use your imagination and you'll do fine.
Re-read your material. If you have to read a sentence or paragraph more than once to understand it, chances are your readers will too. Reword the information so it’s not so confusing.
Quick Tip #3: Take a Break
Have you ever noticed when you write for a long time you become frustrated, tired and uninspired? After awhile it seems increasingly difficult to get your point across. Yet, you keep plugging along because you have to get your writing done – perhaps you’re on a deadline or just want to cross it off your to-do list to be rid of it. Unfortunately, this will lead to more time wasted than gained.
If you take breaks in between chunks of writing you'll quickly notice a huge boost in productivity. Your mind will have time to rest in between sessions and it will bring a level of clarity to your thinking. This will make the overall writing process faster, easier, and improved.
Believe it or not, forced writing is easy to spot. It sounds forced and most people won’t continue reading to the end if it makes no sense. By taking breaks, the quality of your end product will benefit if you give your brain time to rest.
Quick Tip #4: Don't Edit as You Go
A mistake people commonly make is trying to edit while they write rather than once they are finished. This is counter productive and actually slows your writing down considerably. Making corrections while you go keeps ideas from flowing freely and makes you concentrate more on spelling and grammar than the points you are trying to convey.
You’ll get more accomplished by allowing your mind to run without extra clutter. Check comma placement later! Once you’ve finished typing (or writing if you’re a pen and paper writer) then and only then, should you be checking spelling, grammar and punctuation. You’ll be able to zip right through error corrections without wondering what you are missing in your content.
One suggestion if you find it hard to pull away from editing as you go: Turn the automatic spelling and grammar correction function off in your word process. Those little squiggly lines under misspelled words hinder creativity. Sure, they are cute and a little helpful but not while you’re creative juices are flowing.
If you want to write faster, be sure to plan your topics ahead of time, take plenty of breaks to rest your mind and avoid editing while you type. Remember to use bullet points when necessary, write a concise, focused article and you’ll be writing like a pro in no time.
Dread writing no more – or at least less than before!
