3 Tips for Writing Faster

3 Tips for Writing Faster

Your content is your livelihood.

Content is what makes people come to your site. It’s also what makes people trust you and buy from you.

So whether you’re using your content to pull in traffic or you’re selling content to fill up your bank account with cash, your business depends on your ability to create a lot of good content. And the faster you can create this content, the more quickly you’ll enjoy the extra traffic, subscribers and sales.

Here then are three surefire tips for creating good content, fast…

1. Create a Good Outline

A good outline, keeps you focused. You won’t waste time straying  to this and that. And this focus will help you write more quickly.

This is particularly true if you’re writing something longer, like a report or e-book. That’s because it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the thought of writing something so long. However, when you have a good outline, you can think of each section on your outline as an article.

Thus you can think of it as writing a series of articles, rather than writing a book. Psychologically this makes it easier to write, so you’ll complete your content piece much faster.

2. Use Speech-to-Text Technology

Run a search in Google and you’ll uncover several different software products to convert your speech into text. One of the most well-known of these is Dragon Naturally Speaking.

You can find at Nuance.com as well as your favorite retailers like Staples.com and Amazon.com.

No matter what software solution you choose, you will need to do two things:

First, get a good microphone. Your software will work better if your words sound clear as you say them into your microphone. If you prefer, you can get a headset microphone for convenience.

Second, train the software. Yes, you will need to spend some time training the software to recognize the way you speak (your voice, accent, etc). So while this does take some time upfront, in the long run you’ll save time once you’ve gone through all the training with the software.

3. Write Fast Without Editing

One sure way to slow down your writing is to stop and edit nearly sentence as the go. However, while editing is necessary, it’s something you should do AFTER you’ve created the piece (not during the writing process).

Think of it this way…

Editing is a bit of a logical, left-brain activity. That’s because it requires you to remember grammar rules, look at your sentence structure and make decisions about whether you’ve written a sentence or paragraph correctly.

On the other hand, the actual writing itself tends to be more of a creative process where you come up with unique ideas and interesting ways of expressing these ideas. Thus if you stop midway through the writing process to think logically about things like grammar rules, then you’ll just end up stifling your creativity.

If you’re used to editing as you go, then it’s going to take practice to write without editing. Best thing you can do is set a timer for 15 minutes and write as fast and furiously as possible during the allotted time. When the time is up, take a short break, reset your timer and do it again.

You can even make a game out of it by challenging yourself to write more words during each 15 minute block of time.

When your content piece is all finished, then you can edit it.

In Summary…

If you can learn to write faster, then you’ll get more done in less time. And the more content you can create, the faster your business will grow. So give these tips a try and see if they don’t help you increase your writing speed!

 

Overcoming Writer’s Block

Overcoming Writer’s Block

Has this ever happened to you?You’re all excited about writing an article, report, or book. You open up a fresh document on your computer. You type in your file name, maybe a title, maybe even a few sentences.

But then it feels like your brain shuts down. Suddenly you find yourself just staring at a nearly blank screen. The words don’t come.

Uh oh, you have writer’s block.

If you do any writing at all, you’ll probably experience writer’s block from time to time.

Here’s how to overcome it…

Of course, prayer is always the first order of business. Relax and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart and remind you of what He wants to say.

Then here are some additional practical tips.

Get Inspired

Sometimes you get stuck simply because you’re tired of looking at the same four walls, the same computer screen, etc. It helps if you can do something to kick start your creativity and give your brain a change of scenery. For example:

  • Put on music that inspires you.
  • Get out of your usual office and go someplace completely different, like a park or a coffee shop.
  • Spend 15-30 minutes doing something different, such as exercising (which will make you feel better).

Copy a Good Piece of Text

This is a way to force your brain to get in the “groove” of writing well. Simply take a passage from one of your favorite authors and start copying it by hand. You can also copy poetry, good sales letters, or anything else that’s well-written.

Naturally, you’re not using this content for anything. You’re just jump starting your own creative process by really thinking about someone else’s well-written piece.

Write Anything That Comes to Mind

Another way to get over writer’s block is to just start writing anything that pops into your head. If you have to write about this week’s grocery list, fine.

If you have to start off writing, “I don’t know what to write” two dozen times across the top of the page, fine. But the point is, just get your fingers moving across the keyboard. After about 20 minutes, your mental “log jam” should be broken up and your creativity released.

Create a Piece About Something Else Entirely

Sometimes it helps to write about something else that isn’t even remotely related to the thing that you need to write about.

So if you need to write an article about Christian Living, you can start by writing an article about how to tie your shoes. Or if you need to create a knowing who you are in Christ, then write a story about how you met your significant other.

Again, this is just a way to loosen up your creativity and get those fingers moving across the keyboard. Once you turn to the piece you do need to write, it will likely go much more smoothly.

Start in the Middle

Have you ever noticed that the introduction is often the hardest part to write? That’s because you use it to give a sneak peek at what the rest of the article, report or ebook is about. But if you haven’t yet written the rest of the content piece, then it’s easy to get stuck on the introduction.

The solution is simple: Start in the middle.

Just skip the intro and go straight to the next paragraph or the first chapter. Then you can do the introduction last, which makes it much easier since now you know exactly what all topics you covered in the rest of the piece.

In sum…

Every writer gets the dreaded writer’s block from time to time. However, don’t let it slow you down.

Next time your brain is moving like molasses, just use the tips above to jump start the creative process!

Great Writing: Story Telling

Great Writing: Story Telling

You know the old proverb that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” That is so true. People are visual, and because of that a picture – especially a picture explained in detail – will get points across better than lots and lots of talk.

That’s why Jesus used parables to deliver the truth. He was a master at the tool of story-telling.

So let’s take a look at how we can incorporate that tool into our writing.

Here’s why it works:

Stories make people pay attention. Indeed, people pay huge sums of money to read stories (novels) and watch them (movies).

Stories make people remember. If you want to teach something to someone, tell a story. That’s why the world’s most famous teaching tool, the Bible, is packed full of stories.

Stories tap into emotion. You can’t convince your readers to hear your advice until they feel something emotionally. So what better way to put them in the right emotional state than by telling them a story!

You can see the benefits. But maybe you’re wondering how this works for you.

Indeed, one of the best places to tell a story is on your blog. And that’s because it gives you the opportunity to really connect with your readers.

Here’s how to create a story-telling blog post…

Hook Your Readers Immediately

Forget about an article that starts by telling the readers what they’re going to learn. Instead, jump right into your story. And engage the reader’s senses whenever possible.

Example: Perhaps you’d start a Marriage-Help article like this: “Suzy felt hopelessness wash over her. Every Monday morning seemed to be the same. There were these issues between them that they just couldn’t seem to discuss. Their attitudes toward money. Their attitudes toward the children. They seemed to disagree on so much!”

Transition From Story to Facts and Benefits 

Now you need to start tying your story into the points you wish to make.

So often people who face these hard times want to give up and think there is no hope for their marriage.

Yet you are armed with scriptures and wisdom from God about prayer and faith. You can use this story to share testimonies of people who have faced worse but who have trusted God and entered into a new era of excellence in their marriage.

Conclusion 

The truth is, story-telling is just one way to turn your blog posts into great teaching moments – without being pedantic. When people engage in the pictures portrayed in these stories, they are able to see the hope offered them.