Originally published on January 19th, 2019. Updated for June 15th, 2021.
When you are short on time and need to write your blog faster, there are several things that can help you. The biggest thing is organization. When you organize your thoughts you can write faster and easier. Organizing your thoughts can also help the flow of your writing. Along with organization, there are other tools and tips that can help you with your writing and still keep the quality high.
Getting Organized
There are several ways to help you organize your writing. These things include using templates, creating a calendar, and writing an outline. All these writing tools not only help you to organize your thoughts but also help you write faster.
When you use templates, you do not have to worry about the formatting of the blog. The template helps to guide you in your writing. Now determining which template is appropriate will depend on the type of blog you are writing. There are several templates that include:
- List Posts
- How-Tos
- Profiles
- Essays
- Reviews
- Interviews
- News
Another big help to keep you on track is if you create a writing calendar. This calendar keeps track of the content you need to write and when it is due. If you have a visual reminder of your deadlines, you can focus on what is due next. This is also a great way to prioritize your writing and see what it is that you are writing. For example, if you have a topic that you know nothing about, you may need a little more time for research. The calendar helps you with how much time you need for researching and writing.
Creating an outline is a great way to organize your thoughts and put them in a logical order. When you have a guideline of how the blog should flow, you can write the sections easier knowing what comes next.
Gather Your Tools
There are many tools available to help improve your writing speed. Some tools are simple like setting time limits or eliminating distractions. Other tools may involve software applications or upgraded hardware to help your writing.
When you set time limits for yourself, you tend to push yourself to meet the deadlines. You find a way to make sure you focus on the task at hand and get it done. When you say, I am going to write this in a half-hour; make sure you write it in that time. If you say, “Oh, I have some extra time I can take a little longer writing”; you will end up taking the extra time and not even realize it.
Hardware and software tools can be expensive but worth it. First, if you are using a small monitor, consider upgrading to a larger one. With a larger monitor, you can split the screen and see both your research and blog side by side. Seeing both at the same time helps you write faster because you are not switching between programs. As far as the software, a good word processing software is helpful because it offers more tools for writing. Another software must is a screenshot application, this software allows you to take a picture of what you are viewing and copy and paste it where you need it.
Managing Your Time
Managing your time is key in whatever you do. But, when writing a faster blog this is critical. Many times when you write you want to research everything. Researching more than you need is a major time killer. Let’s say you are writing about a particular breed of dog found in a specific area and during your initial research you found this dog actually came from another area. It would be okay to mention where it originally came from but do not research any further. Stick to the area of the blog article.
To save time on writing, as you think of different topics write them down. Keep a journal of topics. Referring back to the journal when you need a specific topic will help you move faster to writing the content because you have the topic.
Another way to become faster in writing your blog is for you to write the easy parts first. If you can knock out the easy parts you can focus on the items that require more time to write. Generally, the easier parts to write include the introduction, conclusion, and title.
Content Creation
One area that might slow down your writing is if you do not fully understand what you are writing about. Make sure you understand what the content is that needs to get across to the reader. After you have that understanding, you need to:
- Gather your ideas
- Create your outline
- Research your topic or ideas
- Write your draft
- Revise and proof your blog
With practice and the use of the tools listed above, you can start writing faster blogs without compromising the quality of the article. It will take a little time, but you will start to notice that your blog writing is getting faster and more accurate. And if you want help, contact Technology Aloha today. We act as a seamless extension of your business — like an in-house marketing team without the full-time commitment.
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