Quality is always the top priority of content writers. Your focus is always on how relevant the information is, on how well the message is conveyed, and on how effective the way of writing is. Communicating is what you do when you write. You take your time as much as you can and please because time is important to ensure you pay attention to its essence and clarity. Nevertheless, there are a lot of times that require you to write fast – that is to write fast while maintaining the efficiency and quality of your output.
When you are working in a creative agency, with a boss, with clients and with deadlines, you need to learn how to write quickly. Even when you are an independent content writer but you are targeting a specific work schedule, you need to learn the skill of writing fast. And though you are writing for your hobby also, there are quite great benefits when you finish writing swiftly. Among them is getting to write more, explore diverse writing styles and enhance your writing competence.
Without sacrificing the quality of your content, you must also highly regard your speed. You can actually practice and train yourself for this goal. Here are 5 tips to write faster than you have ever done before!
1 – Prepare your outlines
Overcoming the struggles of having to start from scratch is the hardest step that content writers take. When you are coming from zero, it’s sometimes unimaginable how you can reach a hundred. In many instances, the planning stage and the research stage consume a lot more time than the writing stage itself. That’s because you have to gear up your resources, your thoughts, and your writing style. The whole pre-writing arrangement process takes quite a lot of time, particularly if you are writing about topics that are difficult or unfamiliar to you.
What you can and should do to write faster despite all the possible hurdles is prepare your outlines. If you are going to write many articles on the same or related topic, you must set outlines first, so you know where each of them flows, and so you can avoid repeating the same information in the same delivery.
Preparing outlines allows you to determine the division of the article’s body. You get a clear view of which details go together in one section. With this, you know what to write and where to write it. You can already conceptualize how the thoughts will run and how the whole piece will be concluded.
2 – Set a timer
Dare and test yourself by setting a timer for the piece you are creating. This trains you by letting you experience pressure, which you have to deal with in the face of emergency situations.
Even though you are just one who sets a timer for yourself, you should take it seriously. Adjust your speed based on the timer you set. Make it a goal to finish your write-up before the alarm rings.
This really works well because you come to know how you should move in face of tormenting deadlines and unexpected tasks. You are also the one who knows your pace, so you can set your timer considering that knowledge. Little by little, you should step out of your comfort zone and time.
3 – Quickly overcome the writer’s block
The biggest obstacle that writers have to go against at particular times, which can be unanticipated, is the writer’s block. This is when writers lose motivation, interest, drive, and inspiration to think and to write in general. When you are in the middle of writer’s block, you might be experiencing burnout, thus, you are having a strenuous time starting and making progress.
To write faster, you should make or find ways to quickly overcome writer’s block. Although one of the major recommendations to fight writer’s block is to take time off writing, rest, and ease off to gain your enthusiasm back, it’s not always possible. Especially if you are a writer for a creative agency or a digital marketing company wherein you have bosses to follow, clients to satisfy, and deadlines to meet, it’s unachievable.
That’s why you must learn to develop ways how to conquer and recover fast from the chains of writer’s block. Acknowledge that you are going through it, so you can seek ways to curb it at speed.
4 – Listen to upbeat music
When you are dancing to a fast song, you move fast, of course. Your pep goes high, and you get hyped. As a result, your body moves to the tune and beat of the music. You cannot really feel tired immediately because you groove matching the songs.
Use this technique to your writing advantage. Listen to upbeat music for you to write fast. Your fingers will operate at the double while you listen to music that makes you want to get up and dance. This can really help. You can just proofread everything after if you think that you get carried away with the song.
5 – Shoo the distractions away
Last but certainly not least is this. Shoo the distractions away. Set aside your mobile phones and gaming gadgets that are unnecessary in your writing task. They can instantly rob your attention and cause you to lose focus. Eventually, you will waste time if you let distractions lead your concentration astray.
Write with full awareness and attentiveness to what you are doing. Reserve the entertainment and other extra activities for later. Finish what you have to finish first. Keep the distractions out of sight so you to be able to think clearly and deliver your ideas fluently.
SWOOSH
Fast writing is not being thoughtless and careless. It is also not showing off. Fast writing is a skill that will help you and other content writers to develop swift writing skills combined with excellence and proficiency. For writers, this is not really easy, but you can take the first step by trying. Be patient with yourself. And at all times, never let patience slip off your head because the moment you master fast writing, you might become impatient.
Save time. Use time more productively. Do that while putting huge importance on quality. Learn fast writing.
