We all want to do what we set out to do at the highest quality standards and, at the same time, in the shortest possible time, so that we can then focus on other tasks or activities we have to carry out in a day. Unfortunately, we do not always manage to balance time consumption and quality, especially when it comes to creating texts and content for the website or blog we manage.
However, there are people who do it! How do they manage?!
First of all, we must take into account the fact that some people are more skilled at creating content; for them, everything seems to flow naturally, without putting in too much effort in this regard. The truth is that, besides these innate abilities, most bloggers already have a lot of experience behind them and have already learned how and what to write, how to organize themselves, how to divide their time, and when it is better to write and when to take care of other tasks.
These things can be learned, and here we will detail some of the simplest and easiest methods to apply in this regard.
1. Actual typing.
Although it may seem like a given, this aspect is very important, especially for those who have systematized their ideas and know what they want to say but do not do it fast enough. Normally, a person should be able to type 60 words per minute. Minimum. For a 2000-word article, typing at this speed would take about 30 minutes, without taking breaks and without "wasting time" with phrasing, corrections, revisiting the text, or editing. If we type slower, the actual time dedicated to writing increases exponentially, not to mention all the other aspects of drafting.
Thus, the first rule is to practice typing. The more we write, the faster we will learn to write without looking at the keyboard. It does not matter what we write; we can simply copy a text or narrate the movie we watched the night before. The important thing is to write a lot and correctly!
2. Idea list
One of the most problematic aspects of writing a blog article is identifying an idea: what should I write about today? How many times have you asked yourself this question? Probably every day or in 90% of cases, especially when you have to write for multiple blogs or deliver one article per day for the same blog. Sometimes we find the answer in 2 minutes; other times, it can take half an hour, and the saving idea may turn out not to be as good as we initially hoped or believed. That is why we must always have a backup plan: an idea list. Maybe on some days we feel full of inspiration and find more ideas than we can implement that day. Or maybe, starting from one idea, other possibilities arise. All these must be noted somewhere, making a clear list. Whether you note it in your desk planner, use an Excel table, or put it in a Cloud file, the list must not be missing.
Moreover, this list must be frequently updated. Whether you allocate an hour per week or per month (depending on the number of articles you need to produce) to find article topics, or you simply note all possibilities and then process and refine them, this activity and the list itself will become indispensable and will help you write faster and more effectively.
3. Get rid of everything that distracts you
While writing this article, I experienced all – or almost all – the situations that could distract me. Besides making you waste time, an interruption also causes a loss of concentration, the thread of the idea can break, and the resulting text may no longer have the same logic as the one it started from or was initially intended.
Such disturbances are everywhere, especially when we are in front of a computer. Whether it is checking email (because we are expecting or not an important email), a quick check of social networks, or checking site traffic, all these are sources of distraction and harm the writing process. If we work from home, the temptations are even greater, especially if we are not alone and others spend their free time as they wish. Not all can be eliminated, but a large part of them, those that depend on us, can be reduced.
#1: Work in a quiet space. If you are at the office, close the door and ask your colleagues not to disturb you when the door is closed unless it is an emergency. If you work from home, set up a room or bedroom with a desk area, close the door, and announce that you cannot be disturbed. The most drastic option is to go to the library. Libraries are, by definition, places where silence must be kept, so you will surely find your place.
#2: Turn off the music. We all like to listen to music; it relaxes us and makes us feel good. Studies conducted in 2012 revealed that light music with lyrics is a source of distraction and limits creativity, while classical and baroque music has a positive influence and is even recommended during cognitive activities. So, either turn off music completely while writing or opt for classical, lyric-free melodies to listen to quietly.
#3: Work offline. If you turn off the wireless signal on your computer, you certainly will not go online and will thus be able to focus on the article you have to finish.
#4: Finish all other tasks before you start writing. If you constantly think about what else you have to do and how important it is to finish everything that day, your concentration and desire to write will drop. It is better to solve all other urgent tasks and return to writing later.
4. Outline the article
Although for some it may seem like a waste of time, in reality, making a plan with the main ideas of the article saves you a lot of headaches and helps you organize the content, having clearly from the start what you want to say, in what logical order, and with what purpose. Every article must have an introduction, final conclusions, and the content must be divided into logical and functional paragraphs.
5. Research
Probably this should have been the first note in this article because the speed at which we write and the quality of the article depend on proper research. Ideally, we choose a topic that is familiar to us and that we master. It is true that we cannot be experts in everything or from the start, but we should not write about something just because it looks good and because our readers will be impressed or interested. First, we research thoroughly, inform ourselves, and only then start writing. The less we master the topic or field, the longer it will take to develop a coherent, correct, and quality text.
The solution is to start informing and researching before you begin writing a text. After you fully understand the issue, after you have noted all the data you need and created the structure, only then can you actually start writing. This way, you gain time, information, and maintain the quality of your writing.
6. Write, then edit
Due to lack of time, most try to edit the text as they create it, which is very tiring and, moreover, counterproductive. Our mind is set to actually write, to create and put thoughts and sentences in order. If we try to go back to the previous paragraph and reread it, correct it, and reformulate a phrase, the brain is challenged because it has to disconnect from what it was doing and switch to something new and different. Concentration is lost, and neither of the two tasks will be done optimally. That is why it is better to finish writing, take a break – preferably until the next day – and edit later. This way, it is much easier to spot both expression errors and spelling and punctuation mistakes (which happen to everyone!).
To be continued… in the next article!
