Do you have trouble speeding up your writing? Do you waste hours staring at your screen before finishing off your day without achieving anything considerable? Before you let the inner critic murder your writing instincts, let’s look at some facts. It takes about 3 hours to write 1500 words. Besides being fast, writing is also about quality, not just beating the clock. Is it possible to be both efficient and fast at writing at the same time? Yes! Relax. It’s not a Herculean task to write fast.
Surely you have heard writing gurus say that the secret to ever-flowing and fast writing is to sit down and write. Simple. You think it’s that easy, but the moment you try, something odd happens.
Either research takes an eternity, or social media bugs you halfway, and soon you’ve lost the will.
What is it that makes you a slow burner?
Are you missing the trick here?
Yes. It’s a habit. A writing habit?
You wake up with a smorgasbord of words every single day and crank out draft after draft in no time. It would be so much fun to write this way, wouldn’t it?
But why should you develop this habit? It not only allows your writing process to be faster but also enables you to write more efficiently. This also means that you can complete anything you write quickly – sales pitches, blog posts, social media updates, you name it!
It’s time you pulled off those 1000 words in under an hour. With the following tactics, I’m confident you can finish the draft within the time limit.
Table of Contents - Quick Look At What's Inside
15 Tips To Help You Write Faster As A Content Writer
Use these proven tricks to improve your speed and efficiency while writing content for your clients or even for your own business.
Tip #1 To Write Faster – Write Everyday Like It’s A Choice
Are you writing for the sake of finishing your assignment, blog post, sales pitch, or the first chapter of your book?
It’s important to distinguish between need and want.
A “need to write” implies it is more of a duty, and it feels more like bleeding words out. The “want to write” implies that you have the choice of picking up a pen, a phone, or a computer. Every day, you wake up with a purpose, not a task. The difference is enormous.This post is sponsored by our partners Wigs
Create this purpose, and you’ll notice your writing muscles growing stronger with each passing day. It’s better to write every day with a purpose than to stare at the blank screen waiting for ideas to pile up. Once you feel it’s a choice, you’ll sit every day with conviction. This will make you quicker at connecting the plot, forming new ideas, and improvising your natural style.
Tip #2 To Write Faster- Give Yourself A Writing Prompt Or Topic To Write
It could be anything, your old poetry, blog posts, scheduled blog posts, or even a simple diary entry. People generally feel they’ve hit the dreaded writer’s block once they’re out of ideas or have one too many options. So deciding on a topic beforehand avoids zoning out.
Everyone has a specific area of interest. Depending on your knowledge about the topic, you’ll need to sift through Google search results to gather data and find essential information. If you have even a slight hint about the subject, you can simply start off writing. The key is to form a general idea about the topic at hand. Selecting a topic helps you ideate in a particular direction.
Now it’s time for you to create an outline.
Tip #3 To Write Faster – Create An Outline : Outlines Are A Must!
Using an outline can save you a lot of time. It’s like seeing the finish line before you start. When you know where you have to go, you’ll push harder to get there. It takes some effort to create a well-structured outline.
During the writing process, you have to make sure you do not stop. Take 10-15 minutes of your time to jot down key subheadings about the topic. This breaks off your topic into small chunks and makes your task manageable.
The last thing you want to do is spend grueling hours searching over and over again. What a challenge, huh?
The use of an outline will always save you from having to do excessive research, no matter whether you are working on a marathon project or a 1500-word blog post. A minute of outlining saves you heaps of minutes later.
Tip #4 To Write Faster- Aim To Get Things Done : B-minus Work Is Good Enough
The more you value perfection, the slower you get while writing. It may seem counterintuitive to you, but it’s true. If you want your reader to read through your article, you must value Hemingway’s method of Writing Drunk, Editing Sober.
There is no point in looking for the perfect word or metaphors in the middle of writing. A better outcome can be achieved by simply getting the words down on paper. Your writing doesn’t have to be all hunky-dory in one go. Once you’re done, you can rewind and go back to make the necessary edits and execute the article to perfection. But for now, focus on writing.
Tip #5 To Write Quicker – Timeboxing Helps A Lot
Timeboxing is a method where you allow yourself a certain amount of time to get done with the task. A simple way to timebox your work process is by using a timer. Not only can you track your progress as you get new projects on the way, but you’re less likely to procrastinate.
You see the time ticking away, and that gets you more aware. It helps you maximize the output.
How long should you go on?
Take a 5-minute break after every 25 minutes of dedicated work. It’s an excellent way to regulate the energy level and stay focussed while writing. This is called Pomodoro Technique.
You might think, why should I stop if I am in a good flow. But stopping helps you refresh and come back stronger every time. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at this technique and meet tighter deadlines efficiently. Trust me, the feeling you get when you meet those deadlines is unbeatable. It makes the writing so much more enjoyable.
Tip #6 To Write Quicker – Use The “Placeholder Technique”
You don’t want to go down a rabbit hole while you’re in a flow. Sometimes when you miss a piece of information, you’ll be tempted to look it up. A few moments later, you’ll realize you’re still searching. As a result, we over-research.
To get rid of this contagious habit, write down ‘TK’ (an old journalist’s jargon) for “to come”. It means after you’re done with the draft, you can do the necessary research to fill in the blanks.
Here’s a surprise for you!
By the time you’ll complete the draft and look back, you’ll realize you have very little to fill in. So, the next time you’re scouting for facts online or checking up on your bookmarks, use placeholders and move on!
Tip #7 To Write Faster – Hold Off On Grammarly And Spell Checkers
Switching off Grammarly, as well as other spell checkers, will save you time. Run them once you’re finished writing because when you pause to take a look at the typos or grammatical errors, the flow breaks. If you put emphasis on getting the tasks done in chunks, you get your way cleared out quickly.
First drafts are not meant to be perfect but to get the job done. You have a separate task cut out for proofreading, editing, fact checks, and filling up the missing links waiting for you once your draft is done. You don’t have to worry about clearing out the pesky red lines on your word document. The moment you pause to correct, you’ve lost the flow. So, cut this distraction.
Tip #8 To Write Blazing Fast – Use Speech-to-text When Writing
There will be a time where technology will magically compose any message we think, but it’s not today! Developing the capability where we can speak words onto a page has been a long journey. But we’re finally there. Google docs has this notable diction feature built right in. Here’s how you can use it:
How To Use Google Docs Built-In Speech To Text To Write Faster
Step 1 – Open new doc
Step 2 – Click on Tools and select Voice Typing. Alternatively, press Control + Shift + S
Step 3 – Tap the microphone icon that appears on the left and start speaking.
Voice typing can help you get the writing done a lot quicker. Do note – you must also speak clearly and loudly. It’s also an excellent way to improve verbal communication skills.
Tip #9 To Write Faster – Take Part In Writing Sprints
The goal of writing sprint or rapid fires is to write on a particular prompt as fast as you can. Time limits can vary from 10-20 minutes. No edits or research is required.
Twitter, Reddit, and other microblogging platforms frequently organize writing sprints for the writing community. These little tactics can help you develop your ideation. The faster you can think about new, random concepts, the better you can get at writing them down.
Tip #10 To Write Faster – Play Typing Games In Your Free Time
There are fun online games that help you test your typing speed. Think of typing speed as the engine between your brain and the article. The more you oil your engine through these games, the faster you’ll be able to type.
Typing tests provide instant results so you can analyze the speed. When you master the skill to type fast, you’ll reach the desired word count in a flash. If you’re a slow typist, it’s time to learn how to use your fingers more efficiently. Always keep your eyes on the screen and not the keyboard. This will help you develop instinctive typing where you know the key positions by heart. Check out Typing Test or Key Hero, or if you’re a smartphone user, try Typing Master or Typing Test Aalto.
Tip #11 To Write Faster – Commit To The Process
Writing is more like a ritual. If you don’t have a commitment to the process, the finished product will always come out flawed. You won’t be satisfied even after hours of research and writing content.
Do you know how you will develop that type of commitment?
Through exercise. Exercising doesn’t just mean hitting the gym every day and burning yourself. It means setting a purpose every day before going to bed. In other words, you need to know what you’re going to do the next day and what time you’re going to begin.
Make sure you don’t overextend yourself. Keep it realistic to as low as 250 words per day for beginners. Track your progress every day so that you can slowly increase your limit. There’s a psychological advantage to raising the bars every day. It might sound stupid, but when you stand up to the commitment, you start feeling authoritative.
Always try to give yourself small targets like writing 500 words in the next 30 minutes or finish the sales pitch in the next one hour. A healthy habit must involve commitment. Initially, you’ll feel the stress, but with practice, you’ll blend with your new process.
Tip #12 To Write Quicker – Sit Right, Then Write!
Maintaining a good posture is key to avoiding any fatigue or cramping. Sit with a straight back and keep your elbows perpendicular to the writing desk while correctly positioning your fingers on the keyboard.
You can use standing desks as well. Standing desks have a quality of life benefits. This will not only make you energetic but also make you an efficient typist.
Tip#13 To Write Faster – Don’t Get Trapped By Your Editorial Calendar.
If you want to have control over what you write, don’t follow the editorial calendar. Sometimes ideas don’t hit you right away, and you might end up brooding over the topic for long. In this case, you need a fresh perspective, a new beginning. When you look over the editorial calendar, some ideas are bound to strike you immediately. Inspire yourself. Simply open a new document and start writing. You’ll see words spill out of you faster than ever.
This is more of an intuitive approach where the subject line intrigues you. So follow your intuition if you’re stuck on pace or ideas. A slight change of track can have a profound impact on your writing.
But keep in mind that you come back to the previous article and rectify the problems. You’ll be surprised at the tiny errors and how quickly you’re able to rectify all of them.
Tip#14 To Write Faster – Get Someone To Lift You Up!
When writer’s block hits, you need a friend who can help you with new ideas and lift you up. You will always be on your toes when they are around. Encouragement can sometimes be just what the doctor ordered. You can rekindle lost inspiration with it.
Tip#15 To Write Faster – Find Your Best Time
When you are writing, it is important to consider your timing. Set a benchmark and work within those hours without distractions.
You could be an early bird or a 3 AM maniac whose creative juices flow the best in the wee hours. Finding your best time to write requires experimentation. It is important to try different timings and finally determine what works for you.
So there you have it!
It takes time to develop these habits, but you can try them all out right now. There is a very high probability that you will boost your speed many times over. Put these 15 tactics to the test in your next blog post or sales pitch. What took you days will now take a few hours to write. Your writing speed will increase substantially once you make this change.
Don’t forget to check out exercises to be a better writer and let us know if you have tried these tricks yet? Let us know how far you have come in the comments below.
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