Believe it or not, it only takes me 20 minutes to write a 400-500 word article. This article (which I wrote in 20 minutes) explains some of the tricks I use to accomplish this.
Blogging gives me a daily deadline, and I don’t really want to spend more than 20 minutes each day on blogging. Many of my blog entries are actually less than 500 words so take me less time.
Taking up blogging got me to start thinking seriously about writing quickly, and you may be facing a blogging time-crunch as well. So here are my 8 tips for writing an article in 20 minutes or less.
- I start with a list of ideas and concepts I want to cover. Usually I write this list in point form. For me, I do this the old fashioned way, with a pen and paper.
- I often “incubate” an article for a few days (this does not count in the 20 minutes). What I do is start roughing out some topic ideas then leave it. Because I have thought about it, ideas tend to come to me that I frequently add to my points. Of course I always carry a notebook for ideas.
- I often need to reduce the number of ideas that I cover. Sometimes they do not fit with the angle of the article or do not flow with the other ideas. Sometimes I have to give up a point to write a good article.
- Never save a good idea. When I know I have many article deadlines to meet, it is tempting to “save” a few good ideas for later. New ideas will always come so always give your best ideas.
- Develop tricks to get past writers block. One way I do this is ”warm up” writing. I just sit down and write for 5 minutes. This tends to help subsequent writing to flow. Another way I do this is to go for a walk, cycle or a run (although sometimes I think I might use this to procrastinate a bit too). Another trick I use is to make a game out of the deadline – say I will do it by X o’ clock. Perhaps I am simple but this motivates me.
- Come back to it later. My best articles are written partly, revisited a few times, then finished. I spend the same 20 minutes, though only 5-7 minutes per session. Of course if the ideas are flowing well, I do keep writing.
- I often write 3-4 articles at the same time. Spending 5 minutes on one, 7 on another etc. When I am really in writing flow, this works well.
- One trick is using bullet points or numbered points as in this article. People seem to like this technique and it helps articles flow for me.
So if I can write so quickly, why don’t I write a few articles each day? Apart from the fact that I have a very full time job, writing is the easy part; coming up with the ideas is the tough part.
Ideas anyone?
About the Author: Jim Estill is the CEO of Canadian computer product company SYNNEX and the author of the Time Leadership blog and book.
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This is superb. Simple & It hit me hard… Keeping life simple yet meeting deadlines are best ways to avoid procrastination.
Writing doesn’t usually take too much time, but the proofreading is what requires an immense amount of revision and fine-tuning. Fortunately (or unfortunately), I have a dedicated readership who are all too glad to correct grammatical and spelling mistakes in the comments
Thanks for the great tips. I need to work on the time I take to write a post.
Jim,
I do something very similar to this. I have written 770 articles since March of ‘07 by using these methods. Every morning I look at my notes from the evening before and turn them into articles. I also keep a notebook with me at all times and have one in my car as well. It can be done!
Connie Ragen Green
I agree whole heartedly that the writing comes quickly when the inspired ideas are there. I also have a full time job apart from my blog, and actually, I blog as a part of my paying gig that’s already writing-heavy, so it can be a challenge.
I think it’s important to interject cretivity into the process and also just be observant. Some of my best ideas are born out of metahpors within my own life or experiences. Mowing the lawn, watching a friend’s kid, things that don’t have anything to do with my topic, which is thrilling, really.
Articles written in a short amount of time are often better than well-researched ones because they come across more original and with more real language.
I do this all the time. It’s really not that hard to do. Good article and love that they are short and sweet.
Wow on the 770 articles.
Thanks for the comments.
My wife always wonders how I can go back and forth between topics. Writing about my kids, then gymnastics, then what is going on in my own head. I thought I was the only one who did this.
Thanks for the great post. I will have to try the game of “have it done by…” sometime this weekend.
writing several articles about a topic permits me to utilize the research and speeds the development of each article. Frequently one feeds others.
Getting started is always the most difficult part. Once I’m on a roll, I should write day and night. But, you know how that goes.
I am ADD…I keep a kitchen timer with me and set myself a goal to get a certain number of tasks done before the bell rings…usually for 20 minutes. I have the little wind-up ones and keep them in multiple places around the house.
I agree with the last point of advice…I have found that using bullet points really helps me to figure out what to say by making it easier to see what looks good and what doesn’t. Maybe it’s an organizational or structural thing- but it works wonders!
Hmmm….Very interesting
You see, I could give you ideas, but I need them for my blog!
Aside from anything else, point number 4 is excellent advice (it’s all good, I’m just focusing on that one). Don’t hold back your good stuff. Give it when it comes because there’s always more to come.
Blogger’s best friend: Clarefontaine notebooks. Unlike spiral pocket-size notebooks, you can carry these in a hip pocket for years and they won’t fall apart – and the texture is great. Marvelous tool. Best, they’re exactly the right size to slip 3×5 cards inside the cover.
Oops – that’s “Clairefontaine.”
You had perfect timing with this article. I was struggling with this very thing yesterday. I’ve been working in PR for many years, mostly writing the last few, and I can whip up a press release in 15 minutes if necessary. When it comes to writing for my blog, though, it’s taking me half a day. I have a bad habit of underestimating transitions. Blog writing is different from the more formal writing of PR/marketing materials and I’m trying to get used to writing in a more conversational tone.
Oh, this is probably really geeky, but I carry around a digital recorder so when I think of an idea I won’t forget it. It also allows me to start writing if I think of a great title or opening line and I can work through it out loud instead of struggling with a pen and paper.
The writing isn’t what takes up time for me, or coming up with ideas. Proofreading and editing are time consuming, looking up links (to my own posts or to other sites), and then finding the right image for my posts. But 20 minute definitely sounds like a timeframe to shoot for.
Thank you for the great tips! I’ve been blogging for almost a year, and I can see how this strategy will really help me write better quality articles faster.
Great tips. I can’t say I have ever tried writing several articles at once, but I have definitely done the incubator. It works great, especially when I feel I might not have enough ideas for the post. Just write a few, tuck it away and think about it subconsciously.
Very good article! I liked it because:
1 – It was clear
2 – It was concise
3 – It was relevant to my needs
In summary, I have used your techniques to become a better comment writer. Notice how thoughtful and informative my comment is.
About the author: John Pash is a veteran blogger with over one dozen posts on his website. In his spare time he likes to spread his unique brand of humo(u)r by commenting on other people’s blogs. John is not and will never be CEO of anything, unless you consider a blog to be a company. In that case, John is CEO, CFO, head of IT and the guy who makes the coffee in the morning.
Love the tips! I must agree with you about the ideas, not the writing…takes so long for me to write an article due to putting ideas together to write a brilliant piece!
Great information! I’m definitely adding this to my toolbox.
Kudos for the title.
20 minutes? That’s a really short amount of time and I am unsure I’ve ever pulled that off. Nevertheless, lots of good tips in this article.
I utilize many of them.
great tips, I use some of them too, I also carry the notebook to jot down ideas. I forget ideas from one end of the house to the other so I have to!
@ Shae, I also have a mini recorder, and yes I feel geeky sometimes. Especially in public – grocery store or the like, but I don’t care if I look geeky, I just chuckle and do it anyway. Usually embarrassing whoever is with me (the best part).
In my experience, articles written off the cuff (or in 20 mins) don’t get many natural links. The articles that I’ve written that were the most popular were also the ones that took the longest to write and rewrite.
I’ve never had a 20 min article get to the front page of Digg or the Top of del.icio.us. Not naturally, anyway
A really short time for a good article! Which means that the preparation matters a lot…
Thank you for this article, I just started writing my own blog and this is so incredibly helpful.
Good tips – it’s all too easy to spend way too long writing a post.
One writing tip that I’d add (though it may lead to violation of the 20 minute rule) is to let the post morph into something different if you find a more interesting angle. I’ve had some great posts grow out of topics that were originally quite different. To keep the time down, when I see that I need to redirect the post I’ll jot down the key points and, as Jim suggests, I’ll let the new concept incubate until the next day.
Roger
I end up composing many of my articles on the move — especially if I’m running or showering or the like. But I don’t think I can have two or three articles going at the same time and do five minutes on each. I like to think in terms of “writing blocks,” giving myself a solid, undisturbed block of time to crank something out from beginning to end. My projects are frequently so diverse that I have to take what I call a “think around the block” to switch from a pediatrician’s website to a technology company’s white paper.
Still, great tips. Thanks for being such a helpful resource for us all.
Picasso used to draw a taurus in five seconds charging a thousand dollars for the job. The Problem is, he worked 40 years to perform such a task
Writing an article in 20 minutes is no big deal, editing it in 20 minutes is another story altogether.
I find #6 particularly helpful. I’ve usually got a few posts simmering away. First I knock out some subheads, then I fill them in as I can. I often tell myself I’ll just do one section, then end up writing the whole thing.
I usually don’t post the same day I draft, I’ll let it sit overnight and then do at least one edit. Like WDOC, editing takes me quite awhile.
Writing articles does take practice but the nice thing about it is the more you write, the better you get.
But you’re right, getting ideas is probably the toughest part, then it’s the proofing.
I like to keep note pads laying around my house (including my nightstand) and jot down things as they come to mind. It’s funny, most of my best ideas come in the middle of the night, …hmmm kinda weird.
Great article – simple and to the point. Love the ideas!
I’m a huge fan of #7. Whenever I feel like I’m “in the zone,” so to speak, I like to carry that momentum and work on as much as I can while I can.
20 minutes per 400~500 words?! I bet the proofreading is not yet included. As your 2nd commentator mentioned, it is the checking that takes an article to finished.
I must admit, I am spending around 2~3 hrs for the same number of words and maybe another 15 minutes while I read it again after posting.
But I am really impressed on how you make different articles simultaneously, as I might be loosing focus if I will be in your shoes.
Those are great advice. The problem I think a lot of people face is what to write, not the writing itself. I also take about 20 minutes once I know what to write.
That was a problem when I first got started but I’ve since tackled the problem using some tactics I shared on my blog.
> coming up with the ideas is the tough part. Ideas anyone?
Yes. Carry a yellow sticky pad with you in the car, to the movies, wherever. You have more ah-ha moments than you’re remembering. You just need to free up your brain.
To give you an idea of what’s possible, when I first started, at the end of the week, I would have about 10 good ideas (write one idea per sticky post). However, the more I dumped my brain, the more I freed it up for more. I go through a couple of full sticky pads per week now. Now, I use Dragon Speak to put the ideas into Word docs at the end of the week.
Also, here’s a few keys:
1. Edison used personal invention quotas – http://sourcesofinsight.com/2008/01/07/personal-invention-quotas/
2. The book THINKERTOYS exposes Disney’s imagineering techniques – http://sourcesofinsight.com/2008/05/05/thinkertoys-book-nuggets/
Thanks for these Great Tips, definitely hits the mark.
I keep trying and failing to complete a post in 30 mins.
I like the idea of coming back to the article over time.
I’m using the timer on my cell phone to help me keep to schedule with my blog writing.
I also use its recorder for taking notes that pop into my head when I’m out and about and sometimes when I wake up in the night with a ‘great’ idea. How sad is that.
very very helpful article! thanks! Really a PRO!
I can sometimes whip out an article in 20 minutes, if I don’t get interrupted!
When I have a topic that is difficult for me, I start with a title, then write as many separate sentences as I can, quickly getting the facts on the page. Then I rearrange what I have into paragraphs, add an opening, closing, and a few transition sentences…. then see what I have. Often, I have exactly what I need to send to a client!
Getting ideas IS another story. Brainstorming with other bloggers works best for me when I am stuck.
Sometimes I ask someone who does not blog what they think about “X subject”. That type of conversation often triggers at least one or two points I can use as a starting block.
i really relate to the third point – dropping ideas.
I have a post in mind and but i like to keep my posts short.
It’s a challenge but being succinct and focused on only a couple of main points makes for better posts.
Some interesting ideas Jim, i`ve just launched a blog at http://www.adelto.co.uk/blog (take a look and let me know your thoughts) the problem i am having is finding the stories to begin with. since we write about contemporary living (architecture, interior design, products etc) and also good descriptive pictures. The writing part is the easiest!!
Have a good weekend
Richard
Interesting read, for a number of reasons:
I found a confusing use of English grammar in the first paragraph, (”Many of my blog entries are actually less than 500 words so take me less time”) perhaps confirming that you wrote this in 20 minutes or less
I relished your use of techniques discussed in this very blog about headlines. The article is ‘churned out’ in 20 minutes, but it is an ‘attitude’ of writing that actually gets a good piece of writing (like this one) out in print. And that attitude can not be quantified in any number of minutes, now can it?
I also found this article of great use because I can plug in a
relevantlink to my post about writing good blog posts right about now blogging made easy, I promiseAll in all, a great post. Thanks
I write a lot of software reviews. To get acquainted with really good software I need at least one to two hours! An example:
http://blogorama.eisbrecher.net/2008/09/04/businesscards-mx-heute-zum-halben-preis/
Do you count this solid preparation too? Can’t imagine that you can do it faster.
nice article. must needed for a lazy blogger like me.
Ha! It’s not the writing that takes time: it’s the flippin’ formatting problems on Blogger that take ages to sort out. How I wish posting something only took 20mins!
These are certainly good tips.
My problem is that I procrastinate far too much for keeping to this routine for long. Any tips on how to beat procrastination ? I guess not… the subject is too personal and too complex. W
I’m all over the place when it comes to writing. I keep notes and I keep adding to them till I have something that resembles an article. Then I put it into word and clean it up. It usually takes me less than a half hour when it gets to this point. I know this sounds kind of crazy but I actually get even more idea’s for articles this way.
Best regards,
ChrisS
I like Brian’s advice about only writing (and posting) when you have something to say.
I think an excellent idea for a post or better yet a GROUP post would be for us to brainstorm ways to come up with article ideas.
Maybe you should take the lead and in the end make a post with links to our articles with ideas on how to create blog post ideas.
I’m game…. anyone else?
Great post. I love articles that have 8 tips or 5 ways or 9 methods. Easy to read, easy to write
I never thought that much about my process for writing. But 20 minutes is a small pittance of the time it takes me to produce a post so I’m envious. I’m often guilty of creating two posts in one, which I guess, makes me the Queen of editing.
I’m struggled for over 3 months to write for my blog after the first post. At last when I started to write on morning, I completed the post in half an hour. but the editing took me a quite a while. Each time I look at it, I want to change it. At last I posted it in my blog. what matters I believe your confidence and conviction to say what you thought right in your own way.
Copyblogger inspired me a lot! thanks!
I usually write my posts while I’m on the bus or train – about 20 minutes. But as Chris F says, it’s the editing and proofing that takes up a whole lot more time.
Interested in the start point of 20 minutes. George Bernard Shaw is reputed to have written to a friend with a note saying “sorry it is such a long letter I did not have time to write a short one”.
The quality versus quantity versus input time is such a personal judgement that the key question for me is “will 20 minutes do justice to this topic and this readership?” then make the call.
All your tips are really valid when that judgement has been made.
Nice outline of the process. I always wanted to know how to write a good enough content without spending to much time with it. My usual takes 1 1/2 to 2 hours including quick research which is quite a lot.
Good stuff …. I’m just launching my webcomic’s blog and was already getting a little writer’s/blogger’s block. This helped clear my head.
Thanks.
Itch
The advise given here would be useful for sure.
Since there are quite a few bloggers here who are prolific I wanted to know how much time on an average do you spend to write a post? Honestly, for me 20 minutes seems too less a time to write a post. I end up spending an hour usually and it is the images, tags, slug, trackbacks and links which take the most time.
Any advise would be helpful. Thanks in advance.
Thank you for this post. I have so much trouble writing material for my website, http://www.garbarrassing.com. So instead of writing them myself. I started to find friends who wanted to post their stories and tales on my site. A few hundred people visit my site a day so convincing my friends that their posts would be seen was easy. I also love to help people out, so if you have any questions about anything, or need some advice, you can follow me @Garbarrassing on Twitter.
Aren’t we all looking for ways to improve our time management and this his is a great way to really shorten the time for writing great articles.
Congratulations for that insight
Have fun and success
Yani
good one
thanks a lot
will try to follow this now onwards
thanks for this wonderful piece. As you have said, the path to good writing is by writing. It is always amazing how much one can do taking this step.
Blogging can indeed be quick when one is writing for one’s own blog, especially when so inspired. This being written, it’s been my experience that writing for a client, especially multiple clients across various industries, takes more than 20 minutes. It may even be in the best interests to take more than 20 minutes to write a blog article for someone else. Do you have any tips for “agency” type blog writing?
Nice to read your tricks….its really hard for me to do the all practices ….. i always confused when writing some type of article, most of time my attention goes to multiple direction, i mean if i am writing an article on mobile technology, so at that time also thinking some thing about how to interrelate other things with it….ok any way really nice post i try to be like you…thanks
Thanks for the suggestions! I actually often write my articles in short sessions (I usually don’t hit publish right away, but that is to make sure it reads well an hour later!) and I sometimes worry that I write them “too quickly” but I definitely am always on a clock and don’t want to spend hours on each article. Take care!
This is truly an insightful post. This post gave me the idea on how to over come writers block. Most of the time i wonder on how to get started on writing an article for my blogs. Usually i writes articles on a single sit. The tips provided above especially the incubation factor found to be an interesting one.
http://www.simplewayoflife.net
Wonderful post! You were tips were really good. I need to speed up as I have heard of many people saying they write an article in less than 20 minutes.
I am not a great writer and I learned a lot from your post as I plan to start writing articles and blogs in the future.
I especially liked the part about warm up writing, makes a lot of sense.
This is great. For me it’s really hard to get most of my articles completed even within an hour, may be since I’m writing more articles on computer programming.
Heck, that’s really fast!
My personal philosophy on this is drawn from Nick Lowe, musician and former record producer, who was (and I guess still is) called “Basher” as a nickname because his creative philosophy was “bash it out now, tart it up later.” (In other words, just get something out quickly, then fix it so that it’s actually, you know, good.)
I find this works pretty well. The “bashing it out” can take twenty minutes for, say, a 500 word piece. The “tarting it up” is a whole ‘nother story. Don’t know how anyone can do it, but hats off to those who can.
I find the whole list style blog post a bit over done. I agree that great posts (for me personally) start with a bulleted list but I find it much more enjoyable to consume when the post is a flowing thought vs. chopped up, ordered list. Here’s why:
1. No thought
2. Over used
3. haha, just kidding.
Great post! Check out my blog at http://ryanagraves.com
Great advice! I write weekly articles and feel like I’m spending way more time on them than I should…and I am! Thanks for the tips, I’m going to give ‘em a try right now!
With this advice you promote a Quick & Dirty attitude to blogging. It took me a whole day to write “WordPress BackStage”
http://blogorama.eisbrecher.net/2008/09/12/wordpress-backstage/
and it’s still not finished. I intend to “finish” (in the web nothing is ever finished) it on sunday evening.
Why do I take this much time for an article? Because a good article needs it. Content is King! The article, not the clock tells you when it is well done.
For example: When you’re in bed with a fine woman you love: you finish this also in 20 minutes?
Impressive. I currently write 500 words at about 40 to 50 minutes total but 20 is definitely one goal I’d love to shoot for. Thanks for sharing how you do it!
Thanks for a great post. Very inspiring and I can’t wait to put your suggestions to the test!
For those of you who commented that you keep a pad with you, voice recorder, sticky notes, etc., I’d like to suggest a Blackberry. With a BB, you can do all of the above and more without carrying all of the extra equipment. Just a thought.
Thanks for a great post. Very inspiring and I can’t wait to put your suggestions to the test!
Great Post.I’m going to give ‘em a try right now!
Regards,
Novina Ravi
http://novinaravi.blogspot.com
Nice list. Want to earn from google and you don’t know how to make website visit http://quality-website.blogspot.com
I love it! Great article! I read every word and still want more!
suggestion?
How about write what you like, with a full of passion?
Regards, blogged from Indonesia.
Great Tips! Will definitely try when I’m writing
Thanks a ton
Hi! Great Post Jim!
The whole article is wonderful and very helpful, but the most I like is #8.
Well good work done! keep it up!
Excellent post, I find this to be true with me and my writing, I also just sit down sometimes and write what ever the heck flows from my fingers, takes me 10 minutes to write 400 words then I come back in 1 hour and edit the errors for another 15 minutes and post
Firstly, thank you for all tips Jim.
When it comes to incubation I suppose you’ve considered it as a matter of time in order to come up with fresh mind productions. But I did not get you well when you said about sorting out your ideas, about reducing them to the smaller number. I’d like to learn how you’ve been managing to filter your ideas. I am not experienced in writing articles, but I would like to learn much and with your tips I have partly accomplished it.
Number 4 (”Never Save a Good Idea”) looks sensible, but I wonder how hard it is to really let go! I think I’ll stick with the security of a notebook for ideas, for now.
Thanks for the great tips.
Thanks for the tips. I find that reading bulleted information online helps me to get to the point quickly and I especially love it when bulleted topics link to longer treatments, when applicable.
I am new to blogging and need lots of help. Love this site and plan to visit often!
Question: Does anyone know where I can find a class or blog on tightening up your writing?
I tend to talk too much, even when I write…lol!
Brevity…any classes on this?
Why some folks have told me that blogging may be just the thing for me.
Excellent, I have to agree with Michael, more goods will always come so don’t hold back, simply deliver it hot off the press!
Remember people, tips like this help get us going in the right direction, the aim is to be efficient at what ever it is you’re doing, in this case it is writing a blog post. Blog writing isn’t always an easy as we like to think it is. Thanks for sharing!
- Mig
Twenty minutes is about right to bang out a quality post. My problem is the flow of ideas. When I’m writing, I tend to come up with 10 other ideas for posts and articles and have to fight to keep my focus on the task at hand. I sometimes go from one post to the next without realizing just how much time I’ve been spending writing instead of concentrating on my real work that pays the bills!
The thing is this 20 minutes is only for writing your first draft. But there’s lot more things to do after the first draft. Proofreading is one of them that is not mentioned here that takes a bit time.
But overall the post is a good post for the people who want’s to write articles daily.
All great ideas. I also like to carry a notebook especially when out riding in the car it seems I always think of something that I want to jot down. I think my best thinking comes when driving.
Very useful post, huh for me good article creation sometimes take all day, but I enjoy what I do and at first must grow to the knowledge level when really You can teach something.
Until that, I think it’s pretty hard. Would be great to hear why I’m not true. I hope I’m not at least
Wow… 20 minutes is damn impressive!
Just for fun, here are ideas for a blog to bloggers about blogging:
1. Know and Write About Your Readers (People like to read and learn about themselves)
2. The Power and Persuasion of Sincerity
3. Ghost In Your Computer? (Dealing with your PC’s artificial attitude)
Writing in twenty minutes? Inspiring idea!
Thank you for the read.
Deadlines are always good inspirations, specially when you are writing somethings, these tips are really useful specially the notebook carrying point as ideas keep striking and if we don’t note them at the same moment they can vanish. This is something i have been doing for some time but after reading here i felt good that other people also follow this.
Exquisite writing, how luck I am to have found another word smithy that entertains and informs.
Thank You
Michael
I liked the idea of carrying pen and paper. It’s still a very quick and enjoyable way of jutting things down.
Your method is helpful for developing several different ideas when they flow in themselves. Cool … I still think about the 20-minutes …
Although the act of writing may take 20 minutes, it’s still interesting to see all the background incubation that goes into writing an article – which is why, as freelance writers, we charge an hourly rate.
The common argument from cynics is that anyone can write so why should I pay, but as you can see from the steps above in this post, writing is a process and if you want good writing you need to invest in it.
Similar to a photographer always carrying a camera with them – carrying a notebook, digital voice recorder, PDA, etc, to keep track of ideas is essential.
Very well written. It is a good guide for aspiring article writers or just to anybody. With your helpful tips, it makes article writing more fun. Thanks.
This is one of the main reasons I keep coming back to Copyblogger, so I can be encouraged to keep writing every day.
I don’t write as fast as the author of this post but am a lot faster than I used to be.
I really liked the suggestion of using your ideas as you are writing rather than trying to save them. This will help me tremendously because i am constantly coming up with thing as I am creating my articles that I think I should put in a different article.
Thanks for a great post!
But HOW do you monetize your blog and track the results? I like to write, but it gets daunting writing all the time and not seeing a dime!
thanks for your advice,
Chris@LetsGoBanners.com
I find I can write much more quickly when I’m writing an article on something I know about. If I have to research first it takes longer – I’m not referring to research time, just the time taken to reread research notes.
So, your 20 minutes in fact is much more than 20 minutes.
I understand that you used “20 minutes” only to get readers attention. Anyway, it does not matter if it take you 20 or 200 minutes to write an article.
What really matter is that all your articles are really good.
I find #4 particularly important. As a creative writer (poet) who has written daily for a long time I can wholly agree that the ideas will come effortlessly when you’re in the zone. So don’t worry about anything except getting started (the warm up idea is great too) and then capturing the stuff that is delivered.
Jim … good ideas. In addition to your ideas of “batching” your articles, or writing several at one time, I find that writing article series helps a lot. I sometimes come up with a list of related or serial ideas that I want to cover. Most of the time I have more content than will fit in one article, so I end up writing a series of articles, which sometimes covers beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Other times it goes part 1, part 2, and part 3.
More recently I’ve started taking pictures as I run around town and using the pictures as ideas or jumping off points for my blog posts. For instance, I just snapped a photo of the adult diaper aisle at the store, and used the concept of “embarrassment” as the key theme in a blog post about helping new people in MLM get past their embarrassment of prospecting. I snapped another pic of a local business person who is really successful, even in this recession, and used him as a topic in another blog post. Right now, photos are keeping things interesting for me, sparking ideas. When that runs dry, I’m sure I’ll find another way to keep things interesting. When I’m interested, the writing just flows, and blog posts to come out in 20 minutes or so.
And, as always, practice, practice, practice. Writing 10 blog posts a week kind helps with that! The Hemingway approach. Cheers, Stephanie
Well Brian, I’ve never managed to write a complete article without spending of about 20 to 30 minutes of research unless I’m particularly obsessed with the topic.
And I found that it’s a lot easier to write when I have had enough sleep
I have hundreds of topics ready to go, but often I work on one at a time. It takes me HOURS to get a whitepaper finished. Maybe I’ll try this method for a while…
Have a look at the free whitepapers, and let me know if they are doing the job well….
This is a great article, and I’m of the opinion that everyone should make a point to write fast. I wrote a book about it several years ago called Writing FAST: How to Write Anything with Lightning Speed which looks at some of the ideas in this article and systematizes the process.
Writing an article in 20 minutes is only half of the equation. The other half is to make sure it reads fast, too.
thanks for all the comments (including the challenging ones because I believe in some of them)
Jim
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this subject. Very helpful.
How to come up with New Idea for articles ???
1. Find a (need) problem faced by a targeted market
2. Do a research on the issue at hand
3. Provide a solution by writing a post
Everyone loves a solution provider. I think we just need to find some issues , fix it and share with the readers in an entertaining way. In simple terms, find a need and fill it. Cheers
I usually work the same way, but i didn’t realize that i work systematically.
I really admire your self-discipline, because I realise that writing blog posts in a fast and productive way and providing quality ideas at the same time must require a lot of patience and skill.
I think we should all learn from your routine so that we can become more efficient at being bloggers, because the most important part of this activity is to enjoy writing and to provide lots of good content for our readers and subscribers.
Wow, you write so fast, it takes a lot of time for me to write anything.
Lovely, i like a lot these tips and i will use it on my articles
You are dead ON!! So many times, I have been tempted to “save my best ideas”… even thinking I was “wasting” them on my blog BEFORE I had a bunch of readers!! NOW, I “love on” my list through my blog and e-zine.. really trying to serve them and bring them tangible solutions to build their business. My FAVORITE blog post is the one in which I “debuted” by “Rated R marketing” report… the only one of its kind based on the marketing tactics of drug dealers and prostitutes! Fun Stuff! Thanks for the great post!
For me its the opposite.Lots of ideas but so hard to write without spending hours with changing and editing.
Just for fun, here are ideas for a blog to bloggers about blogging:
1. Know and Write About Your Readers (People like to read and learn about themselves)
2. The Power and Persuasion of Sincerity
3. Ghost In Your Computer? (Dealing with your PC’s artificial attitude)
Writing in twenty minutes? Inspiring idea!
Thank you for the read.
Very well said… It is the best approach to practice article writing at the start and eventually, you wouldn’t know that your writing skills have developed in no time and become a pro.
An interesting guide of tips to writing a an article in just 20 minutes. It will help me to write more content in a short time.
I’m actually not sure if I really would be able to work on multiple articles at the same time – I think I would lose time in switching – by losing concentration on the topic.
Sam Steiner identifies a genuine challenge to multi-tasking which is called “task switch loss”.
The momentum factor really helps as i have noticed with my writing. When i get started with just some random writing, or comment on other articles/blogs or twitter, i tend to get more ideas and a better flow is induced and hence the ability to put up some nice articles.
Yeah right said,
Time management is the key . i used to waste 2 hours atleast to research re-research and then writing.
thanks, you owe me
Great List! Your thoughts on incubating ideas was a good one, so often we try to do it all in one sitting…but prepping and then cooking is sometimes the better way to go.
I’ve written in my blog about “being creative”…getting ideas, similar thinking…
http://maverick-dean.com/tamora/index.php/archive/how-to-be-creative/
Thanks again! Tamora
great article, I always have time problems in writing articles
very informative article! I need to do several articles and I have no idea how I am going to do it! Now i am more knowledgeable and I hope I will do a great job!
I was searching for ways to write faster and came across this entry. These are some good tips, thanks. I guess I just need to get a bit more organized and practice.
Thank you very much for writing this wonderful article about how to write article and believe me I have learn something wonderful things from here.
Thanks Again
Alam
twitter.com/alamest
Some great tips in here for article writing
I am just about to indulge in writing 10, so these tips could save me quite a bit of time.
I particularly like the point about writing more than one at the same time, and writing it in chunks.
Some great tips
Paul
Very good list. I have been using a few of these tips myself and find that writting in batch is very helpful and now that I read this when things are flowing. spend 5 -7 minutes a couple articles at a time also works well. I usually work on my stuff in 3-4 stages.
Idea’s > Deeper dive > Find some Revelate links and picture > Final Edit proof and review.
Very helpful post.
Thanks for the simple and useful tips. I am also working full time and still trying to follow writing as a second carrier. It is nice and releiving to see that there are other people like me and they are finding ways to get over the problems.
Excellent article. I’ve been trying to come up with ways to write quicker that would actually work for me, and this sounds do able. Thanks.
I’m in line with the great thinkers like you. I use to have ideas-useful enough, but never in written form for other to glimpse. I need to sit down and learn to put ideas down, having come across these wonderful tips from Jim Estill.
Pls, accept my warmest regards.
Nice post. thanks – I just started writing articles – non-corporate and I have so much information and I normally write 3-6 articles and somehow combine them, this makes me feel much much better – thanks.
Jan
Really helpful tips, indeed. The point that writing an article in 20 minutes is amazing because it saves time and utilize the brain while it’s fresh. But, on the other hand if you nothing flows out of the latter, then it doesn’t work. That is why, I liked your idea of putting down ideas that might come anytime and anywhere. For instance, I get very creative and inventive among people or in the street. I even wrote some poems while being amongst people. That is also obvious when we put good ideas in an article better ones come later and that is how we get richer and riches in their production. Thanks a lot for your tips.
Since I committed myself to contribute weekly articles to an online magazine, I find it harder and harder to get things done.
I read your article and find your tips are very helpful.
Thank you.
Great advice for sure. I am looking to boost my daily writing output as a freelance writer and I love the tips about “get X amount done by X time” and the “warm up writing.” I may try the warm up writing trick soon. Thanks!
Wonderful post! You were tips were really good. I need to speed up as I have heard of many people saying they write an article in less than 20 minutes
I enjoyed to see this site and I am searching for this kind of site if available .pl. mail me. thank you.
Majid
A really short time for a good article! Which means that the preparation matters a lot…
You said it, “coming up with the ideas is the tough part.”
Thanks for the information. This was very helpful. It is hard to write articles, specially when you ran out of ideas.
Typinator
Spell Catcher
Diigo
Ulysses
And working on three or four articles a week are does it for me. But I’m still not down to 20 minutes. Seems like I spend more time with rewites and careful revisions.
I suffer from punctuation and organization my ideas
I appreciate any professional one want to help mea
Thanks for your tips, I usually take at least 2 hours to make one article.
Great piece and one I recommend to friends who want to try blogging and also in my blog on procrastination. What I like about this is that it forces one to start writing without getting stuck on structure. Editing is always going on but once you take that leap and write the first draft, it becomes easier to finish the project. Thanks!
Cheers,
E
Thank you for your great tips!
I thought it is very hard to write article and spend much time on writing but it’s not bringing the good results be cause idea is come and gone so quick.
I’ll be honest – As an article marketer, I hate pumping out article after article. Can get very boring, BUT – the info you’ve outlined here is something that anyone can follow to bang out informative articles quickly! Good post
This was very helpful. It is hard to write articles, specially when you ran out of ideas. And when you are not that good writer!
20 minutes…!!!Really after reading that I agree with that may be not definitely it’s possible to write an article in 20 minutes… But don’t know about me..I could do that or not!!
I get my ideas from read ing other blogs. I have a backlog of blog posts that need to be fleshed out–the 20 minute part.
I liked this post by the way.
Thank you for tip number 5.
It’s so hard to get past writer’s block. I’m going to start doing it. Most of the time, when I see something interesting on the net I just bookmark the page so when the time comes that I need it, it’s just right there on my toolbar.
Excellent post! Love it.
20 minutes? That’s amazing. I spent at least 1 hour due to editing and making sure my grammar and spelling works.
I like this , keep it simple and let it flow. I often do what I call priming writing when I lack courage( that is what my problem is most days when I am afraid to write.) When I just writing anything to get the juices flowing. Good deal!
Probably one of my biggest stumbling blocks is writing. Perhaps I am too much of a perfectionist. Great tips, I hope to incorporate them into my regimen.
I love the fact that you break it down into a couple 5-7 minute sessions on each blog. When the juices aren’t flowing it is very easy to daydream or procrastinate. If you hit a block you can come back to it later and do something else more productive. Great advice!
I do love bullet points, I think it’s the way forward in sharing information on how to get stuff done. It’s always harder to massive chunks of text.
Saying that, I’ve never written in bullet points – unless it’s the planning part. Maybe I should try it out.
I love this website, glad I found it =]
I start with bullet points and expand from there. Most of the time the finished article format is not in bullet structure when it’s posted. I think of it more as an outline of what I want the information to cover.
My ideas seem to come in waves so I’ll scribble down several topics and hold for later when my mind has gone to mush.
A top 5(or whatever) list like this is easy in 20mins because the format is already given. You simply take your idea points and add a couple sentences. Where as a narrative type article will and should take you longer.
There’s more editing to get the concepts in proper order and your ideas to flow. Just my 2cents. Cheers.
Thanks for the great tips. I need to work on the time I take to write a post.
Thanks for the tips. I think the bullet points are especially useful to get the ideas outlined.
I shoot for 20 minutes, but somehow it always seems to take a couple of hours. Haven’t been at it long though so I’m hoping it gets easier and faster with practice. I read recently that the secret to article writing was simply to
1. Tell them what you are going to tell them
2. Tell them
3. Tell them what you told them.
I like this article and it’s good to get an insight into how other copywriters work. With regards to #7 I would struggle to jump from one article to another like that, I much prefer to concentrate on one at a time.
The way you write is great enough. Although it varies man to man. I can’t write on this way as it’s not possible for me to concentrate my mind on a topic if i leave it now.
Great list.
Maybe this will help me over come my inability to finish an article on time.
You just inspired me to write a new newsletter article in under 20 minutes – so yes, it can be done. Great blog – wonderful information here.
The incubate idea works. I do that all the time.