Writing blog posts quickly
A lot of people have the desire to write and share their knowledge. But, unfortunately, that desire only sometimes pans out in actual writing. One thing preventing people from writing is how intimidating it can be to start. Without guardrails the process is daunting. I want to help.
To show you how to get over the writing hurdle, I will write a blog post in 20 minutes. It’s currently 8:58 pm. My wife is out, and my kid is asleep. So I have 20 minutes to create something.
Where to start
Keep a list
First things first, the idea. I keep a running list of writing ideas. Maintaining a list allows me to jump right into things when I have free time to write. My writing process almost always starts long before I have the time to draft my ideas.
Having a list lets me jot down ideas and let them stew. It gets concepts out of my head and allows them to sit in my subconscious. When I think of something I want to write about, I open my Craft writing ideas list and add the idea as a todo item. While going about my day, doing my job, or reading, these ideas will pop into my head. Over time I start connecting dots, and a clearer picture surfaces around what I want to communicate. To write fast, it helps to let something cook for a while.
Outlining
Great written thoughts have clear pathways. I block out the prominent points and fill out the details to create more cohesive ideas. I was an art major in college, and my painting classes taught me to block out colors, then fill in the details. The same applies to writing. The outline I started with for this particular post looks something like this (up to this point):
- It is possible to write fast; you should try it
- Keep a list of ideas
- Let ideas cook
- Outline before you write
Editing
Outline, fill in the gaps, get your ideas on paper, then edit. I used to edit as I wrote, but it drastically slowed me down, and my thoughts never got anywhere. So first, make a mess, then clean it up. When you have the foundation, you can fill in the details.
I use tools to help me edit. My favorite writing tool is Grammarly. I am not a natural writer, so having a tool that highlights the cruft is immensely helpful. Alternatively, you could have a friend look over your writing. For some content, this is a great idea; for personal blog posts, it may be overkill. There are alternatives if you can’t swing a subscription to a tool like Grammarly. I started with Hemmingway App, and got a lot of value from it.
It’s 9:10pm. I better start editing this post.
That’s it. Take these simple ideas and translate them into your writing process. You have something to say. Someone needs to hear it. Don’t let writing feel like such a monumental undertaking.
For full transparency, it’s now 9:27 pm. I didn’t hit the 20 mark. I hope you forgive me.