Content creation is the lifeblood of modern digital marketing. You need regular content to remain competitive.
But, when you handle content creation on your own, you may have trouble sticking to a schedule. It can be hard to constantly generate new content.
You might have trouble finding a topic or discover that it’s taking longer than usual to complete an article.
Luckily, there are ways to speed up the writing process. With a few simple tips, you can start churning out quality content at a faster rate, so that you always have fresh content to deliver.
Here are 5 unexpected ways to help you learn how to write content faster.
Recording your thoughts can help you create content faster. The reason behind this is simple – you can talk faster than you can type.
The average person can speak about 180 words per minute, talking at a comfortable pace. But, the average person only types about 40 words per minute.
At the same time, when you’re typing, you need to worry about grammar, style, and the overall quality of your content. You need to form sentences and structure your topics.
When you record your thoughts, you don’t have to worry about any of those issues. Instead, you simply start talking out loud.
You can use any recorder that you have available. Most computers are equipped with a recorder. You can also find mobile apps to record your thoughts.
So, once you have a recorder available, begin recording as you talk about the topic of your article. This will help you form your thoughts, without having to think about grammar and writing.
Once you’ve talked about everything that you want to cover, listen to your recording as you start transcribing.
Don’t worry if your transcription doesn’t make complete sense. The first task is to simply get everything that you recorded written. Then, you can start organizing these thoughts and compile them into a structured article.
If you don’t like the idea of typing up your narration, there are apps that can help. For example, Google Documents added an option for voice typing. It’s not always perfect, but it will get the job done.
Some people also hire virtual assistants to transcribe their recordings to text. This will cost a little bit of money, but it can help you save time.
The next solution for generating content faster is to set a time limit.
The idea is that if you’ve got the entire day to write an article then it will take you all day. But, if you set a time limit, such as two or three hours, you’re more likely to get the article done in a shorter period of time.
Basically, you’ll use as much time as you have available. An open-ended time frame gives you the option to take your time – which you will. So, give yourself a time limit.
Sometimes it helps to start at the end and work toward the beginning. How often have you gotten through the first few paragraphs of your content and then gotten stuck? You stare at the screen trying to think of what to write next.
This writer’s block is often caused by trying to think ahead of your writing. You’re trying to figure out what comes next and drawing a blank.
So, to prevent this problem, skip to the end and work backward. You then simply need to fill in the space between. Start fleshing out your topics.
At the same time, this can help you remain focused. You already know how the content ends, so you’re able to ensure that all your topics remain on point.
As mentioned, the average person types at 40 words per minute. Theoretically, you could type 2,400 words per minute at this speed.
The problem is that you’re not writing constantly. You need to pause on occasion and think about what you’re writing. You also need to backtrack and edit your content or look stuff up on the internet.
These delays can take up half of your time – limiting you to about 1,200 words per hour. And, that’s being generous.
If you want to get more words out, you need to increase your typing speed. Simply increasing your words per minute from 40 to 60 can have a huge impact on your overall speed.
This alone could help bump those 1,200 words per hour to 1,800 words per hour. Though, realistically, you would probably get up to 1,500 words per hour.
If you can’t type at 60 words per minute, there are several ways to improve your typing speed.
First, make sure that your hands are in the correct position. Your left fingers should be placed over the “A, S, D, and F” keys. Your right fingers should go over the “J, K, L, and colon” keys.
You can also use typing programs to improve your speed. Some of these programs are designed for younger students, but they’ll help you just as easily. Spend about 20 minutes per day using typing training tools and software to boost your speed.
The final tip is to wait to edit your content until you’re done writing. Editing and writing are two different tasks. So, when you try to write and edit at the same time you’re essentially trying to multitask.
Studies show that multitasking decreases productivity. You’re constantly shifting your focus from one task to another.
So, wait to edit your content until you’re done writing. When you edit as you write, you’ll find yourself stopping to rewrite sentences and questioning your wording. These small delays can double the amount of time that it takes to complete your article.
Don’t worry about grammar, structure, or anything else until you’ve covered all the main points that you want to cover in your article. When you’re done, you can go through and make sense of the content.
Being able to generate content as quickly as possible can be incredibly beneficial. You’ll find it easier to stick to your content release schedule. You’ll have more time for other tasks. And, you’ll be able to improve the quality of your content.
Start by recording your thoughts and then transcribe them. Also, consider starting at the end and working backward, set a time limit, and improve your typing speed. Finally, wait to edit until you’re done writing.
Before you go, here’s one more piece of advice – take a break. Take a 5-minute break during every 30-minute period to maintain your productivity.
Now, put these tips into action and start churning out content quicker than ever before.