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Five Tips To Quick Writing

Feb 7th , 2008

by Marsha Maung

Only when I’ve started writing this article that I realize that there are actually no secrets to writing fast. In fact, some people equate writing fast to creating illogical articles that makes absolutely no sense. I beg to differ. Although quick writing has a lot to do with what you’re born with, this does not mean that people who are not born with ‘it’ cannot write quickly and efficiently without making (too many) mistakes as well. here are some thoughts I would like to share with others who would like to write fast.

Write the skeleton of the article first and use it as a guide throughout the writing process.
I can’t tell you how important this is….for me, anyway! As a freelance writer, my thought process and writing gets interrupted a lot by screams and arguments from my kids. It’s hard to keep your head straight when your train of thought has to make multiple stops along the way….just ask any writer this and they will give you the same answer. Therefore, to keep me on the right track, I write the skeleton of the article out first which I will use as a guide. Whatever points I wanted to make earlier, I have it with me and I don’t have to go through the thinking process all over again. The thinking is over and I concentrate of writing down and expanding on the points that I have earlier written.

Do your research before you start, read and understand the topic
Some people, other writers, I believe do this differently but if you ask me if I research ‘along the way’ or research ‘before hand’, I do the latter. The reason behind doing this is simple….I want to completely grasp the topic that I am writing on before I start writing. This reduces the number of times I have to do back to revise what I have written earlier….which can be frustrating. Once I’ve done the research, I could copy them down or write it out on a piece of paper or copy it into the word document that I am going to use. With the big picture in the right place, I can write free-flowing without hesitating, asking questions or digesting new points that pops up along the way.

But different writers have their own methods. I just think this method works best for me. So, for you, if you’re new to writing, find this out for yourself. Should you research ‘along the way’ or research ‘beforehand’.

Find a time when you have minimal disturbance around you to write
You can design a brochure, sew, knit, and put together a scrapbook while watching television. You can iron your clothes while listening to the radio as well. But you cannot write properly with a lot of commotion going on around you! But as a freelance writer and full-time mother, non-commotion time is pretty hard to come by. In fact, they’re so precious that I rely heavily on my palmtop to organize my time properly. I research all the topics beforehand, list down all the points the night before. When both kids are in school, I get writing and don’t stop until I’m done.

Organize your time properly and write when there’s no commotion…i.e. when the kids are in school or sleeping.

Use simple words and language. Continue even when you’re stuck
A lot of writers have problems finishing an article because they stop when they’re stuck. For me, I trudge ahead and force the words out of my head no matter what. Like everybody else, writers have off moments as well. This means that there are moments when the words just don’t come, you know what I mean? When I am in this moment, I trudge ahead and continue writing. The way I see it, the writer needs to continue writing because it keeps the train going despite the difficulty. When you’re done and ‘not happy’ with your new piece of work, go back and edit it.

Forget about how other writers write. Write the way you want to

During my early days as a freelance writer, I had problems finishing the articles I was assigned all the time. I conclude that I have problems writing and finishing my articles is because while I am writing, I compare myself to the likes of John Grisham. I imagine that they read it and snigger till it’s time to go to sleep. This is not the way writers should do it. Inject your own personality into your articles. Use simple words….like when you’re talking! Don’t compare your own articles to others because people like to see your personality through your articles. What’s the point in reading your articles when there are scores of others with the same style and points?

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Marsha Maung is a Malaysian-based freelance writer who has been in the search engine marketing business for more than 8 years. Today, she spends her time alternating between being a mother to her kids and mother to her clients' websites and blogs! Now, she is a popular SEO blog content writer and service provider. Visit her website http://www.marshamaung.com for more info and if you want dirty personal details, visit her blog at http://www.marshamaung.blogspot.com .