Ever struggled to finish a research work or essay for school? How about writing reports or articles for your job? Well, many of us has been there. Sometimes, we get a bad case of writer’s block or we procrastinate. The next thing we know is that we are struggling to find the right words so that we can complete our writing tasks in a limited amount of time.
I also found myself in the same predicament when I was a university student and when I started writing articles for my job some months ago. But since I started creating a system for myself when it came to writing, I am able to finish my outputs without being pressed for time or having anxiety-induced moments.
My system might help you when it comes to writing as well. These are tips that helped me finish my writing tasks on time:
- Set a timer
Depending on the number of words I have to write, I set a specific amount of time to finish writing them. For example, if I have to do a 300 word article, I set a maximum of 30 minutes for me to complete it. If I have to do 600 words, I set a timer of 1 hour to complete the article.
For this part, it’s all about just writing the article. I try to finish what I have to write during the time I have set for myself.
At this point, I don’t think about editing at all. Writing continuously without interruption helps me achieve a state of flow where I am able to finish each article on time. When the timer is over and I am able to finish what I had to write, that’s when I start editing the piece.
- Create an outline
An outline is supposed to be the first step in the writing process but most of us often forego with creating one. I find that having an outline helps your piece have a structure. With a structure in place, your thoughts and ideas come to you more easily and you will be able to demonstrate the thought process of your work.
Organize your main points and your subpoints so you can further develop each idea and paragraph. It is also better to include the references you will be using in your outline so you have something to go back to and refer when you are lost in the writing process.
- Write now, edit later
As mentioned in the first point of this article, I tend to just continuously write without minding grammar, vocabulary, and sentence mistakes. I find that when you just put yourself in a state of writing, you are able to write faster and it puts your mind in a state of flow.
Read your article after you finished writing and then start editing your piece. You will find that batching your tasks instead of writing and editing at the same time gives you more headspace and puts you in the right mindset.
You can always write more if need be.
- Practice your writing often
If you practice your writing daily, you are able to be a faster and better writer. Practice writing constantly and over time, you will be able to get your writing done at a faster rate.
Build a free website or blog where you can write often without the pressure of external forces. It is your personal space in the web where no one can judge you for your writing mistakes.
Hold yourself accountable and try to publish something on your website everyday. Writing content for the public will also make you feel proud of creating something.
