Do you want to write more but don’t know where to start? A writing process might be just what you need to crank out content consistently.
Write faster, better blogs
If you want to write more, a writing process keeps you on track.
Uncertainty frequently leads to inaction. You’re not sure what to write. You have an idea but you don’t know how to articulate it on the page.
Does any of this sound familiar?
A writing process smooths a lot of this friction, guiding us through distinct steps. Think of as a personal blueprint, an action plan to write meaningful content consistently.
If you search the internet for the term “writing process”, you’ll find a number of useful entries. While they will have some things in common, none will be exactly alike.
Here’s one writing process example from Purdue Writing Lab:
- Brainstorming
- Outlining
- Rough draft
- Revise and edit
- Polish
You’ll find several approaches, but a writing process is personal. These are not universal steps; instead, these are common steps I’ve used to write faster. I hope they help you write as much you’d like to.
1.Generate ideas
Raise your hand if you ever sat down in front of your computer and hit a blank.
You’re not sure what to write about. Your well of inspiration has run dry.
Don’t despair.
There’s an easy way to solve this dilemma: regular brainstorming sessions.
Once we take a closer look at our everyday interactions, we’ll find we’re surrounded by idea, e.g.:
- What questions are people asking you?
- Do you have strong opinions about popular industry insights?
A good practice is to block out time for idea generation:
- Start with a few minutes a week.
- Use apps like Feedly and Pocket to track your favourite blogs.
- Read and take notes while you work.
Don’t worry about whether or not these ideas are any good. Write them all down.You’re building an idea bank to draw from. I use Trello to keep track of all my blog content ideas.
Another way to generate ideas is through freewriting, an approach from Peter Elbow, a Professor of English Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Amherst .
The goal of freewriting is to write any ideas that come to mind. All you need to do is keep writing sentences. Don’t worry about grammar, spelling, or even whether your ideas flow logically. (Elbow also recommends freewriting before you sit down to write an article.)
And it’s surprisingly simple to get started: set your timer for ten minutes and start writing.
2.Decide on the goal of your article
Why are you writing?
For a long time, I wasn’t sure. If you ever reach into the recesses of the internet, you’ll see what I mean. I jumped from topic to topic and didn’t contribute anything new to the discussion on any of these subjects.
On Copyblogger, Stefanie Flaxman, said an undefined strategy is a weakness of marketing content. When this happens, your content has no purpose or plan.
To remedy this problem, Flaxman recommends an editorial calendar to help you to produce “focussed content”
“Identify the intention behind every word you type to help readers connect with your work,” writes Flaxman.
Here’s a useful technique to determine the who (your target audience) and why (the purpose of your piece).
This article will help (target audience) to (how will you help your audience).
“Each piece of writing you publish should serve a larger goal you have for your content platform.”
TIP: Consider creating your headline at this stage of this process. Brian Clark, the co-founder of Copyblogger, suggests that when we create our headlines before we write, we work to fulfil the promise made in the headline.
3.Collect inputs
Once you’ve decided on your topic, determine what you need to write your post.
In Writing for Designers, Scott Kubie compares writing to assembling a puzzle. As a writer, you need to collect a series of pieces to show your reader the full picture.
Possible inputs include:
- Interviews
- Industry research
- News reports
- Competitor analysis
Allocate a set time for this stage of the writing process. It’s so easy to get pulled into a particularly interesting piece of research. Gather enough information to start writing. Remember that you can always add additional information at a later stage.
4.Structure
An outline can cut down your writing time significantly. Planning your outline means arranging your ideas before you start your first draft.
Why does outlining matter?
One study found you reducing the cognitive load of sorting your thoughts while you write.
A useful tool for outlining is Workflowy.
5.First draft
There’s nothing that shakes my confidence more than the sight of my own first drafts.
If this sounds familiar, we’re not alone.
In fact, we’re in good company. William Zinnser was lifelong journalist and wrote 18 books. Even he struggled with first drafts.
Here’s a quote from his book, On Writing Well.
“Writing is hard work. A clear sentence is no accident. Very few sentences come out right the first time, or even the third time. Remember this in moments of despair. If you find that writing is hard, it’s because it is hard.”
Once I’ve completed my first draft, I do little dance. The fun is about to begin.
6.Revise
Come back to your first draft with a purpose: to clearly convey your message, to deliver on the promise you made in your headline.
Neil Patel, New York Times bestselling author and viral blogger, puts it like this:
You are the artist. Your research document is your block of marble. You just need to chisel away at the unnecessary material to give life to your post.
Tasks you can do in the revision stage of the writing process:
- Expand on your research. Do any of the studies you mention require a disclaimer?
- Interrogate your ideas. Do they make sense? Can you stand behind them with conviction?
- Reorder your outline. As you write, you might see fit to rearrange your structure.
- Remove fluff. It’s difficult to do an honest critique of our own work. Read over your work. Are there certain sections that are irrelevant to the main point of you post?
7.Polish and publish
In a perfect world., you can finish your work and come back to it the next day with fresh eyes.
Set some time aside to refine your article.
That’s it. You’re ready to publish!
