Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
I was recently asked how I am able to write blog posts so quickly while juggling everything I do. Well, the short answer is that I’ve spent the last 10 years perfecting my skill set. Nonetheless, there was a lot that went into how I pushed myself to write blogs faster.
The quicker I was able to complete a post for a client, the more work was tossed my way. Since most of the clients I had on Textbroker needed blogging content, that’s where my specialty developed.
The end result was making more money the faster I became.
9 Things That Helped Me Write Blogs Faster
When you’re paid for production, you want to be as fast as possible. Especially when you’re working with content mills. Because if you take too long, all of those jobs are going to go to other writers.
Since I started my writing career with Textbroker, that was my main focus: speed. Because the faster you submitted work, the more you could grab. This results in a larger payout at the end of the week.
Nowadays, I have to write blogs faster simply because I don’t have enough time in the day to do everything I want. Since I focus on an 8-hour workday, I want to be done writing by the time I make dinner.
Here are nine things I still do today that contribute to how fast I create content.
1. Always Working on Typing Speed
I’ve always been a fast typist. On my last test, I scored 68 words per minute with a 99% accuracy. And that was doing so without my glasses. Also, keep in mind that I’ve been typing since I was nine years old.
Not to mention that most of the jobs I’ve done over the past 30 years revolved around typing in one form or another. However, it takes more than quick fingers to hammer out detailed blog posts.
In any case, typing speed is one of the more pronounced requirements for being able to write blog posts quickly. If you need some assistance, there are plenty of typing websites that I found very useful.
In fact, I’ll play around with some of them to this day because I’m always working on improving my abilities. And, I find a lot of the sites pretty fun.
2. Developing a Brand Style for Content
A brand style guide helps you establish specific workflows for varying types of content. This helps streamline those types of content, which makes the entire process much easier to manage.
Brand styles are great for bloggers and freelancers alike. For instance, if you have someone helping you write content, it’s a flow they can follow to offer consistency throughout the website.
Of course, a brand style can also include certain colors or visual elements you’ll use.
Although SEO practices will influence your style, it’s still based on your perspective of what works best for you as a writer and what works best for your visitors as readers.
Now, you don’t necessarily need a brand style for your content. I know a lot of successful bloggers who wing-it when it comes to content. However, it will shave off time when setting up the post.
For instance, I have a specific way I lay out reviews that is different from a listicle.
3. Proofreading Twice
A lot of freelance writers want every article to be absolutely perfect. Unfortunately, that’s not how life works. In fact, you can proofread a piece several times and still miss a few mistakes here and there.
That’s because of how the human brain works. You’ll skip over several errors simply because they’re fresh in your mind. This is why you’ll find all kinds of issues if you come back to it a few days later.
To write faster blog posts, you need to trust your ability to proofread and move on. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with coming back to an article a few weeks later for some minor edits.
Well, unless you submit the article to a client. Then it’s out of your hands.
If you don’t fully trust yourself, you can always use something like Grammarly. While it’s not 100% accurate (no editor is), the platform will still find a lot of mistakes and help you straighten up the content. Especially if you use Grammarly when writing for Textbroker.
Personally, I have the Grammarly Chrome extension running, which works perfectly in WordPress.
The bottom line is that proofreading your article 10+ times is going to greatly slow you down. Instead of taking you 20 minutes to write a 500-word blog post, I’ve seen new writers take up three hours, mostly because of proofreading and editing.
4. Knowing My Niche
There’s nothing wrong with being a “generalist” writer. In fact, I’ve made a great career out of being able to adapt to different content types and niches for clients.
However, the more you know about any given topic, the easier it is to write. Not just from a knowledge standpoint, but from an interested one as well.
If you’re not too interested in a niche, it’ll take much longer to write. That’s because, well, you have no interest in the topics. You’ll find it a bit of a slog trying to hammer out the necessary number of words you want or need.
Since I have a firm grasp of the niches I blog about, the workload is simply much easier to manage.
For instance, it’ll take me about two hours to write a 2500-word post for WriterSanctuary. However, it could take about 45 minutes or so for a 500-word article relating to something like insurance.
The point here is that when you “stick to your lane,” especially on your own blog, the content is far easier to write because you’re more knowledgeable and the topics have your interest.
5. Planning Out Subheadings Ahead of Time
Another method that helps me streamline the content is planning out the subheadings ahead of time. This is when I plan out each section I want to write about before I start adding the meat of the post.
Not only does this provide a guide of the information I want to share with readers, but it also helps me focus on specific areas for writing.
When I was writing for Textbroker, I would plan out the subheadings and then calculate how many words each section needed to hit a certain word count for the client.
Yes, I was a dork even in 2012.
Nowadays, it’s not about the word count per se. It’s more about one-upping the competition for my clients, which involves more detailed information than what is currently shared online.
Still, having a structure with the subheadings helps me write blogs much faster, overall. It’s a part of the brand style I mentioned earlier.
6. The Second Monitor
Having a second monitor has been a blessing as a writer. I can keep the research on one screen while writing on the other. This way, I don’t have to bounce back and forth through tabs on one monitor.
Plus, it makes writing while skimming much easier to manage.
Ever since adding the additional screen, my pay in Textbroker went up. This was because I was able to write, submit, and pick up another order more quickly.
In fact, I could probably increase my daily routine and speed if I added a third. But alas, my desk isn’t big enough for three 27-inch widescreen monitors. But, I can assure you, it would make a difference in writing every day.
7. Skimming Content While Researching
As I mentioned before, skimming content while writing is one of those things that cuts out a few seconds here and there. It may not sound like a lot until you publish several articles per day.
Skimming through articles to find specific information for your own is a talent you’ll have to develop over time. Especially if you plan on writing while simultaneously reading another article.
Skimming is when you glance quickly through a piece of content to find specific bits of information. As most people who read blog posts on the Internet “skim” it anyway, this is also one of the biggest reasons why you put subheadings within an article.
Take this post, for example. What if someone was interested in the topic, but only wanted to know about proofreading? Skimming through to find that specific information is much easier when you provide a header.
This increases the time-on-page for those certain visitors while potentially engaging them to read other segments.
8. Blocks of Time in My Day
A lot of people want to work from home because they believe it gives them the ultimate freedom to do what they want throughout the day. This is partially true.
I’d say about 90% of the clients I’ve had since 2012 were from small, medium, and large businesses. This means it was in my best interest to work when they were open. Direct communication can alleviate all kinds of issues.
As a result, I decided to maintain a traditional workday. This is probably one of the biggest reasons why I had so many direct order clients on Textbroker.
Nowadays, I have specific blocks of time in the day for certain projects. This helps me get done everything I want in the day while helping me write blogs faster. When I have a set block of time for X blog, I focus on nothing but that content.
One way I organize my day is by setting up blocks of time in Asana. It’s free and allows me to set up all of my blogs, YouTube channels, clients, books, and everything else I wind up doing throughout the month.
9. Breaking Personal Records for Motivation
Lastly, I often get my inspiration to write more by setting personal records and then working to break them. I find it exceptionally motivational to see how much I have to write today.
For instance, I had a goal in December of 2022 to write more than 80,000 words within the entire month. That record was set in October. I pushed myself until I finished with 95,393 words.
A big part of breaking that record was the fact that I managed my time better. In the time that it takes to watch about four or five YouTube videos, I could have written an entire blog post.
That’s one of the most important keys to writing faster, actually. Time management will play a crucial role in your productivity and success.
What You’re Writing Will Affect Speed
One thing you need to keep in mind is that the type of content you create will slow you down.
For example, I can whip out a 2200-word post about the things I do to write blogs faster in about an hour and a half. But, a 1200-word WordPress tutorial will take nearly two and a half hours.
This is because of the sheer number of screenshots I take as well as researching the information about how to use the tool.
Anything that is going to take a great deal of research, especially if it’s about a topic you don’t know, is going to add time. It’s not a one-size-fits-all type of thing.
However, the things I listed above have shaved time off how long it takes me to write any type of content.
For me, tutorials and reviews often take the most time. When it comes to reviews, though, I’m also including the time it takes to try out a product before I even start writing.
Why Not Just Use AI to Write Blogs Faster?
When it comes to AI, I am very biased. I will never use AI to write a blog post for several reasons, actually.
- Google is apparently cracking down on mass-producing content.
- Google also implied anti-AI processes, such as “people writing for people.”
- Google wants “helpful content,” as per a recent algorithm change.
- AI pulls from already available content, which means yours is not unique.
- You don’t learn how to write by letting a bot do it for you.
- Takes away from the experience of writing something yourself.
- Devalues the work created by actual writers.
I’m sorry, but if you use AI to write blog posts and books, you’re not an author…you’re a programmer. There is a distinct difference.
I know, that’s probably going to put a target on my back, but I am very anti-AI in quite a few fields. I’ll use tools to analyze keywords and phrases, but it’s I who writes the content.
How Fast Do You Write?
Everyone has their own workflow for being more efficient. The above is simply the things I’ve done that have made an influence on how I write blogs faster while getting more out of my day.
Out of everything, though, perhaps time management is the most affluent. Especially for those who work from home.
What kinds of things do you do to shave time off your day?
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