By Allena Tapia
Freelance Writing Expert
Sure, in general, we prefer good writing to fast writing, but sometimes it’s in your best interest to write quickly, whether you’re working for a "content mill," trying to capture an idea, or simply belting out a really rough draft for some first round edits. So how do you get that text down in “fast-and-furious” style? Here are some tips and tricks.
Introduce First
Although I've seen a lot of advice to skip the intro and conclusion
in favor of focusing on the body, I’ll often slap down an intro so that
I know (for myself) the point of the piece. This helps me to focus my
writing and shape the body of an article.
Outline
Outlining
works especially well for web-friendly pieces like “5 Ways to…” or “The
3 Things You Should Know About…” because you can nail down those
numbered pieces of advice quickly. Now, when I talk about outlines, I’m
not talking about study-friendly roman numerals with several levels that
go on and on—that’s not fast. I’m talking about your three or five top
ideas, on their own lines, with some hasty notes scribbled underneath.
From that, you can usually go back to the top (or, to the intro) and flesh out the rest of the composition.
Pre-Think
As a work-at-home mommy,
I have too much potential down time, when I’m not really producing
anything, and therefore not filling up my bank account. That annoys me,
especially because I have only six hours per day to produce eight hours
of work and income. Use the time life gives you when your mind is
wandering to pre-think your pieces. There’s something so much easier
about fleshing out your piece when you’re already daydreaming in the
school pick-up line, than trying to do it at your desk with a full email
box and a to-do pile of paperwork at your elbow. Do yourself the favor
of learning to use a couple note-taking apps on your smart phone, so
that you’re always in a place to capture those thoughts.
Scribble Now, Organize Later
Don’t
be a perfectionist! Once you are at your laptop with the blinking
cursor and blank page, just let your thoughts go. Get them down! Once
your document seems to be taking shape, you can then return and organize
your text/thoughts a little better.
Engage in Your Practice
Spend
the time when you’re not producing content or researching articles
keeping up on your writing practice by reading or keeping a journal.
Constantly lubricating the brain “muscles” that support your composition
means they’ll respond that much better when you call on them for your
career.
Remember, although quality counts, the successful
freelance writer will need to be a proactive time manager, too. Getting
your thoughts down in a somewhat orderly fashion sets you up for
successful editing in the future, and protects your most precious
commodity: your work hours.
source: about.com
