How I Write & Edit Articles in Under 2 Hours
5 "hacks" the most successful online writers use. Seriously. I've talked to them.
I write like an IV full of hot coffee is connected to my bloodstream.
Why?
I'm on a time crunch. I only get 1 hour/day to write.
I have a 9-5
I have to workout
I want to hang w/my gf
How do I manage writing w/a full calendar?
The answer isn't more coffee...
Instead, I apply a few tricks I picked up from 3 years of nails-on-chalkboard writing.
Here are 5 writing “Hacks” I use to write/edit blogs in under 2 hours:
1. The Rule of 70.
I learned this from Ayodeji Awosika.
"Write 10 titles every day.”
It sounds like a pain in the glutes, but this habit is a hack for ideation.
I used to write about whatever came to mind. As soon as inspiration hit BOOM I started writing. I wasted hours writing articles nobody wanted in the first place.
Fact is, most ideas suck.
Write 10 titles a day and get 70 ideas a week.
Then, you can pick the best ones and turn them into tweets, newsletters, and long-form blog posts.
Time spent: 5 minutes.
2. Draw the map.
I may write like I’ve had three cups of coffee, but it's all about controlled chaos.
New writers sit at their computer and say, “Ah yes, time to write the next great American novel.”
Then they spit out a pile of inconsumable mush.
Outlining before writing is the easy fix.
I outline my articles for the following week on Sundays because I want my ideas to be as fresh as possible.
This is the heavy lifting. Come writing time, you can type effortlessly because you have already mapped out the best ideas.
Intro. Problem. Solutions. Conclusion.
Simplicity is key.
Time spent: 15 minutes.
3. Don’t write. Cook.
This is where you feel like a genius or fall apart like a perfectly cooked short rib.
Chefs don't walk into the kitchen and whip up gnocchi bolognese on the spot. They spend hours preparing the ingredients before the restaurant opens.
Same goes for writing.
Use the first two “hacks.” Validate your idea and outline it. Then you can cook up an article or 21 tweets for the week.
When it’s time to write, write like your hands are on fire; the only way to extinguish it is to fill the page.
Follow three rules:
Rule #1: Don’t edit while you write.
Rule #2: Eliminate distractions.
Rule #3: Add sources later.
Rules are underrated hacks because most people don’t want to follow them. But if you do, you can become a more consistent writer and a quicker one.
Time spent: 30 minutes.
4. Save time for the editing session.
If your first drafts look anything like mine, Grammarly will suggest 117 revisions.
You’ll have a choppy mess to clean up, but trust that your ideas are there. They’ve been there since hack #1.
What matters is you put words to paper. Now it's time to uncover your story.
Follow 3 steps.
Step 1: Ruthlessly delete the rubbish
Think of it like cleaning out your closet.
You wear a small portion of your clothes most of the time. When you write, only a percentage of what you wrote moves the story forward.
Clear out what you don’t need.
Step 2: Add what’s missing
It may seem like I’m giving you the run around: telling you to delete fluff and add it back, but trust the process.
It’s crucial to add missing elements to the story. Ensure paragraphs are complete and add sources.
Step 3: Polish that bad boy
Give your article one last read and make sure everything makes sense.
Use AI Hemingway or Grammarly, but don’t use all their suggestions. You don’t want to come off as a robot.
This part takes the longest, so I suggest committing to each step. Only cut the fluff when you’re on the first pass, and so on.
Time spent: 70 minutes.
5. Headphones + Binaural beats = Game changing focus.
In 2021, I invested in a pair of noise-canceling headphones and changed the game.
Living with roommates or in a noisy apartment like I do helps me stay focused.
I also listen to binaural beats. When I listen to music, I anticipate the next verse or lyric. Binaural beats trick my mind into not knowing what comes next, and this helps me get into a flow state.
Final thoughts
So, to review, there aren’t any real “writing hacks.”
Rather, tricks of the trade that can help you write and edit more in less time. It starts with writing ten ideas daily and then validating those ideas.
Then, write an outline and pretend like the clock is ticking, and to save the world, you have to fill your page with your writing. Make tons of mistakes, then edit ruthlessly while wearing some headphones.
Again, there’s no such thing as a writing hack. Each of these are suggestions you can use to fit into your system.
You're unique. Just do what works for you.
Those are some great points Ryan. Then life goes into a tailspin with kids and family and accidents and ill health and responsibilities you never prepared for. What do you do then. That’s when you have to come back to the commitment and goal you set. You write out of passion. Determining a why you are writing, will keep you writing. With passion. Do you lose yourself in writing? Then that’s good. Keep writing my friend. ....😊