Write Faster: Effective Strategies with or Without AI

If solely you may write quicker …

The deadline stress would reduce. The work quantity wouldn’t overwhelm. The headache task would go away extra rapidly.

And generative AI solely amplifies the stress. It simply will increase expectations — for each completion time and high quality — in your human-written content material.

However you possibly can write quicker. You may expeditiously ship content material that meets deadlines and delivers what your viewers and model need.

Right here’s some assist whether or not you’re writing articles, podcast scripts, or every other content material asset:

1. Get organized

If you understand the place it’s worthwhile to go, you may get there extra rapidly. That’s why I prefer to create two Phrase information, one for the draft and one for the notes.

I label the primary file “(TOPIC NAME) – DRAFT.”

On the prime of the doc, checklist and reply these questions:

• Who will learn this piece?
• What’s going to they get from this piece?
• How will they devour this piece (e.g., firm weblog submit, e-book, visitor article)?
• The place will they devour this piece (i.e., distribution channel)?
• Why is the model creating this piece?
• How will the model know if this piece is profitable?

TIP: Create a template in your notes doc so you possibly can pull up the query format each time you begin the content material course of.

By detailing the audience, model goal, format, and metric, you possibly can construct your content material on a stable basis.

You can also velocity up your writing by organizing the analysis as you go.

I label this doc “(TOPIC NAME) – NOTES.” I sometimes use a single file, but when I’ve a number of interviews, I initially create a separate doc for every and merge them later into the grasp notes file.

Label the highest of every part (or doc) with the supply info. If it’s an individual, embody the title, title, and firm. If it’s a web-based useful resource, embody the URL. Use a format much like what you’ll use within the article. For instance, should you use a hyperlink within the textual content, checklist it that means in your notes. That means, you possibly can simply minimize and paste the knowledge into your draft.

TIP: Don’t overlook to checklist any social handles, firm websites, or bio hyperlinks from the sources should you plan to incorporate them within the content material or want to offer them for promotional functions.

Undergo your notes and spotlight key quotes or insights. Use the spotlight characteristic, daring the phrases, and even kind asterisks earlier than the useful quote so it stands out.

When tackling a number of sources or detailed info, I like to arrange my notes by subheads or subtopics. Then, I put all of the related content material underneath every class. Simply you should definitely embody the unique supply each time you shift the notes to a topical part.

AI help: Use a generative AI instrument that can assist you set up your notes. For instance, enter an interview transcript and ask it to offer a abstract. You might additionally ask it to interrupt down the interview by subjects.

While you report interviews utilizing Zoom, it will probably create an AI-generated summary. Rev.com, the transcription service, affords a beta take a look at of abstract technology. I’ve used each, and they are often useful within the preliminary stage of organizing my notes by hitting on the important thing themes and takeaways. I’m positive different AI instruments can do that; these are simply two I’ve utilized in my work.

Together with your analysis and notes all organized, you’re prepared to jot down, proper? Not fairly.

2. Create the ‘write’ setting

Earlier than you place your fingers on the keyboard or your voice to the writing recorder, it’s worthwhile to set your self up for quicker success.

Schedule time in your calendar (and schedule one thing instantly after)

Blocking out time to jot down not solely prevents you from treating writing as an “I’ll-get-to-it-when-I-can” merchandise. It additionally alerts to co-workers and managers that you simply prioritize writing — and also you’re not accessible for the rest throughout that point.

However don’t cease at scheduling a writing appointment. Additionally, schedule a name, assembly, or different must-do exercise after your writing time. That creates an actual deadline. If you understand you have to cease writing, you’re extra more likely to cease agonizing and get it executed.

If you wish to break down your scheduled time additional, think about using a timer. The Marinara Timer (free) allows you to do the Pomodoro approach (25-minute segments) or create customized instances. The purpose is to jot down with out stopping till the time is up.

I combine up my timer based mostly on elements of the writing challenge. For instance, 10 minutes to create a lede or 25 minutes to craft the primary part. I notice they’re synthetic deadlines, however they assist me form my strategy to writing and respect the time I’ve dedicated to getting the article executed.

Reduce the distractions

Your pc display screen could be a busy place. Don’t let it overwhelm you. Open just one browser window and add the tabs you want for writing. After I write, I create a tab with the AP Stylebook (paid), one other tab for Thesaurus (free), one other tab for ChatGPT (free), and an empty Google search display screen.

If you happen to want sources that reside in your inbox, copy and paste them right into a Phrase doc and switch off your e-mail. In any other case, you’ll pop into your inbox for a file and discover 5 new emails that you simply’ll simply should learn.

Don’t overlook to show your cellphone to “don’t disturb” so solely these must-take calls or texts can get via. If you happen to can’t quit your cellphone, at the very least flip it face down.

Shut your door or placed on headphones. If you happen to want noise, choose music that blends along with your work. I’m one who wants noise (after years of writing in a newsroom). After I really want to focus, I take heed to classical music so I’m not distracted by the lyrics.

TIP: If you happen to work in an area the place co-workers or others may cease by, use headphones reasonably than earbuds. They’re a terrific visible indicator that may make potential guests assume twice about interrupting you.

3. Get writing

Revisit the solutions to the questions added to the highest of your DRAFT doc to remind your self concerning the viewers and model goal.

Now you’re prepared to jot down.

The important thing to writing quicker? Don’t overthink it. You aren’t to edit. That may be a separate stage within the course of.

Not pleased with a phrase selection? Transfer on. Ready for artistic inspiration to strike for the right lede? Understand good is not possible and higher solely occurs once you’ve already written one thing. Not sure of a supply’s title? Add six query marks so that you be certain to revisit it later. The purpose? Don’t succumb to potential writing distractions.

Start with the headline

Write three to 5 variations. Don’t stress about becoming the goal key phrases into it or whether or not it sufficiently grabs the reader’s consideration. At this level, simply write headlines that set the tone and focus of the article.

Transfer on to the introduction

Learn via your notes to establish essentially the most shocking, fascinating, useful, or related side. Think about using that as your lede. Caught for a terrific lede? Write “This text is about (TOPIC). You, the viewers, will be taught (XYZ)” as a placeholder. You may repair it later.

Within the introduction, embody a nut graph — a sentence or two describing the explanation the story is being instructed now to this viewers. This can set the stage for what the reader ought to anticipate.

AI help: Struggling to jot down an intro and nut graph? Ask the AI instrument to assist. Share your main interview or analysis and ask it to fill within the blanks within the sentence above. Ask it to craft a two-sentence paragraph about what story ought to be instructed. It might even assist share one thing fascinating or shocking.

Write your subheads

Return to your notes and pull your subtopic subheads, or create them now. Learn via them a few instances: (1) Are these the important thing subjects this text ought to handle? (2) Does their order make sense for the story being instructed?

AI help: When you full the subhead group, paste what you might have into an AI instrument and ask it to summarize the article. Additionally, ask it what subjects are lacking. Then, ask what, if something, ought to be eradicated.

Take time to get this step proper because it creates the construction in your content material piece. And not using a stable construction, you’ll spend loads of time attempting to shore up your argument so it doesn’t fall over.

Fill in under every subhead

Add the related particulars underneath every part head for every useful resource you collected. (If you happen to did this within the notes group stage, you probably simply want to chop and paste it into the draft doc.)

Write a conclusion or not

Just like the lede recommendation, you probably have a conclusion in thoughts based mostly on the content material and your name to motion, write it. If not, wait to jot down the ending till you’ve revised the piece.

4. Transfer on to sprucing

Now that your tough draft is full, shift your thoughts to the sprucing section. Even you probably have an editor, you need to submit content material accomplished in a way that you simply think about publishable.

To try this, return to the start (nicely, virtually the start).

Learn via all of the content material that comes after the introduction

Take a few passes. Does it make sense as a complete? Does every part transition nicely to the subsequent one?

AI help: Put the draft into the generative AI instrument and ask the identical questions. It may well assist establish areas that you simply won’t see since you’re too near the fabric.

Delve into every subhead and the content material under it

Does this part pack the largest punch it will probably? Does every sentence lead into the subsequent one? Might extra particular or descriptive phrases be used to convey the thought, emotion, and so forth.? Are the verbs energetic? Is it straightforward to learn?

Return to the introduction and conclusion

With a well-executed essential physique, it’s time to craft a reader-enticing introduction that matches the article’s tone, circulation, and narrative.

Now that you’ve got an introduction, you possibly can write (or edit) your conclusion. The perfect endings tie themselves to the start. They might summarize the article’s details, lead the reader to the subsequent logical step, or go away them impressed.

AI help: In tandem along with your human introduction and conclusion work, paste the unique draft with the extra generic lede into the AI instrument. Ask it to jot down an introduction. Be sure that to explain the type of introduction you need. Ought to or not it’s humorous? Or ought to or not it’s direct? What about making a curiosity hole? Don’t restrict your self to at least one description. Ask for a number of variations.

Write a headline

With the article full, it’s time to select a headline. Be sure that it grabs the reader’s consideration AND precisely displays what the article delivers. If not one of the draft headlines match these necessities, give you a number of extra choices. (A thesaurus is useful right here.) Decide the very best one for the reader.

AI help: You should use a headline analyzer instrument like CoSchedule (free and paid) to see in case your potential headline delivers. You may also ask a generative AI instrument like ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini to jot down a headline (after you paste the article onto the web page). If it should embody key phrases, inform it that. In some circumstances, the headline outcomes might ship one which works completely. Extra probably, they’ll encourage you to create one thing even higher.

You’ll nonetheless get author’s block

I’m not naïve. Even when following these suggestions, you’ll run into author’s block, delays, and missteps. However you don’t have to throw up your arms ready for the writing gods to encourage and assist you to.

You want a plan of assault (i.e., a content material advertising and marketing and analysis/useful resource plan) and a path to comply with (i.e., a writing and enhancing course of). Solely then will you be answerable for your content material creation and be capable of write successfully quicker. And the extra you do it, the higher you’ll get and present the worth of a human skilled.