Do you want to double your writing speed?
Imagine being able to produce the same amount of writing you do now in half the time.
Or even producing double the amount of work you do now in the same amount of time. It’s not only possible to do, but very simple.
I’ve written thousands of articles during the period I’ve been making a full time living online, and I’ve discovered that the only thing holding me back from writing faster is myself.
You see, we all have beliefs within that tell us what our writing speed limit is. As I’ve let go of these beliefs and blocks, I’ve found myself writing faster and getting into the writing zone effortlessly.
With all that said, let’s look at ten simple ways you can double the speed of your writing, right now:
1. Outline
The first thing that has proven highly effective for me and my writing is to outline my articles before I start writing.
I know this sounds ridiculously simple. The problem is that most people know about outlining but never use it in their writing properly.
For example, with this article I brainstormed a good headline, and I then wrote down the 10 different ways that you can double the speed of your writing.
It’s nothing fancy, but it works wonders for me and as you implement it into your writing, you may notice the same effects.
2. Single-Task
The next step is to single task, and eliminate any and all distractions while you’re writing.
I know this is hard with Twitter, Facebook and e-mail beeping for our attention, but I’ve found that I can significantly increase the speed of my writing by simply doing nothing other than writing.
Another really simple tip, but the magic lies not in complexity, but in simplicity.
So focus on getting your first draft done and then allow yourself to check e-mail or whatever your addiction is.
Or you may want to wait until the end of the day until you reward yourself.
3. Destroy Your Inner Critic
Our inner critic gets in the way of writing the first draft fast, because it wants to have everything perfect before you’ve even written the article.
You can simply thank your inner critic for caring about the quality of your work and focus on getting the first draft done.
Tell your inner critic that you will edit the article after you’ve written it. The magic in writing well is not in producing a perfect first draft, but editing and rewriting afterward.
4. Voice-to-Text
Another fantastic way to increase the speed of your writing is to use voice to text software such as Dragon NaturallySpeaking.
In fact, I’m using this very program to write this article. It allows my hands to take a break and it lets the inspiration flow freely.
It is not without mistakes, but it is amazingly accurate, especially when you’ve used it for a while and it has gotten used to your voice and way of speaking.
5. Brain Dump
Whenever I’m stuck, I set a goal to write as fast as I can. If I run out of things to say or write, I will simply repeat the last word to keep the momentum going.
Brain dumping is a great way to get all your ideas out.
Once you’ve got the ideas on there, you can pick and choose the ideas that you think are relevant to whatever message you’re trying to convey.
6. Deadline
If you want to dramatically cut down the time you spend writing articles, I suggest you get an egg timer or a regular clock and set a deadline for each article.
If you’re writing a 500 word article, you may want to set a deadline for 10 minutes.
This will force you to get everything out as fast as possible. It will also help to suspend your inner critic and focus on what’s truly important.
7. Routine
We all have routines and rituals that help us get into the right state for writing.
Mine is often making a cup of green tea and sipping it while I outline whatever I’m going to work on.
Think back to the last time you felt really good about diving into your writing. What did you do? How did you feel? Where were you?
8. Place
There are places where you seem to get into the flow of writing effortlessly. For some people this may mean going to a coffee shop, while others like sitting in nature with no distractions at all.
I personally prefer writing at my desk with total silence. I may listen to music from time to time, but often enjoy the silence.
Find your own sacred writing space and spend your time writing there as much as possible.
9. Replicate the Zone
Think about a time when you’ve been in the zone. How do you know when you’re entering the zone?
What do you feel inside your body? What is it that tells you that you’re now in the zone and your writing is flowing effortlessly onto the page?
You see, when you identify what the zone looks like to you, you can replicate it.
10. Passion
This may seem irrelevant at first, but have you ever noticed how much more you get done when you’re passionate about the topic you’re working on?
I certainly have.
Being passionate is not only important in writing, but in every area of your life. If you constantly do what excites you, you will produce high-quality work while at the same time feeling good about yourself.
As you finish reading this article, I want to remind you that you already have all the resources within you to easily write faster, better, and higher quality articles.
We often get in our own way, and as you become aware of this, you can begin to realize that you can get into the zone whenever you want.
