A glowing white screen can be mesmerizing in its utter emptiness, taunting you to type something… but not just anything. It’s got to be useful or interesting to your blog and newsletter readers. It’s got to be better than the last article you wrote. It’s got to wow your readers. It’s got to elicit a reaction. It’s got to bring in business. Oh, the pressure!
Many people tell me their biggest challenge is just getting started with the writing. Are you ready to try a writing process that actually works? Here’s the caveat: it only works if you don’t leave your writing till the last minute.
Day 1: Outline (5 minutes)
- Write a sentence that describes the main point you want to get across, the goal of your article.
- Jot a bullet list of points you want to include.
I usually do this on a slip of paper or file card and keep it handy near my computer. For a more detailed outlining approach, download a fillable worksheet here.
Now, fast-forward 24 hours…
Day 2: Draft (15 minutes)
- Review your bullet outline and add new thoughts.
- Start typing your article. Let your thoughts flow and use your outline to stay focused. Don’t edit or fix mistakes at this point – it’ll slow you down and distract you. Let your fingers do the talking.
Fast-forward another day…
Day 3: Polish, Publish and Check (40 minutes)
- Edit your article. Editing is about the overall structure and flow of the article.
- Proof your article. Proofing is about grammar and spelling and punctuation. (More about editing and proofing here.) Use tools like Grammarly to make your job easier but don’t rely on them completely.
- Publish your blog post and check that any links are working properly.
That’s just 1 hour!
If you can spend one hour per week writing a new article for your business marketing campaign, you’ll soon find many unexpected benefits. Bookmark this page or simply start right now.