Discover a Quiet Space to Work

Easy methods to write a blog post fast 101: find a quiet area to work in. It’s almost impossible to be productive when you have your neighbor’s gardeners mowing the lawn next door or your newborn crying in a nearby room. Personally, I have to remove myself from distractions of any kind to bash out some half-decent words (and pronto!).

A bit of background noise can sometimes be good for productivity levels (I’m talking about the hum of the radio or some fun sounds). But generally, having a designated place to work away from other people tends to work wonders for those who get distracted easily—which is nearly all of us who work remotely, right?

Do All the Hard Thinking Beforehand

Before you even sit down to write your post, be clear on what exactly it is you’re going to be doing:

• Who are you writing for?
• What’s the topic?
• What’s the key information that you need to include?

Crack open a new Word or Pages document ahead of time and brain-dump anything you can think of that will help you write the post when it actually comes to writing it. Also, perform any research and source keywords beforehand. The idea is that you can open the document at a later date and get on with the writing part without any interruptions. Happy days.

Have an Outline Already Written

Following on from the previous point, it’s a well-known fact that focusing on one type of task at a time (versus mixing and matching) avoids overwhelm. This helps you get things done faster. I always find that I can write blog posts faster if I have a rough outline drafted before I actually sit down to write the main body. Then you can basically just fill in the blanks. This prevents you from faffing around getting the outline together, which complicates things, increases stress, and ultimately takes longer.

Write in Short Bursts (Pomodoro Technique)

I personally find that I’m more productive when I write in short bursts and then take regular breaks. (I’m talking about doing 25 minutes of work followed by 5 minutes off.) This approach is known as the Pomodoro Technique, and it’s a well-known (and effective!) time management strategy.

It works by breaking down your workload into smaller, more manageable intervals. I find that I can’t write for too long without needing rest, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Blog writing requires significant mental effort when you’re doing it as a job, and it can be mentally draining. The key is to give yourself regular breaks if you want to write faster blog posts in the long run.

Listen to Music

Music and melodic noise are an effective way to enhance your productivity levels. Whether it’s the sound of the ocean going back and forth on the shore or your favorite Spotify playlist, experiment to find out what spurs you on when you’re blog post writing. Then make sure you do it so you can write as many posts as you can in hardly any time at all!

Only Work with the Tools You Need

Only work with the tools you need. Remove the things that can interrupt your flow from your workspace—cell phone, social media tabs, TV remote. For me, it’s my phone that’s the ultimate distraction. I normally have to leave it on silent, charging in another room as I’m writing. Otherwise, the temptation to drop everything and respond to my friend Susan’s text about her botched boob job is just too much. (Oh, Susan.)

Make Sure Your Laptop is Fully Charged

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been in the middle of writing a blog post, fully immersed and on a roll—and then my laptop dies. (Cue a lot of cursing that almost ends in throwing it out the window.) Instead of being interrupted, having to find your charger, plug in, and wait for a reboot, why not ensure your laptop is fully charged before you start writing? Groundbreaking, right? And absolutely worth doing.

Have Drinks on Hand

I can’t stress how important it is to have quick access to fluids when you’re blog writing. A healthy and hydrated body equals a healthy and hydrated mind—and that’s where all the words come from. If you’re like me, you’ll squeeze in at least one cup of coffee or tea throughout the day. Caffeine can sometimes stimulate productivity like nothing else. But make sure you’re drinking plenty of water too—it clears your mind, boosts your energy levels, and keeps you refreshed.

Give Yourself a Deadline

I set myself deadlines for every blog post I write to trick my brain into doing it. (For example, this current post needs to be done in 30 minutes by 3 pm.) As we approach a deadline, our stress levels rise. This primes the brain and body for action and makes us work hard until the task is done. This technique is called the Yerkes-Dodson Law—and guess what? It works.

Reward Yourself When the Work is Complete

My favorite step? Rewarding myself after I’ve finished. Whether it’s playing video games, watching an episode of something on Netflix, or going for a walk, treat yourself in some way for completing the work—even if it’s something small. Having the reward in mind while you’re writing gives you an aim to work towards. As time passes, the reward comes around sooner than you think—and doesn’t it feel great?

Separate Research from Writing

Research is a fun activity. You get to explore top blogs, browse Wikipedia, and click from site to site. Time flies. You don’t write a single word. Most productive writers don’t do research and writing simultaneously. Spend time researching your blog post, making notes, using the right tools, and gathering all the data you need. Then, close your browser, disconnect from the internet, and do nothing but write.

If during writing you think of a fact that needs checking, don’t stop writing. Instead, make a note (use an asterisk or a comment). Then, when you’ve finished the first draft, go back and check that point. Get that first draft from your head onto the page first. You can always strengthen your arguments during editing.

Write Now, Edit Later

Stephen King says, “To write is human, to edit is divine.” Editing is when you take that messy first draft, tidy it up, and get it ready for the world. But editing is a later phase. Productive writers don’t stop after each sentence to see if they got it right. They get that messy first draft out onto the page. Then when it’s complete, they go back, read what they’ve written, and edit it. If you stop after each sentence to tweak and polish, it will take hours to hit publish. Write the entire post in one long, messy session. Then edit it.

Write an Outline (With Sections)

Before you write, break your blog post into different sections using pen and paper:

• Introduction
• Body (with 2-3 subsections)
• Conclusion

Write down a single word or theme for each section. If you’re writing a list post, write down a single bullet point for each item. Develop on these themes. Note what you want to say in the conclusion and introduction. Now use this skeleton for your post. This takes 10-20 minutes and prevents that horrible moment when you realize you’ve written 500 words that won’t engage your readers.

Stuck? Write Your Conclusion First

Your conclusion is where you bring your ideas together in a few brief but succinct sentences. It’s also where your call-to-action goes. Scripting this sooner helps you focus on the narrative of your post. Recap the main points. Explain what you said and why it’s true. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t quite proven your point yet—you can fix that after writing the conclusion.

Write Your Introduction Last

All great writers know how important it is to nail that first line. It’s what convinces the reader to continue. But spending two hours on the first line won’t leave you much energy for the rest. Write the introduction after you’ve finished outlining, researching, writing, and editing your post. This way, you’ll know exactly what your work is about and what you want to say first.

When Blocked, Stop Writing

This sounds counter-intuitive, but some days when you’re blocked, you’re blocked. Get up from the desk. Go for a walk, make dinner, eat, drink, do anything but think about HTML, CTAs, and social proof. Don’t risk burnout. Later, when your subconscious least expects it, creep back to your desk and write before your conscious mind knows what’s happening.

Organize Your Research and Notes

The best blog posts link to other posts, cite scientific research, or provide evidence backing up the author’s point. This research takes time. Save your notes, ideas, and research in a tool like Evernote for reference while writing. Keep blog posts, articles, giveaways, quotes, and scientific papers organized. Having a system for your research makes it easier to find things later, meaning you spend less time searching and more time writing.

Keep Sentences Short and Paragraphs Shorter

One of the fastest ways to turn off a reader is to present them with large chunks of unbroken text. Sentences should be kept as short as possible. They’re more readable, giving your audience an easier job. Shorter sentences also lower the probability of going off your point. Paragraphs should also be short and sweet. The shorter the paragraph, the more likely readers will keep going. Keep individual ideas each in their own nice, short little paragraph.

Accept That Your Blog Post Will Never Be Perfect

There’s no such thing as a perfect post, and the earlier you come to terms with this, the better. I’m not advocating for publishing sloppy work, nor am I saying you shouldn’t be obsessive about details. But even the best blog posts could always be better, and time is always against us. Unless you’re Seth Godin, you probably have to publish a few posts a month, so agonizing over each one will sap your will to write and waste valuable time—not to mention risk incurring the wrath of your editor. Make each post as good as it can be, learn from the experience, then move on.

Don’t Be Afraid to Make Cuts or Adapt on the Fly

You may have forgotten, but I initially included a section in the outline for this post about optimizing for SEO. I fully meant to write it, but when I saw how the first draft was shaping up, I realized this was too substantial a topic to tackle in an already long post. So I made the call to cut it. Don’t be afraid to make editorial decisions like this.

Use Blog Post Templates

Having a pre-designed template for different post types (list posts, how-to guides, opinion pieces) saves hours of formatting and structural decision-making. You can download and use free blog post templates that are pre-organized for the most common blog formats. Just fill in the blanks!

Leverage Writing Tools

If you’re having trouble stringing sentences together, you’re not alone. Finding your “flow” can be difficult. Fortunately, there are tons of tools to help you improve your writing:

• Power Thesaurus – Crowdsourced alternative word choices.
• ZenPen – Distraction-free writing zone.
• Cliché Finder – Identify overused phrases.
• Grammarly – Free grammar and spell checker.

Choose a Catchy Title Last

Start with a working title, then refine it at the end. Keep it accurate, clear, and engaging. Aim for under 65 characters so it doesn’t get truncated in search results. Use strong language, alliteration, or numbers where appropriate. Sneak in keywords if it’s natural.

Optimize On-Page SEO After Writing

When you finish writing, go back and search engine optimize your post. Don’t obsess over keyword count—if you can include target keywords naturally, do it. Make your URL shorter and more keyword-friendly if possible. But don’t cram keywords; Google’s smarter than that. Review:

• Meta Description: 150-160 characters, starting with a verb.
• Page Title & Headers: Naturally include keywords.
• Anchor Text: Link to relevant internal pages with descriptive text.
• Mobile Optimization: Ensure responsive design.

Insert a CTA (Call-to-Action)

At the end of every blog post, implement a CTA that demonstrates the next action you want the reader to take—subscribe, download a ebook, sign up for a webinar, read another article. Your visitors read your post, they click the CTA, and you create a lead. It’s a win-win: readers get more value, and you get a lead to nurture.

Add a Featured Image

Choose a visually appealing and relevant image for your post. Content with relevant images receives 94% more views than content without. Make sure you have the right to use the image and consider copyright law. Format it consistently with borders or styles used across your blog.