The four keys to writing quickly
Some people can do it well. Others can’t. Still others can write quickly if and when they need to. No matter what group you fall into, writing quickly is a skill that you should definitely cultivate.
Why? Things happen. You might be suddenly tossed an assignment with a tight deadline. Or, a deadline might change on you. You could mix up a couple of assignments on your schedule like I did once. Or, you could have a lot of smaller jobs on your plate which you need to get through before you can go on vacation or to clear your slate for larger assignments.
As I mentioned a couple of paragraphs ago, writing quickly is a skill. You can learn it. Here are four techniques that I use when I need to write quickly. You can apply these techniques to just about any short non-fiction project or to your blogging.
Have an outline and stick to it
I know, I know. I harp on about outlining. Maybe a little too much. But, as I keep saying, an outline is your roadmap for getting to the end of a writing project with the minimum of surprises and detours.
The outline you create doesn’t have to be very detailed. If you’re in a hurry, you can just jot the main points down on a piece of paper.
But how do you know what those main points are? That’s where the next technique comes in.
Do your research up front
It’s definitely a lot easier to do that using the Internet. Grab all the information you need — from articles, entries from Wikipedia, and whatever else — and paste them into a text file or word processor file. And remember to note the sources. Read through what you’ve collected and highlight the salient points. Or, write those points in your notebook or on scrap pieces of paper. This will come in handy when you start writing.
Something that you might have noticed from your other writing projects is that you tend to internalize some (or more) of the information that you glean from your research as you’re doing that research. For a short while, you remember a number of key points. And, believe me, that helps when you’re rushing to finish something.
Use a format
In a post from long ago, I talked about the writing formats that I learned from the book The Freelance Writer’s Handbook by Dennis E. Hensley and Holly G. Miller. Those formats, though not applicable to everything that you write, can make speed writing a lot easier.
The formats, which are in this PDF file, provide a framework for quickly banging out non fiction. Check them out. Use them. You won’t regret it.
Remove distractions and start writing
You need to focus on your writing, and not on emails or IMs or Twitter or the family. Retreat to a quiet room and, if you can, close the door. Turn off your laptop’s wireless card or unplug your desktop computer’s network cable. If you’re comfortable with one, use a full-screen editor like Textroom or Q10. If not, use your favourite word processor or text editor.
Then, with your notes beside you, start writing. Give yourself a time limit for the first draft. I find that 45 minutes to an hour is good. Once you’re done, let what you’ve written lie for 10 to 15 minutes. Go back and do whatever editing or rewriting that you feel is needed. Again, give yourself a time limit — 20 to 30 minutes at the most.
Summing up
Writing quickly is a skill that takes time to develop. With practice, you’ll become better at it and more comfortable with both the idea and process of speed writing. What you produce won’t always be the greatest prose, but it will be readable. Or better.
Thoughts? Feel free to leave a comment.
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