Tammy Camp

How to Write Articles FAST: 5 Steps to Beat Writer’s Block & Crank Out Killer Content

Posted on 14. Oct, 2009 by Tammy Camp in Entrepreneurship, Productivity, Writing

Do you hate staring at a blank document on Microsoft Word?

Does your stomach tighten at the thought of your impending deadlines?

Try this solution. As soon as you possibly can. It just might save your ass.

By the way, this basic idea came from (and was authorized for distribution by) a Yale University grad who routinely got between a B+ and an A+ by handing in his FIRST DRAFTS, despite being a relentless procrastinator and starting his papers the night before they were due. It works.

It works for blogging, academic essays, personal statements, important emails, sales letters, screenplays, scripts. You name it.

1. Capture your thoughts on a tape recorder, stream-of-consciousness style, in a relaxed state of mind and emotion.

I learn better with audio stimuli (listening and talking) than I do with the written word, and I recommend that you try this step even if you don’t think it applies to you.

I speak MUCH faster than I type, so this method helps me retain ALL of my crazy ideas. And unlike rushed hand-written notes, which I usually can’t read or remember anyway, recorded soundbites keep my emotional inflection intact and save my hand from unnecessary, painful cramps.

As you do this, take a walk around your city or campus listening to your iPod. Drive around solo in your car with some music on. Talk to your best friend while watching TV or playing video games.

I recommend doing this AWAY FROM your work desk. Brainstorming works best if you are relaxed and free from momentary pressure. Even if you have an imminent deadline, the fresh air you get by walking around the block to Starbucks will help you generate a better batch of ideas than sitting hunched in front of your Thinkpad ever will.

Options for capturing your voice

• Old-school cassette tapes
  • I prefer old-school cassette tapes, and enthusiastically use this model, even though it is heavy as a brick and can be used as a weapon. You may prefer a lighter, digital recorder.
• BlackBerry Voice Notes Recorder
  • If you have a recent model BlackBerry, you can record Voice Notes using their built-in software.
• iPhone Voice Memos
  • If you have an iPhone, you can record via iPhone Voice Memos.
• MacSpeech Dictate
  • Mac users who have $199.00 USD to spare can invest in the MacSpeech Dictate program. MacSpeech automatically transcribes your spoken words into typed text. This takes care of Step 1 and Step 2 (below) simultaneously in this process of writing articles quickly.  Exclusive offer for my readers for MacSpeech Dictate – Save 10% on MacSpeech Dictate with Microphone. Use coupon MACSPEECH during checkout.

STANDARD CASSETTE TAPES
Tape Recorder: Sony TCM-200DV Standard Cassette Voice Recorder
Blank Tapes: MAXELL UR-60 Blank Audio Cassette Tape (Package of 8 )

MICROCASSETTE TAPES
Microcassette Recorder: Olympus Pearlcorder S701 Microcassette Recorder (S701ACC)
Blank Tapes: TDK MC60-6PK Microcassette Recording Tape

STANDALONE DIGITAL VOICE RECORDER
Tape Recorder: Olympus Digital Voice Recorder (VN 6200PC)

Now, if you’re impatient like me and would rather drive at 3 AM to quench your impulses than wait 7-10 days for shipping, then go to Duane Reade, CVS, or Staples, or Radioshack and buy one in person. Mine cost about $45 USD at Staples and I was perfectly fine with that.

TAKE A BREAK.

2. Play back your ENTIRE recording while sitting in front of your computer, and type out EVERYTHING as bullet points.

Do not edit anything out as “not good enough.” As you think of additional ideas, add them in as bullet points as well.

(By the way, whenever I’m working at my computer, I personally work best with a digital timer set to a 30 or 60 minute limit, dedicated “focus music” playing on iTunes, a glass of water, and a cup of either coffee or tea.)

Print out your bullet list, and TAKE A BREAK.

3. Using a red pen, put your bullet points into groups organized by common theme.

Go 1-by-1 and assign each point to a group (A, B, C, etc.) Using cut-paste (or copy-paste), put all the groups together.

CONGRATULATIONS! You now have an outline. Print it out, and TAKE A BREAK.

4. Type each theme as a paragraph. At this point, use grammatical sentences.

CONGRATULATIONS! You now have your first draft! Print that baby out!

***NOTE: If this is an academic essay with a page requirement, USE SINGLE-SPACE until the end of the first draft. Once the draft is complete, THEN select-all and convert it to double-space. Watching your paper explode from 5 to 10 pages all at once is psychologically rewarding.

4B. Reward yourself. Positive Reinforcement works.

Take a deep breath.

Heck, take 10.

And actually congratulate yourself, because you have killed the blank page and won the emotional battle. Your job is about 80% done.

…By the way, I bet $20 USD you WON’T congratulate yourself, which is a problem that is actually hurting your productivity. According to Wikipedia’s article on reinforcement, B.F. Skinner (the most influential behavioral psychologist in history) concluded that,

“positive reinforcement is superior to Punishment in altering behavior. He maintained that punishment was not simply the opposite of positive reinforcement; positive reinforcement results in lasting behavioral modification, whereas punishment only temporarily changes behavior and presents many detrimental side effects.”

5. Revise your draft as needed, get outside feedback, and publish or hand in the final version!

It is FAR easier to revise, even re-write, an existing draft of an essay than it is to fill up the pages that first time.

If a lot of new content is needed this time around, feel free to reuse Steps 1-4 to go from generating ideas vocally to typing polished paragraphs. (In my experience, I usually don’t need to do this, though.)

At this point, feel free to reward yourself with some retail therapy… just not too much!

Soooo… Go try this TODAY, on your next written assignment, starting from Step 1 all the way through, and comment below on how it works!

Rants and thoughts are welcome too.

Tags: MacSpeech Dictate, Productivity, Writer's Block, Writing