Save Time When Writing

In the world of freelancing, time is money – and that’s true whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction. You don’t want to sacrifice quality as you write, but the more writing you can do every hour, the more money you’ll make. So, how can you increase the rate at which you work while still maintaining a high writing quality?

• Take large groups of articles about similar topics.

While the first few articles may go slowly, if you’re writing 10+ about the same subject, you don’t have to do tons of new research for every piece. Research is what takes me the longest when it comes to writing articles. A word to the wise, though – if you take too many articles about the same topic, you could easily burn yourself out. Be careful! You have to be able to write unique, quality content for each article whether you’re writing your first or your fiftieth.

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• Write what you know.

Know a lot about a topic? Writing about it shouldn’t be so hard! The same applies here as with the last tip – because you don’t have to do tons of research, you can work more quickly. For example, I happen to know a lot about wine, so I take wine-related jobs whenever I can. Plus, you know, research for articles about wine is just fun.

• Hire an editor.

It may seem counterproductive to hire an editor if you’re trying to make more money, but having one can actually save you a ton of time. You have to figure that you’ll be paying him or her the money you’d typically make editing a piece yourself. However, you’ll also avoid spending time doing rewrites if you have an editor, so you’re getting double the time for your money.

• Ask tons of questions before you start.

Again, avoiding rewrites is key. One way to decrease the amount of mistakes you make in the first place is to ask a ton of questions before you start the project. Better yet, have your client send you an example of the style he or she wants and try to mimic that sample of writing to the best of your ability. The less rewriting you have to do, the better.

• Set goals if you don’t have deadlines.

If you’re anything like me, you have a tendency to procrastinate. Unless I have a set deadline, I tend to continually put things off, which can be a massive waste of time. Set goals for yourself. For example, I may not allow myself to turn on the TV in the evening until I have at least five articles finished. Something I want to watch? Too bad. A self-imposed deadline can work wonders for saving time.

• Turn off the TV.

Speaking of the TV, turn it off. When you’re writing, a little background noise can be OK, but with a television show, it is too easy to get lost in the program. Do yourself a favor and shut it off until you’re done working. You’re write faster and make fewer typos.

Got some tricks for writing faster? Share them with a comment below!