As a content writer, it is tough to constantly crank out new articles and it can be very diminishing. Writing on demand is very tough especially if you are new to the field. It’s important to understand that not every article will get you thousands of views, but the more consistent you are, the better your process will be in the long run. In a recent article, @neilpatel, discusses how writers can avoid burnout when trying to crank out multiple articles in a week.

Set a goal

What are you looking to accomplish? Whether your job consists of writing 1 article a week or 3,  set a goal in order to help motivate you. Many people are goal oriented and without establishing what tasks are more important than others, it can be very distracting.

“You must “get to work” and “stick to it,” which takes time.” - Neil Patel

Make time every day

If you ever played on a sports team growing up, then you must remember having to practice every day in order to improve your skills. This applies to writing as well as persistence is the key. While there may be a select few who are naturally gifted at things, the majority must work extremely hard to train their bodies physically or mentally. Creating time every day increases repetition and helps your task at hand become second nature.

“You don’t need to have talent to succeed. You need to have persistence.”

– Angela Duckworth

Create a deadline

Does procrastination sound like a familiar term? In school, we all hated to hear your “Paper is due next class period.” or “You must complete this assignment by 10PM.”  I know many, including myself, have a bad habit of pushing things off and waiting until the last minute. While it may be stressful, creating a deadline is actually very beneficial as it pushes you to complete the task and be more productive.

Avoid distractions

Many people believe they are “multi-taskers” and try to juggle multiple tasks. Whether it is talking to your coworkers, listening to music or simply surfing the web. These can all be very distracting when writing and make the mind drift off topic. When writing, I personally like to close all my windows, put my headphones to listen to music on loud enough so I cannot hear anyone else in the office, and just start writing. This not only keeps me away from the others in the office but more importantly does not ruin my train of thought.

“A single distraction can cost you anywhere from 27 seconds to 25 minutes”

– Kristin Wong

Be consistent

Our brain works in many fascinating ways, and believe it or not, we train our brains to do things every day. Whether you read a book every night or write an article at 10 AM every day. If you repeat these tasks every day, then it becomes muscle memory and your brain understands that same activity must be done on a daily basis.

“I only write when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes at nine every morning.”

- William Faulkner

Take notes

Inspiration comes from everywhere. Whether you are on your commute to work or eating dinner at home. Your brain is constantly thinking and drifting. It is important that when an idea comes into mind, that you write it down or else you will forget the next day when it comes to writing a new article. Trust me, it has happened many times to myself.

Write to your interests

Not everyone is into writing about tech, marketplaces, or the sharing economy. People are unique and have different passions in life. Write about what gets your thoughts going and do what interests you the most.

Write when you’re most energetic

Some people are early risers and jump right into things while others take a bit longer to get into the flow. Whenever your mind is flowing the most that is when you should be writing your articles. Writing isn’t easy and requires full attention to create an article that you are comfortable sharing with the rest of the world.

Empty stomach

As much as I love to eat, I know the struggle of trying to write when in a food coma. The sleepy feeling is tough to get over and get your mind flowing. Do not write your article after you just had a lunch buffet. Try writing 1-2 hours after eating your meals as you are fully digested and do not have a hunger craving nor are too full to work.

Have a ritual

No need to make it complicated but simply establish something that can help get you into a daily routine. Whether it is to finish your coffee before starting your writing process or listening to a certain song before writing. Nothing is wrong with creating a ritual to help your brain succeed.

Set a time

Whether you need an hour or 2 hours to write, designate a time. Using a timer not only helps reach a stopping point but also motivates you to get writing. This can help increase your productivity with multiple tasks you are given throughout the day.

Get help

We all have tasks at work we don’t enjoy doing. Whether it is proofreading other articles, uploading articles to your website, or designing images. Send those tasks to other people in order to focus on what you do enjoy to help avoid burnout.

Land a guest posting

This can be very exciting for people. Knowing that a new audience will be viewing your writing and expanding your network reach. This can help re-spark excitement into your writing and get feedback from outside of the norm.

Create a playlist

Personally, I love to listen to music when writing. It helps get me into the zone and keeps things moving along. Create a playlist for yourself that you are comfortable with and can help keep away from other distractions.

Outline beforehand

Many people get writer’s block, including myself. Sometimes it can be tough to just start writing. Create an outline to help segment your article and cover your main points. Often times I like to segment my articles into 3-4 different sections to help organize and get my mind moving.

Increase your typing speed

Did you ever take a type class in school? I know I did and I would always race my friends to see who can type the fastest. The teacher would tell me that speed isn’t important but more so the correctness. While this is definitely true, being able to type at a faster rate can help reduce your writing time.

Cat videos

While I am not too sure about this, but it is a proven study from the University of Indiana that watching cat videos is a positive thing.

“After watching videos of cute cats, workers experienced improved moods, better energy, and more positive emotions.”

Writers can tell you that it has not been an easy journey. It takes lots of practice and patience to create content. While discouragement and doubt will come into mind often, these tips can help improve your mindset and keep you on the right track. These tips may not work for everyone but is worth trying if you are having trouble creating consistent content.

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