Time Management and Writing
The art of writing takes practice, patience, and time. Brainstorming, researching, drafting, and editing can be finicky, taking even the most seasoned writers years to master fully. But as a content writer, also keep in mind that time is money. As a professional operating in a fast-paced landscape, you face the challenge of balancing quality and speed in the name of your craft.
When tasked with an assignment as a content writer, you’re immediately responsible for giving the content the care and attention it deserves. But what does the writing process look like? How long should it take? Let’s examine the time-factor for content creation, and look at ways to streamline your writing workflow.
Content Creation and Time
Blogging is a vital part of the content marketing landscape. And not without reason. Based on a multi-year study of content writers conducted by Orbit Media, 80% of respondents report that blogging delivers results. However, an issue many bloggers face is finding the necessary time to create and subsequently promote their content.
According to Orbit, the average time it takes to write a blog post has expanded to four hours and 10 minutes. That’s 74% longer than when the survey was first conducted in 2014. However, extra time spent seems to be worth it: the survey also found that those who spent more than six hours per post were 50% more likely to report strong results than the average.
The Value of Research
The research stage is one of the main contributing factors to the amount time it takes to create content. No one knows everything, but it’s your job to be as informed as possible in order to give your readers high quality takes. In Orbit’s study, those who undertook rigorous research were 41% more likely to report strong results.
The more time you invest in your work, the better it will typically become. It is important to remember, however, that spending too much time can lead to missed deadlines and a heavier workload. As with many things in life, striking a balance is key.
Deciding how much time to invest in gathering background information depends on the subject matter and your target audience. If you’re explaining something highly technical, or writing for an expert audience, it may be worth putting in the extra time at the research stage. For other purposes, getting a good general understanding and doing due diligence on sources used is usually sufficient.
How Long Should Your Writing Take?
How long should you spend on content? Many factors inform how long a piece of writing should take to produce. There is no one-size-fits-all rule applicable to all writers and bloggers.
Article length: Beginning with the obvious, the length of a piece impacts how long it will take to complete. An in-depth examination of a subject will require more writing than a listicle or short-form article, so one must dedicate more time to the former.
Topic selection: A writer's familiarity with a topic also affects production time. A repeat writing task or topic enables you to develop a system that becomes simpler the more frequently you write, resulting in an expedited process. Writing on unfamiliar topics may be more research intensive in the first instance, and will almost certainly take longer.
Content type: The type of content also affects the amount of time spent writing. A blog post will require different attention than a press release or business white paper. If your writing is promoted externally, additional layers of vetting and editing before distribution are vital.
Personal method: Understanding one’s own style and ability plays an important role in your workflow. Every writer has a pace at which they operate best. Know your personal workflow, and have a sense of how far you are able to push yourself when it comes to crunch time.
Handling deadlines: Writing for a deadline may mean pushing oneself to write faster. This can be beneficial in improving your talent as a writer; you are a bit out of your comfort zone and, as a result, you expand your skills. However, don’t overdo it. If you force yourself to write at an unnatural pace, your writing will suffer, resulting in quantity taking precedence over quality. If you don’t find your natural cadence and style, you’ll burn yourself out fast.
How to Increase Workflow and Speed
Now that you understand what factors impact your time spent writing, you’ll want to work on forming habits that increase your productivity.
Avoid distractions. The last thing you need is distractions. Make sure you have an efficient writing environment. It may help if your space is clutter-free and you feel comfortable at your workstation.
Make a schedule. Having a schedule and sticking to it can help you hone your workflow. Set aside dedicated writing time free from social media, television, and other electronic diversions. This is your time; everything else will be there once you finish your work. Plan out how much work you want done that day, scheduling breaks for eating and rest. You will find that writing becomes more effortless and streamlined once you develop strategies to avoid getting sidetracked.
Use an outline. Working from an outline allows you to write faster and more concisely. When you use an outline, you know what research to conduct, reducing time spent gathering unnecessary information. An outline enables you to establish a consistent writing flow; this will minimize the need for time-consuming rewrites. It also reduces clutter; once you have all pertinent information and research in front of you, all you need to do is summarize it, plugging the finessed version into the appropriate section.
Set goals. Before you start writing, set manageable goals for yourself. Break down the tasks; how long will you give yourself to finish it? You know how you write, so be honest with yourself. Setting this expectation helps the work to feel tangible and manageable. From here, you can break things down further; how long will it take you to finish one section of your outline or article? Can you get it done within that timeframe? Can you find a reasonable way to accomplish even more within the same time?
Reward yourself. Incentivize yourself to get work done more efficiently; once you meet a goal, allow yourself a snack break or a ten-minute escape from your work screen to go outside and walk around.
Know when to delegate. If you can, delegate work as needed. Having multiple eyes and hands on the project may allow for faster production. One person can be responsible for the research and pre-production work, while the other can handle the writing and editing of the piece. This tactic is helpful for those writing more extended pieces that take extensive research and labor to complete.
Avoid perfectionism. If you are waiting for perfection, you will be waiting a long time. To write is to grow; there will always be room for improvement. The important thing is getting your writing out. Once you have said what you want and your writing looks good, pass it to an editor and let them find the rough edges you may have overlooked.
Hop around. If you struggle to write a particular section, jump around and work on another section. This gives your brain a chance to rest and jog your creativity. When you finally return to the problem section, you will find it easier to finish.
Down to Work
Writers must work diligently to meet deadlines and produce content as efficiently as possible. But they also need to avoid carelessness and rushed jobs. Improving workflow means investigating one’s own writing habits and style, understanding how these affect the time spent producing content, and using tips and tricks to speed things up when appropriate. All this is to say that writing means continually working on yourself and your craft in everything you do.
Writing isn’t supposed to be easy, and even the most experienced writer can find ways to improve. Think of it as a lifelong journey, not a fixed destination.