You have probably seen the claims about how to write professional quality articles in 10 minutes, so let me preface this article with some words of caution.

You cannot now, nor will you ever be able to, write professional level articles in 10 minutes. I am a professional and I can’t do that, despite years of experience and being able to type almost as fast as I think!

This article is for the times you don’t need to write professional level articles, and you just need to get stuff written quickly. It still probably won’t happen in 10 minutes, but it is not that hard to write fast decent articles.

Keep a running list of topics

As a writer, you should always be on the lookout for new topics to right about. They will appear out of nowhere and you will think to yourself, “I should write about that.” Then comes the most important step, write the idea down! You can use a voice recorder, a spreadsheet or good ole pen and paper if you want. You must record your ideas in some way lest they be lost forever. Once you have your idea recorded in some way, let it sit for a couple of days.

The reason you have this running, and hopefully extensive, list is so you can write about something you thought of days or weeks ago. Look through your list and see what catches your eye again. The topic may have sounded like a good idea when you first wrote it down, but a couple days removal from the heat of the moment may shed some light on the situation. Face it. Some of your ideas will be horrible. It happens to all of us. Cross it off the list and move on.

Time to Research

This is where most of your time will be spent usually. That doesn’t mean it has to be a lot of time. In fact, if you know the subject well enough you may be able to skip this step completely. In order to dish out an article quickly, you will need to have three points. These can be facts or concepts you want to present. You can definitely have more than three, and sometimes can get away with two or even one. A good rule of thumb is three so do some research until you have them.

If you have no idea where to begin, it is sometimes helpful to write three questions about the subject before you begin your research. The answer to each question will be a point in your article.

The Rest is a Breeze

If you can type, that is. If you can’t, then you need to practice. Whether you are trying to be a freelance writer or just dish out articles for your SEO endeavors, this is your moneymaker. If you are not willing to work on your typing then you are going to be wasting huge amounts of your time. I’d set a goal of at least 80 w.p.m.

I have a couple of good touch typing applications in my store here.

Do You Like to Outline?

I have outlined nearly all my professional articles, so it may surprise you to know that I hate to outline. It bores me and they take too long. That is why, when I’m not writing for a major publication, I never outline. What I do is write my points as bullets. That is as much of an outline as you will need for articles in write fast mode. Just use each bullet as the idea behind each body paragraph.

Write Fast and Write Well!

All that is left to do is the writing. Start with the body paragraphs. Don’t worry about your opening or concluding paragraphs until after you have written the rest of the article. Use each of the bullets you wrote down and write a paragraph based on those ideas. Once you are satisfied with the body paragraphs you can move on to the conclusion.

By writing the “meat” of the article first, you should have a much better understanding of what you are actually writing about before beginning your leading and concluding paragraphs. Once you have completed your last body paragraph, go directly to your conclusion. This should be easier to write with all the ideas fresh in your head. Summarize your ideas and write a concluding statement.

Now, all that is left is to start. To write your opening paragraph rewrite, reorder and reword your concluding paragraph. It should not read exactly the same, but it doesn’t have to be that original either. Remember, the reader will not be reading these paragraphs back to back like you are. Then you should personalize your article with a couple of sentences in the beginning. Tell a story, situation, or anything your reader will be able to identify with that will make them want to read what you have to say about your subject.

If you couple this advice with my article structures series you should be well on your way.

If I May Suggest

There is a book on the subject that goes much more in depth and in my humble opinion is certainly worth the read (I wish I had had this book when I was starting out). It is named, aptly enough, Writing Fast.

You can get a hard copy from my store here.

Or purchase a PDF copy here.

After the First Draft

From there you will go to editing. I have an article planned for editing in the near future. Stay Tuned.

Until then, happy typing!

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