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This is a guest blog post from one of my heroes online, Terry Dean.

You may have seen Terry’s amazingly thorough response in my Expert Briefs blog post the other day “How to Get Other People to Promote You“. If not, click on that. It will open in a new window so you can read it later. It’s awesome.

If you’re newer to the scene, Terry is an established marketer who I respect and enjoy very much.

Here’s his official bio so you can be suitably impressed. :)

Terry Dean started his online business from scratch in 1996. He went from delivering pizzas for a living to building a million dollar Internet business promoted primarily through the Internet. Within a few years he was also consulting with home based businesses, local companies, and million dollar corporations. His original company and websites were sold in 2004, and he founded MyMarketingCoach, LLC. which is dedicated to coaching entrepreneurs in the 10 key principles of success in business and life.

I am a paying member of his Mentoring Club – and I love the content.

Click here to Check out Terry’s Mentoring Club

Be sure to check out the bonuses on that page. They. Are. RIDICULOUS!

Now that you know that we have a rock star in the house, read on for an awesome article.

How to Write an Article or Blog Post in 30 Minutes or Less

by Terry Dean

Content is currency online…especially when it’s attention grabbing and entertaining.

The more great content you publish, the more likely it can be shared, attract your target eyeballs, and build a relationship with your audience.

Here are 10 quick ideas to help you produce content quickly and achieve better results consistently.

1. Fill a notebook with ideas.

A blank page is a painful experience.  So never start with one.

Look for ideas constantly.  Keep a notebook with you to jot down ideas for your articles, videos, podcasts, and any other form of content.

I’m a little old fashioned and keep a small notebook and pen handy whenever the ideas comes.

You can also use the digital recorder on your phone.  The point is to capture the concept when it’s fresh.

When you sit down to write, you have a collection of ideas ready to go.

2. Keep an eye out for stories and metaphors.

Everything that happens in your life is potential fodder for a story.

For example, I regularly share marketing concepts from my dogs.  They’re a part of my life.

We live in the age of the celebrity.  You become a “mini-celebrity” in front of your audience as you let them peek inside your life.

The key here is to always relate the stories and principles back to your message.

3. Write first.  Edit later. 

Don’t confuse the two.  Write first.  Come back and edit it later or the next day.

If you’re trying to do both at once, it’s like writing with the brakes on.

You’re not going anywhere.  If you find yourself constantly editing while you write, you can even turn your monitor off to keep from distraction.

And don’t even think about trying to write with your browser open to other sites and distractions.

4. Use a series of tips.

A tips article like this one is much quicker to produce.

It only takes a couple of paragraphs about each tip.

Plus, these types of articles are easy to read as well.

I’ve done anywhere from 3 tips up to 21.  A bonus to the 21+ tip articles is they can often become series as well.

5. Create an ongoing series.

Break up your content to multiple days.  It becomes part 1, part 2, and part 3.

That one idea quickly morphs into a week of content or more.

The best use of this is when you have a large topic that needs to be broken into easy to follow bite-sized chunks.

6. Batch content.

You already have ideas in your notebook.  When you have a quiet writing session, such as in the early morning, churn out multiple pieces at once.

Once you’re flowing, don’t stop.  Keep going.  As soon as the first article is done, start the next one.  And keep it up until the inspiration is gone.

Getting the momentum going is the hard part.  You’ll get much more accomplished if you just hold on when it’s already moving for you.

7. Concise is better.

When you shooting for 30 minutes or less, you’ve got to keep it short.

You’ll not going to produce a monster sized 2,000 word foundational post for a blog in that timeframe.

But the majority of your content doesn’t need to be that anyway.  Most of my articles hover at 500 words or less.

There’s nothing wrong with 150 words if you can get your message across in that time frame.

People have a short attention span today.

8. Paste extra ideas in another document.

As you’re writing, other ideas will bounce through your head.  Don’t veer off in the wrong direction in your current piece, but you don’t want to lose the idea.

Anytime other ideas pass through your mind, toss them over in another document or idea file.  You can work on that idea for the next article.

9. Look for Q&A opportunities. 

Here’s another of my favorites.  People likely ask you questions by email or social media.

Use those questions as launching points for future content.

If one person has the question, others will also.  Publish the question (or the relevant portion) and answer in your article.

10. Become a reader.

The more you read, the easier it is to write.

You should also expand your reading outside of just “business materials.”

What other interests do you have?  Read on those subjects as well.  You’ll expand your knowledge base and your idea file.

Can you see why I love this guy?

I will give you a few of my tips, but first, let me remind you about Terry’s Marketing Mentor Program, so you can see if it’s right for you.

In my opinion, this is for people who have already gotten past the initial hurdles and are ready for some serious butt-kicking.

Should you buy it?

NO. I would not recommend it for you if you’re brand new and don’t even have a blog or list yet.

YES! – If you’re already building a list and you have a product under your belt, then this can DEFINITELY help you to grow your business.

Here’s the link to check it out again, if you think this is something that can help you.

Click here to Check out Terry’s Mentoring Club

So, what else can help you to be a prolific writer? Three more tips from me.

I have three tools in my arsenal that I use. A ding, a draft, and a doodle. (Cute, eh?)

1. A ding.

I have two timers on my desk at all times. Setting a time allows me to brain dump an article quickly, rather than taking my sweet time in writing it. The quality of the article (after editing) is pretty much equal whether I write it in 20 minutes or 2 hours, so using a timer gives me more time to enjoy life.

I do need to upgrade my timer, though, after seeing this little owl timer! I SO need him! Isn’t he adorable?!


Kikkerland Owl Kitchen Timers

2. A draft.

Whenever I get an idea for a blog post, I click on “Add New” in my blog’s dashboard and I start a new blog post with that title. I then save it as a draft. That way, the next time I run into writer’s block, I can open my drafts and see if anything catches my attention.

3. A doodle.

When I’m stuck in writing a longer piece, like a report or ebook, I doodle. I grab a notebook and start bubbling out my entire piece. That pen on paper action, combined with the freedom of linking things together while scribbling really helps me to make sense of the way that I want to teach something.

Here’s an example of one that I doodled before a presentation that I did about Outsourcing.

What about you?

Let’s talk.

  • What are your best tips for writing quickly?
  • What are your biggest frustrations with creating content?
  • Got any questions for me or Terry?

Let me know in the comments below.

Warmly,
Nicole

PS. If you are not ready for the Mentoring Program, check out Terry’s free reports here -> Terry Dean’s Internet Lifestyle Manifesto

PS again. Terry and I are not related nor married, by the way, in case you were wondering. (People ask all the time.) :)