Guest post by Monika Jansen of Jansen Communications.
In a burst of excitement, you blocked out time on your calendar to write a blog post. That time starts in two minutes, and you are doubting yourself. Can you really write a blog post in one hour?
Sure you can. And no – that’s not easy for me to say because I’m a professional copywriter. I procrastinate, get distracted and suffer from writer’s block like anyone else. But when I follow the formula below, I can whip out a blog post in no time.
How to write a blog post in one hour
First, get rid of all distractions. Close your email. Put your phone on silent. Shut your office door or put in earbuds so no one will bother you.
Second, think of a reward you get when you’re done writing. Your favorite chocolate? A cup of tea? Five minutes on Instagram?
All set? Let’s go.
Pick a topic and angle
If you’re stuck for a topic, what’s the last question a client asked you? Start with that. Don’t finesse the topic into a title – it can be a rough idea.
And don’t try to tackle a topic you’re just learning about. That post will take much longer than an hour.
The key to writing a blog post quickly is deciding the angle of the topic. This is a critical step, because it will keep you focused as you write.
For example, let’s say you handle partnerships for your nonprofit. Are you going to write about how to set up a partnership, how to maintain a partnership (so everyone stays on good terms) or how to dissolve a partnership amicably?
Write the body of the blog post next
Skip the title and introduction for now. We’ll come back to those. Write down all the main points you are going to make in this blog post. Those are your subheads. Then, write the paragraphs that explain each subhead concept in more detail.
Now, one thing people struggle with is the amount of content. You don’t need to write a novel! Google only needs 300 words on the page in order to index it. A blog post of 300-500 words is perfectly fine.
As you re-read your blog post, cut out any duplicative content. Say something once, and then move on.
Finish with your introduction, conclusion, and title
These are the last things professional copywriters and bloggers write.
For your introduction, sum up the angle of your blog post. What will people learn? And why are you the person they should listen to?
In your conclusion, what should people do next? You could challenge them to try something new and report back their results, point them to an ebook where they can learn more, or ask them to contact you.
Finally, your title. What will grab people’s attention and give them enough information so they know what the blog post is about?
That’s it! This is the magic formula I use so I can write a blog post in one hour. (This blog post only took 30 minutes – really!)
If you want to improve your blogging this year, writing faster is a start. You can also find more tips in my most popular ebook: The Small Business Guide to Blogging. It’s free, so download it today and give it a read.
