Conversational Writing - Productive Writing - Fast Writing - Content Creation

One of the main challenges that we (as bloggers, Hubbers, and other online content creators) face is productivity … we all recognize the need to create as much (high quality) content as possible; it is plain and simple math -- the more content you create, the more likely your content is going to be found.

If you are like me, you have no shortage of ideas. I think of new things that would be cool to write about all the time. If you are also like me, you get “bogged down” in the process of ‘researching’ those ideas, and thinking about how to write the perfect Hub or blog entry about those ideas, but spend relatively little time actually writing about them.

Part of the problem is that the ideas really are interesting. I want to read more about them, and one thing leads to another, and soon I am simply overwhelmed by information and possibilities. Where to start? Should I begin with something simple, or do a full, advanced treatment right away? How should I organize what I know and what I have discovered? What about attribution, notes, and side topics? Should I just do a blog entry, or start a whole new website based on the idea? How should I market it, or should I do that at all? What is the best venue for the idea? Etc., etc., etc.

When I think about all of this, my mind returns again and again to one simple fact: It is better to write something, than not to write anything at all. I know, I know, there are exceptions to that rule; I really am talking about writing something of quality, something helpful, not about spamming or vomiting out other peoples ideas that you have just consumed. Please don’t leave me comments about how so many web pages would be better off never written. I would only agree with you.

One techinique that writers use to overcome this problem is to simply sit down, pick a topic, and start writing, and NOT STOP AT ALL until they have ‘enough’ content to work with. This may mean 250 words for some projects, or 2,500 for others. For extremists, this may mean writing an entire book in (essentially) one sitting, with no time given over to reflection, minor edits, or other time suckers. Because the simple fact is that if you stop, at any time for any reason, you may never start up again.

I am not sure what to call this technique; perhaps “stream of consciousness” writing, or “conversational” writing. I would probably prefer “conversational”, because that is what it is like for me. It is like I am speaking to my readers, and just like when I am truly speaking, what is said has been said and cannot be changed. You cannot edit or delete portions of a conversation in progress, you can only keep on talking.

Naturally, AFTER you have created the conversational core of a blog or Hub or whatever, you are free to edit to your hearts desire -- but I warn you against that. I would keep such editing to the bare minimum. Add a bit here, trim a bit there, correct any spelling and grammar errors that have (certainly, in my case) crept in. But by all means, DON’T ‘rework’ it. If you have more to say, say it in a new post. The whole point of this approach is to get it down in writing and PUBLISH.

Here is my core assumption: the more you do this, as with anything, the better you will get at it. You will see the shortcoming in earlier works, and that insight will help to improve what comes later. Meanwhile, that earlier work can be online, earning income, helping to build your reputation, etc. And if your earlier work is not as good as what comes later, then hey … welcome to the human race! I think we all understand that experience is one of the key factors in creating a master. We don’t start out at the top, we crawl there from our humble beginnings in the depths of things.

Having said all of the above, how can I relate this to a real-world example that you can ‘see’ in you mind? Very simple. I now confess: I began this article when I decided to have lunch. While the sauce from the night before was warming up, and the water was coming to a boil, I began. I continues after turning the sauce down and pouring the noodles into the boiling water. As preparations progressed, I stole moment after moment to add a few words or sentences as I was able, and continued doing so between bites as I ate. Now I am chewing on the last bite, and this article is complete.

I could have just stopped for lunch; instead I was able to get some important work done as well.

I would love to hear what you think, and about your own struggles with productivity in the comments.