5 Ways to Write Targeted Posts in 2012

Do you feel that you sometimes spend too much time crafting articles for your blog or website? I know the feeling: I write thousands of articles annually for clients, for my blogs and for websites that I own or manage. My pace varies from 5 to 8 articles per day which puts me in the neighborhood of 2,000 articles written annually.

That’s a lot of articles for anyone to write, but it does provide for a decent living. I’m not including in that total the magazine articles I write for print publications nor the behind the scenes work that I do for my own sites.

Thought Articulation

Blogging offers the most informal way to write as bloggers generally aren’t sourcing other websites nor are they required to follow various style methods. Both options help elevate your authority, but aren’t required. Besides, when you have a thought in your mind, you want to articulate what you have to say and not worry about what others think or say.

For 2012, I’m planning to increase my writing productivity by about 20 percent. This means I’ll have to write at a faster clip or work longer hours — believe me, I want to actually reduce the hours I put in and make more money. I expect to do that by employing the following five techniques for the year so that I can produce more in less time:

1. Laser focus — My main areas of writing expertise are automotive, business, college and consumer topics. This ABCC arrangement means that I can cover those subjects I know and do each one well. Gone are the days where I’ve ventured into other areas only to be weighed down by having to do extensive research to bring myself up to speed. All four topics I know enough about to write most of my articles off of the top of my head.

2. Smarter headlines — I’m being extra careful to write headlines that are catchy as well as smart. You can write the best article, but have those words lost because your title is uninteresting, vague or confusing. Attract your readers with articles that offer plenty of substance, but are accompanied by headlines that attract.

3. Develop idea lists — Most of my ideas are percolating in my brain, but I’m going to start jotting down my ideas and go to that list whenever I’m needing something new or fresh. You can put your list on your computer, in your handheld device or do it the old-fashioned way: on paper. Find a method that works best for you and keep adding to it and subtracting from it when you’re ready to use an idea.

4. Simplicity matters — There are times when I’m writing longer, magazine-style articles of 750 words or more with three or more references. These articles take one to two hours to complete, but are no where nearly as common as the shorter articles I write. Stick with a 400-word minimum and come up with at least three points to following your introduction and to precede your conclusion. Bullets and numbered lists are still the way to go, providing visual appeal and reading simplicity.

5. Write when you’re inspired — I firmly believe that writer’s block does not exist. What does exist is our personal fear of failure and bodily fatigue. Overcome the fear and write, write, write. Get rested and write whenever you’re most productive. There are times when I’ve banged out five articles in two hours, took an extended break and returned to write four or five more before calling it a day.

Have Fun!

Above all else, have fun when you’re writing. The vast majority of your articles should be on topics you’re familiar with and like, allowing you to be the most productive and hopefully making the most money. As long as your interest in writing remains strong, you’ll do fine. If you’re flagging in interest, find something else to do for a while before returning and are ready to write.

See Also — Easy, Breezy Tips for Better Articles

How Clutter Can Lead to a Case of Writer’s Block

By James Adams

Writer’s block can strike at any time, and for a variety of reasons. Though not all causes of writer’s block can be determined, some of the more common ones are stress, relationship problems, illness, family troubles, and burnout. But did you know that clutter in your home or office can also cause this problem? You might be unknowingly suffering from clutter-induced writer’s block.

There are many ways clutter and disorganisation can put a halt to your creative output.

1. The Stress Effect: Stress is a major known cause of writer’s block. All those piles of paper, coffee mugs, and random objects on and around your work space are signs of stress that you cannot ignore, no matter how into your work you might be. Regardless of where it’s coming from, stress is the number one destroyer of creativity. And let’s face it — you probably already have enough stress in your life. Clutter can only add to your stress levels.

2. That Subconscious Sucking Sound: You might not be thinking about the disorder that’s surrounding you. In fact, you may believe that you have been messy for so long, clutter is now just a fact of life, and you don’t have a problem with it. Many creative people can even get superstitious about their sloppiness, believing that if things were cleaned up, they’d never be able to find anything again. But the truth is, the back of your mind is always fretting about clutter and vowing to get organised soon. This subconscious worry can really bite into your output.

3. The Feng Shui Flow: Even if you don’t believe in feng shui, the basic principles hold true. Having a lot of clutter around disrupts the energy flow, saps creativity, and makes you feel fatigued. Your brain — yes, even if you mostly use the right side of it — prefers to look at clean, organised surroundings. Once you clear the clutter, you’ll start to relax, and your energy will be restored along with your concentration.

4. Ghosts of Problems Past: The clutter that’s hanging around your home or office represents moments frozen in time. All that stuff serves as a reminder of the past, that project you started and abandoned, the dinner you ate at your desk when you were pressed for time, a fun purchase you keep meaning to put away but haven’t found the time to yet. When your mind is stuck in the past, its hard to move on and find new ideas. Therefore, your writing is blocked.

5. Focus, Grasshopper: To write well, you have to focus on the words you’re trying to put on paper (or on the screen). Having a lot of clutter around splinters your focus. While you’re trying to organise your thoughts around the piece you’re working on, your mind is calculating how much time it’s going to take to do the dishes, including that glass sitting next to your monitor, or whether you remembered to take out the trash, because there’s a little snowdrift of candy wrappers huddled beside your keyboard. It is a good idea to get rid of as many distractions as possible, so you can focus on nothing but your words.

6. Desktop Disasters: How many icons are scattered on your computer’s desktop? Electronic clutter is just as distracting as physical disorder and has the same effects on your writing state of mind. Concentrating on a writing project is difficult when you’re faced with a half-dozen reminders of other things you could be doing, along with links to your favourite procrastination tools like blogs, Facebook and Solitaire. Additionally, if your electronic files are a mess, you’re going to lose a lot of time looking for what you need, and you can also lose your train of thought, and consequently develop writer’s block.

7. The Power of Procrastination: If your brain were a computer, your constant mental to-do list would probably occupy more than half of your RAM at any given time. This means you’re left with a low capacity to devote to your current writing project, and chances are good that your overworked processors are going to balk at the new workload , leading to writer’s block. Cleaning up clutter can help you unearth things you’ve been meaning to do for a while, but keep putting off, even though your mind still stores them under stuff you still have to tackle. Recycling old newspapers and magazines, passing on books or clothing to friends and family, or donating a carload of used goods to a local charity shop will free up some of that mental RAM so you can focus on writing.

So, the next time you find yourself staring at a blank screen in despair while sentences and paragraphs refuse to form at your fingertips, try curing your writer’s block by engaging in a little clutter busting. Even something as simple as clearing off your desk and wiping off the dust can give you a much-needed creative boost.

Author Information

James Adams works at Spares Next Day where he reviews hoover bags for vacuum cleaners and other cleaning products.

Photo Credit: dekok