4 Simple Rules to Write Faster

How to write an article that people read

Writing is hard. Writing online is harder. But it doesn’t have to be.

Here are four simple steps that can help you write faster and better.

Step 1: Write the headline

Your headline is a promise to readers. Its job is to clearly communicate the benefit you’ll deliver to the reader in exchange for their valuable time.

Example:

Good headline: “How to read faster” — the benefits to the reader: by reading this, I can learn how to read faster.

Great headline: “How to read 30% faster without losing comprehension” — this headline is specific and the reader knows exactly what they are signing up for by clicking on the article.

Step 2: Outline the article

Writing your outline will help ensure that your article is organized, coherent, and focused. The job of the outline is to help you visualize what is needed for you to complete the article and avoid wasting time on extra research.

A good outline achieves two things: clarity for the writer, clarity for the reader.

Step 3: Find support and evidence

Now that you have a clear headline and have outlined how you will convey the ideas supporting your headline, you need to find sources, citations, or quotes you want to use to support your arguments.

Each paragraph from your outline will need to have at least one piece of evidence supporting the argument being made. The type of evidence or support needed will vary depending on the complexity of the article (research paper vs pop culture article).

Step 4: Write

Now all you need to do now is put together a subject + verb + object. You repeat that three or four times per paragraph and the job is close to being done. Finish the article by concluding and giving a brief summary of what was discussed.

That is all you need to write an article, folks. A headline, outline, support, and the actual writing to put together these things into a masterpiece for readers.