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Abstract

ready have lined up and the new ones that come to my mind.</p><h1 id="814d">The writing process: Not OK</h1><p id="6569">This is where I find more difficulties and what lead me to write this request for advice to the Medium writer’s community.</p><p id="110d">I think I take too long to write the articles. Even when I already have the idea and structure on my mind, the language barrier consumes me too much time. Since English is not my native language (Portuguese is), I usually think and plan the articles in Portuguese on my mind and then have to “convert” the message into English.</p><p id="d026">I feel like I need to improve this process, but I am not sure what will be the best way to proceed.</p><p id="8ce1">These are the 3 main processes I have tried so far:</p><h2 id="fca3">1 — Writing in English from start to finish</h2><p id="8828">This was the best way I found to get better results in terms of writing quality and message. But it takes me a very long long time… and sometimes I feel like the ideas I want to transmit get “reduced” by my limited knowledge of the English language.</p><h2 id="f190">2 — Writing in Portuguese, then “convert” to English</h2><p id="2fa2">In this way, I feel much more comfortable and at ease in writing my perspective. But when it comes to the translation process, It also requires me a long time to translate and adapt the message because of the language differences and my not so great knowledge of the English language. Using Grammarly helps but even so it takes too long.</p><h2 id="bd81">3 — Writing in Portuguese, then “convert” to English and ask for an expert help</h2><p id="b02f">In these cases, I start by writing in Portuguese, then translate and adapt to English and then I raise my voice and s

Options

ay: “<i>my dear daughter, could you help me for just a few minutes?</i>”</p><p id="679d">My daughter writes and speaks English very well and she has been a great help in reviewing some of my drafts, improving the headlines, and also when I have to admit that “<i>I just don’t know how to say this in English… sorry, help dad again please</i>”.</p><p id="002f">She has been a precious help (<i>thank you, my amazing daughter</i>) but I don’t want to keep bothering her and I feel it’s time for me to “go out on my own all the way”.</p><p id="62eb"><i>We are definitely in a new era — in the old days it was supposed to be the kid to say this to dad, not the opposite, right? :-)</i></p><h2 id="3298">Help wanted</h2><p id="3ff6">I know that work and practice are the only sure ways to become better at this.</p><p id="f493">But I also believe there are probably many writers on Medium that have similar difficulties in “translating” ideas to English in a more efficient way, so I decided to expose my vulnerabilities and ask for help.</p><p id="ea2b">Probably many non-English writers have already faced these problems and found some ways to reduce the writing “adaptation” time.</p><p id="cd9d">Also, some native English writers might have started writing in other languages and found similar problems or tools to overcome them.</p><p id="7520">So, maybe we can help each other by sharing some knowledge and learning to write faster (and better) in English when this is not our native language.</p><p id="a74e"><b>How can I speed up my writing process when English is not my first language?</b></p><p id="4219"><b>Do you have any advice/tips/tools/resources you can share</b>?</p><p id="21d9"><i>Thank you in advance for your help.</i></p></article></body>

How to Write Faster (and Better) if English Is Not Your Native Language — a Call for Help and Advice

Looking for ways to improve the writing process

This is the End…

Just the end of my first month on Medium, nothing dramatic, don’t worry!

In fact, I am very happy with the results: I wrote 16 articles, got 600 views, 200 reads, 20 followers, created a publication — “Creative Informer”, and earned almost $2!

Overall, I feel happy about the results and all I made so far. I know it takes time and serious work to improve and I was able to do much more than I expected.

One month ago I was not even sure if I should start… but I found some very useful information and encouragement in Zulie Rane videos, (thank you Zulie), and decided to just start and see what happens.

The ideas: OK

Ideas for articles have not been a problem. If I had more time available (I have a day job), I would probably have written many more articles.

It has been hard to choose between all the ideas I already have lined up and the new ones that come to my mind.

The writing process: Not OK

This is where I find more difficulties and what lead me to write this request for advice to the Medium writer’s community.

I think I take too long to write the articles. Even when I already have the idea and structure on my mind, the language barrier consumes me too much time. Since English is not my native language (Portuguese is), I usually think and plan the articles in Portuguese on my mind and then have to “convert” the message into English.

I feel like I need to improve this process, but I am not sure what will be the best way to proceed.

These are the 3 main processes I have tried so far:

1 — Writing in English from start to finish

This was the best way I found to get better results in terms of writing quality and message. But it takes me a very long long time… and sometimes I feel like the ideas I want to transmit get “reduced” by my limited knowledge of the English language.

2 — Writing in Portuguese, then “convert” to English

In this way, I feel much more comfortable and at ease in writing my perspective. But when it comes to the translation process, It also requires me a long time to translate and adapt the message because of the language differences and my not so great knowledge of the English language. Using Grammarly helps but even so it takes too long.

3 — Writing in Portuguese, then “convert” to English and ask for an expert help

In these cases, I start by writing in Portuguese, then translate and adapt to English and then I raise my voice and say: “my dear daughter, could you help me for just a few minutes?”

My daughter writes and speaks English very well and she has been a great help in reviewing some of my drafts, improving the headlines, and also when I have to admit that “I just don’t know how to say this in English… sorry, help dad again please”.

She has been a precious help (thank you, my amazing daughter) but I don’t want to keep bothering her and I feel it’s time for me to “go out on my own all the way”.

We are definitely in a new era — in the old days it was supposed to be the kid to say this to dad, not the opposite, right? :-)

Help wanted

I know that work and practice are the only sure ways to become better at this.

But I also believe there are probably many writers on Medium that have similar difficulties in “translating” ideas to English in a more efficient way, so I decided to expose my vulnerabilities and ask for help.

Probably many non-English writers have already faced these problems and found some ways to reduce the writing “adaptation” time.

Also, some native English writers might have started writing in other languages and found similar problems or tools to overcome them.

So, maybe we can help each other by sharing some knowledge and learning to write faster (and better) in English when this is not our native language.

How can I speed up my writing process when English is not my first language?

Do you have any advice/tips/tools/resources you can share?

Thank you in advance for your help.