7 Step Easy Writing System
You or someone who works with you will have to write.
No matter how much you may dislike the idea of writing, someone will have to write for your company sooner or later. You can either do it yourself, or hire someone else to do it. There are writing specialists you can hire, but you’re better off being able to write at least some of the content yourself.
I’ve covered this system before on this blog, but it’s vital to your online career. That’s why it’s worth a review now. Follow this system for writing. And if I convince you of nothing else, QUIT editing while you write. Write first. Edit later.
The good news is you can follow this system. If someone like me who hated English could learn how to write for the web, then you can do it too. Most people like to talk, but they’re terrified of writing. You may tense up the moment the word writing is used.
I want to change your mindset. Don’t think of it as writing. Think of it as talking on paper. Write just as if you were talking to your best friend. And don’t worry if you make a mistake!
You will make mistakes. That’s why the first copy of anything written is called a rough draft. It’s rough. It has bad grammar. It has spelling mistakes. It doesn’t make perfect sense. You’ll edit it later. The key is to sit down and write it in the first place. That’s the hard part.
You can do it…if you just think of writing as talking. Just let it come up as the words come in your head. It takes practice, and you’ll also find yourself editing a lot at first. But you have to get started somewhere. Here’s my simple seven step writing system…
Step One – Choose a Hot Topic.
If you’ve been doing your homework up till now, you’ve studied a lot of the problems in your client’s lives. Your article can easily be a solution to one of those problems. If you find a lot of clients are asking the same questions when they first come to you, write answers to those questions.
Another good tool is to keep your eyes on the news and what everyone is writing about. What is the big news of the day? What is really getting people talking? Take note and participate in the ongoing discussion with your own article.
Step Two – Silence the Ghosts.
When you first sit down to write you’ll hear your 5th grade teacher Mrs. Sourpuss in your head screaming at you. Nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, participles, OH MY! You’ll remember the misery of high school book reports…along with the poor grades you had on them.
You’ll hear someone in your past telling you why you’ll never be able to write. You’ll recall the day someone made fun of something you wrote. Tell everyone in your head to shut up and leave you alone. It’s time to write.
Step Three – Create an Enticing Title.
The title of your article is your headline. It has to reach out and grab people’s attention. It has to force them to want more. One of my favorite title formulas is, “7 Ways to Benefit…” This is where you tell your reader you’re giving them steps to accomplish whatever benefit they want.
Here are some examples: “7 Ways to Generate More Traffic Instantly,” “3 Insider Secrets to Saving Money On Taxes,” and “5 Steps to Building Your Own Birdhouse.”
Step Four – Outline it.
It doesn’t have to be a perfect outline. Just research the subject and make a few notes on a spare sheet of paper. Or put them on index cards. The point is to find and record the main information you want to use. Write down 3 steps, or 7 steps, or whatever basic outline you want to use.
When you do your writing, just look back on your notes and make sure to include all the important information.
Step Five – Write like you talk.
Sit down and write as quickly as you can. Don’t think over your words. Don’t go back and edit your mistakes. Just write. The reason most people never write is because they’re so concerned about mistakes they never do anything. Forget about it!
Like Nike says, “Just do it.” Write just like you’re talking to a friend. Spill it out. Don’t wait. Don’t go back and read what you’ve written. Just go…and finish writing on the subject as quick as possible.
Step Six- Take a break.
You’ve earned it. Take a break from your work and do something else. Go to a movie. Spend time with your family. This period could last 1 hour to 3 weeks…whatever you have time for. Work on a different project in between.
You’re letting your mind rest on the subject so you can come back to your work with renewed enthusiasm. Plus, you’ll come up with ideas during this period about what you forgot to say.
Step Seven – Edit it.
Read through it line by line. Edit it for grammar and use your spell check. Add in extra notes where needed. Delete lines where you simply repeat yourself needlessly. Hand it to a friend and have them read it to you out loud. Look for every place they stumble. Fix it until it is a nice flowing river. If it sounds like “writing,” then edit it. Keep working on it until it sounds like conversation. Make it simple, easy to understand, and useful.
This is the one time you get to talk…and go back to make sure you say the right words. This is where you take many of your rambling thoughts on the rough draft and polish them into diamonds.
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25 Responses to “7 Step Easy Writing System”
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Hey Terry
Nice article, outline + fast writing + letting it simmer is a golden formula.
Love the new theme as well.
Cheers
Kyle
Hi Terry,
This article hit home with me since I am in the middle of a writin project. Especially the part about not correctin your mistakes and writing as fast as you can. In fact, i am putting your advice into practice at this very moent sunce you will notice that I have sent you a rough draft comen t.that is full of bad grammer and mispellins
Thanks for the great advice!
Greg
Hi Terry
Thanks for a great article. It is nice to know that I am not the only person who puts off the actual putting pen to paper, or typing, articles. Makes me feel a lot better.
Edit later – that is such a good point because in my case, it is amazing how you can see an error a few hours later staring you straight in the face and you did not notice it at first. Tricks of the eyes!
Hi Terry,
Just received your “Internet Lfiestyle Retirement System” course. Wow! It’s fantastic… probably the best and most comprehensive information I have seen on the topic of creating an online information business for the long-term. Everything you do, whether it is a course, an article, or advice in general, is of the highest quality in my opinion. Thanks for all that you do for the beginniner, intermediate, and advanced internet marketer!
Now about this article… Great information as well but perhaps you can offer some additional input on my greatest obstacle in writing a book, ebook, information product, or sales letter ad copy. That is, how do you go about researching your content from what already exists and putting it into your own words, along with any additional info you want to cover on the topic? I am not familiar with how to avoid issues of copywright infringement, plagarism, or how to go about incorporating other people’s content with their permission. Let’s face it, given the number of books on the same topic, some of the same informaiton is repackaged over and over by different authorsfrom their own perspective, experiences, and viewpoints, with an occasional original piece of content or in a new media format. Can you offer any suggestions to this question, or is it something I could consult with you privately about for a fee?
Thanks for your help,
Mike
Nice article. I think people shouldn’t worry about a title until after the content is written. Sometimes your title may come out of a witty line or phrase that was in your writing.
Thank you everyone for your comments.
Mike: I’m not a lawyer so I’m not qualified to answer legal questions. It’s not a subject I’d really want to do as a coaching subject either as that has to be directed to someone more qualified than I. Do your research and learn. Then apply everything you’ve learned before you start putting it down. If you’ve used the methods you will end up with your own slant to it by nature as we all see things a little differently. On using other people’s material, that comes down to contacting them and negotiating for it.
Dear Terry,
Excellent, to-the-point advice. I’ve used the write first, edit later approach for a couple of months now and my productivity has increased dramatically. I encourage anyone who hasn’t tried it to give it a shot and see how it works for them.
An add-on that works for me is to use a timer. I commit to writing straight out for a set period of time, set the timer and start writing. I generally break it down to 20-50 minute periods. For some reason, looking at the timer count down works better for me than just looking at a clock.
On another note, I’m enjoying your Internet Lifestyle Retirement System. I’ve only been through the first 2 DVD’s so I can’t comment on the whole package as yet, but if the rest are as good, I’ll be very pleased indeed.
All the Best,
Joe
Hi, Terry,
Regarding to writing, it is a difficulty thing for me because I don’t like writing in the high school at all because I don’t have the topic or title even there is a topic I don’t have idea to say about it. From your article you say writing isn’t difficult just write as you speak so I will give it a try because have to promote my online bussiness on natural nutrition products. Can you please give me more advice on these topics.
Best regards
chris
Thanks for this tried and true article writing formula.
I also like the new theme, but not quite as much as the previous simpler version.
cheers.
[...] Dean presents 7 Step Easy Writing System posted at Integrity Business Blog by Terry [...]
Like the article. a lot Terry.
For me, post-it notes stuck on the back of a door are my perfect outining system. I can move them about, group them, etc. As long as someone doesn’tcome bursting through the door when I’m stood with my nose right next to it I’m OK!
Ian
Hi,
What you say really works for me – writing without editing.
And after some writing practice, I have noticed that even my rough draft requires minimal editing.
The key is to not loose the chain of thought; and not let the blanket of perfection douse the spark of creativity…
Hi Terry,
I am not a natural at writing in fact it takes me quite a while to put pen to paper, but having read your article everything became a lot clearer. You kinda made writing articles seem a whole lot easier to me. I am glad I came across your blog and I will definitely be back for more tips.
All the best
Hey great blog, great information we really like the concept of writing with minimal ediitng. We have always noticed that writing flows far better and is much more fluid when you just write and then leave it, don’t go back through and destroy the concepts with your editing scalpel. That being said checking for typos is always handy.
One of the good ways to find what you can write for an article is to see what others have written in that field and put that in your own words.
This way you are getting ideas on what you can add into your article.
Tal
Oh man, you could probably write (no pun intended) a whole series of articles on “silencing the ghosts.” The teachers that damaged my confidence are many. They would slam my hard work on some obscure out-of-date boring topic that they dreamed up to torture us poor students with.
I think this seven step system will work great for me. Breaking down a large task into smaller ones to create a whole is a great strategy to live by.
[...] Dean presents 7 Step Easy Writing System posted at Integrity Business Blog by Terry [...]
[...] Dean presents 7 Step Easy Writing System posted at Integrity Business Blog by Terry [...]
[...] Dean presents 7 Step Easy Writing System posted at Integrity Business Blog by Terry [...]
I always start off with a good title, once I have that nothing stops me, I like your tip concerning not correcting your mistakes as you go along, that’s something that can stop the flow of inspiration.
[...] Dean presents 7 Step Easy Writing System posted at Integrity Business Blog by Terry [...]
[...] Dean presents 7 Step Easy Writing System posted at Integrity Business Blog by Terry [...]
[...] Dean presents 7 Step Easy Writing System posted at Integrity Business Blog by Terry [...]
7 Step Easy Writing System helped me in my career. Thank you very much.