Thirty days ago I wanted to re-develop a writing habit.
Read on if you want my process for doing just that, From how I come up with ideas all the way to publishing them.
By the time you finish reading this, you will know exactly step by step how I go about it.
I can’t spell, I have no clue about the rules of grammar and I have never passed an English exam in my life. I have however written numerous books, for myself and others two of which became bestsellers. I have written countless sales letters and email sequences, landing pages and web copy. And been mentored by some of the very best along the way. People who the young pups of today talk about in reverent whispers.
So here it is…
My SHORT ARTICLE WRITING PROCESS.
DAY ONE
1. Brainstorm Ideas
- I am always adding to the list of ideas I want to write about from things I read or listen to. More often than not I brainstorm 10 ideas I want to write about. So I always have a list on hand. I never wait until the end of the list before I do another 10. I don’t like being idea-poor.
2. Pick Best
- From the list, I single out the best idea or the one I most like the idea of writing about. This begins my thinking about it stage and starts my mind to percolate.
3. Paste In pre-made writing structure
- I never start with a blank page. I will always paste in a structure that I want to write to. Often I throw the baby out with the bathwater. It does not matter. It is psychologically much easier for me not to start with an empty space. (If you want a copy of my structure “like” this article on Twitter and DM me.)
4. Headline 1st Draft
- 90% of getting something read is decided in the headline. So I have a crack at the first attempt just to get the ball rolling. My first draft seldom ever makes the grade.
5. Brain Dump ideas onto the structure
- Next, I take all the ideas and in point form, I jot down all the ideas that I have about the subject. If I don’t have enough I might go to my 2nd brain to hunt for ideas. I also often go walking for ideas.
6. Read Before Sleep
- About an hour before bed, I have a quick read of what I have. I have a quick think about it and that day is done.
- The Zeigarnik Effect – Your mind has a greater capacity to give attention to uncompleted tasks. So leaving an article half-completed actually makes me want to write it. Trust me when I say this removes at least 80% of the resistance to wanting/having to write. If you take just one thing from this article it is the power of leaving something half
DAY TWO
7. Write Without Stopping
- As soon as my morning rituals are done. I start writing. After sleeping on it, most of my ideas are fully formed and the words pour out of me. I won’t stop writing until the article is done. Only then do I…
8. Edit
- Here is a top tip. Don’t go back and edit until the whole thing is written. It kills your flow and you start to second-guess yourself. It is fine in the editing stage, which is just there to tighten sentences and polish up the rough spots.
9. Fix Headline
- Here is where I have a play with ideas and figure out who I am speaking to and what pain problem or desire I am offering a solution to. I crank out a dozen or so ideas and pick the best one. (often it is bits from a few ideas cobbled together until I like the sound of it.)
10. Post
- I post the article on my website the day before I post it on socials. This gives me some breathing space if I want to go back and tweak it before I share it with the world. Normally, I never change it but I do like the breathing room.
There you have it my complete process. The exact same one I used to write this.
