Eleven Top Notch Tips to Write Content at Turbo Speed

By Nirjara Rustom

Startling Facts:



* Unnecessary interruptions consume about 30 percent of an average knowledge worker’s working day.



* It takes about 25 minutes to get back your attention to something you have been writing about or working on, if distracted.



* Whenever an interruption ends, we wander off in another direction approximately 40% of the time.



* The Attention Span of humans has fallen to an average of 5 minutes and 7 seconds, from a record of 12 minutes about 10 years ago.



* Every time you get interrupted or distracted, your mind is getting trained to reduce your attention span.



What does all this mean? If you still haven’t figured out what these points mean, let me spell it out – “If you want to write at turbo speed, a focused, undivided, concentrated attention is the most important factor responsible than everything else, combined.”



Multitasking in the kitchen is a useful skill, but in writing, it is a huge detriment. While we cannot eliminate all the interruptions and distractions we come across our working time, it does make sense in reducing them as much as we can. So if you’re writing articles, a book, a report, or anything else, ensure that you’re fully prepared and get the maximum return for the time you have invested. Below are few tips you can implement to speed up your writing capacity:



1. Begin with a very moderately full stomach and an empty bladder. You don’t want to feel hungry or visit the loo. Heavy food intake will not only make you drowsy, your stomach will use more energy in digestion, leaving you with insufficient energy for work. Keep a water bottle at hand to maintain optimum hydration.



2. If writing means “typing on a computer screen” as in most cases today, ensure that lighting is even and sufficient in your room, without direct reflection to your eyes.



3. Your sitting arrangement should be as comfortable as possible, with the table at the right height. Ensure sufficient space to stretch without requiring to get up. Use chairs with proper arm support.



4. Switch off your mobile or give it to someone else for answering. Try not to take any phone calls and arrange to inform them you will call back later.



5. Close your outlook express (or whatever email client you use) as well as your instant messenger clients.



6. If your room is not insulated by sound and you face disturbance, use ear plugs.



7. Write only when you’re in the right frame of mind. Don’t force yourself to write just because you have deadlines – be them created by yourself or by a boss. Instead, cultivate a habit of making small notes whenever you can. These can be on paper, digital storage (text file) or even simply recording as audio. Then when you’re ready to write, just keep them at hand for ready reference. “Writer’s block” is a common problem faced by writers who write for the sake of writing, write on subjects that they’re not interested in, write in a frenzy only to reach targets, and write in the wrong frame of mind. Once you suffer from writer’s block, it could take you a few days and sometimes even a few months to recover from it.



8. Depending on your capacity, writing takes time. Sometimes you can write very fast and sometimes very slow, depending on the need to take thinking breaks and the topic of interest. Don’t let this affect you. Quality will also be important and not just quantity, so bear that in mind.



9. Let your family, friends and well wishers read what you write, regularly. Ask them for honest opinions and suggestions for improvements. Appreciation and praise is very encouraging to writers. Don’t be intimidated by negative views, instead, get a professional to verify the quality of the content in question if you have any doubts.



10. Find out what is your best time for writing in terms of quality and quantity through experience and testing, and then stick to that time. Some like to write very early in the morning when they are rested while some prefer to burn the midnight oil when it is quietest. Devote at least 2 to 4 hours at a stretch, depending on how much you’re comfortable with. It’s important to maintain the flow of thoughts with the writing.



11. If you need to refer other information resources like CDs, books and the internet, ensure that all your research material is kept handy.



If you find these tips useful and would like to learn more about writing, hop over to http://www.bharatbhasha.com/writing.php where we have hundreds of free articles dedicated to writing.



About the Author: Nirjara Rustom moderates the Writing Tips Section of http://www.bharatbhasha.com at http://www.bharatbhasha.com/writing.php - a free resource for information on writing.



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