writing productivity

Let’s face it… Writing is no easy task. From brainstorming ideas, to actually getting them out on paper (or on your computer screen), and then editing everything, it can sometimes be a stressful process that takes a while to complete. Fortunately, in this week’s chat, we shared some amazing tips for writing productivity that will help you tackle your writing tasks with ease. #ContentWritingChat Recap: Writing Productivity with Pamela Rosen & Forrest Bryant of Evernote TODAY: Join us for #ContentWritingChat at 10 AM Central Time with @pambieworld and @fojazz from @evernote! pic.twitter.com/O9cwclhbs8 — Express Writers (@ExpWriters) April 18, 2017 Our guest hosts this week were Pamela Rosen and Forrest Bryant, who are both part of the amazing Evernote team. Pamela is a Senior Copywriter for Evernote and Forrest is their Director of Content. Since they’re both experienced writers and content creators, they were the perfect fit to share some writing productivity tips with everyone in the chat. Q1: What does writing productivity look like to you? To kick off the chat, we asked everyone to share what writing productivity looks like to them. Check out their responses and see if any of these resonate with you: A1a: For me, it’s a state of flow. That requires clarity, purpose, direction. ? #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/f6FaDKBCcB — Forrest Dylan Bryant (@fojazz) April 18, 2017 A1b: It’s not just a matter of output. The quality and value of what I write are equally (more?) important. #ContentWritingChat — Forrest Dylan Bryant (@fojazz) April 18, 2017 For Forrest, writing productivity is a state of flow. He said it requires clarity, purpose, and direction. And of course, it’s not all about how much content you’re able to create. It’s more important to focus on the quality and the value of the content you’re writing. A1a: It’s being able to get in the zone. When words flow freely without interruption. #ContentWritingChat — Pamela Rosen (@Pambieworld) April 18, 2017 Pamela said writing productivity is being able to get into the zone. When you get to that state where the words are flowing freely and you don’t have any distractions, it’s always a great place. @ExpWriters A1: Productivity isn’t just about how much you get done, it’s about how well you do it. Set a sched that works for you. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/x15a0eDjsP — Jeff Reno(e) (@Renoe) April 18, 2017 Jenn is absolutely right that it isn’t about how much you get done, but how well you do it. You have to come up with a schedule and processes that work for YOU, not anyone else. A1: I write in productive phases: Research, draft, edit, publish. #ContentWritingChat — Tara M. Clapper (@irishtara) April 18, 2017 Tara, our Content Development Specialist, writes in productive phases. These phases include researching, drafting content, editing, and then publishing. A1 Being able to get writing assignments done at a good time, knowing there will be a first draft & editing to be done. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/dlWIzza3a6 — Tony Stephan (@OmnipoTony) April 18, 2017 Tony feels productivity is about getting his writing assignments done at a good time. This means there’s no time to procrastinate! @ExpWriters A1: Blocking all distractions and creatively plowing through hour(s) of time writing without multitasking. #ContentWritingChat — Jeremy Murphy (@jeremypmurphy) April 18, 2017 Jeremy knows it’s helpful to block out distractions when you have writing to be done. If you just focus on your writing, as opposed to multitasking, you’ll be much more productive. A1 Productivity to me is not spending 3 hours binging on Netflix during a deadline and actually doing work. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/9fqphvPJvX — HeyOrca! (@HeyOrca) April 18, 2017 Sorry to say it, but writing productivity also means ditching Netflix for a while as you get work done. A1 Productivity is a balancing act: passion, focus and efficiency. It helps that excitement is a great motivator. #ContentWritingChat — Olivia Dello Buono (@oliviadello) April 18, 2017 Olivia knows that passion, focus, and efficiency are three very important factors of the writing process. And she’s right that a little excitement about the task at hand helps too! Q2: Which strategies do you implement when writing content for your brand? When it comes time to write content, which strategies do you rely on to get things done and do them well? Check out what some of our chat participants do when writing: A2a: Remember above all, it’s still people talking to people. Be human, be real. Be engaging. Don’t try to sell. #ContentWritingChat — Pamela Rosen (@Pambieworld) April 18, 2017 A2b: I ask myself, ‘do I want to read this?’ If not, I start over. #ContentWritingChat — Pamela Rosen (@Pambieworld) April 18, 2017 Pam shared a great reminder that everyone should keep in mind when writing content. You always need to be human and real because you are speaking to actual people. Another human being is going to be reading your content and you want to create something that resonates with them. To do that, focus on engaging your audience and adding value. It’s helpful to ask yourself if you would want to read the content you’ve created. If not, you should start over. While everything you write needs to appeal to your audience, it also needs to appeal to you as well. A2a: Every piece of content should deliver real value to the reader and/or generate excitement. That’s priority one. #ContentWritingChat — Forrest Dylan Bryant (@fojazz) April 18, 2017 Forrest said you need to make sure every piece of content delivers value to your reader and/or generates excitement. Before you hit publish, ask yourself if it’s serving your audience in some way. If not, you probably need to revisit what you’ve written. A2. Ideation (inspiration) Research (topic, audience, etc.) Outline/Visualize Scribble thoughts Write Edit#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/plzofTnGvu — Gabriela Cardoza (@CardozaGab) April 18, 2017 Gabriela’s writing process looks something like this: getting inspiration, researching the topic and audience, outlining the content, scribbling down her thoughts, writing, and then editing. A2: Ask yourself: does this benefit my readers? Does it fit with our goals? Is it … Read more