• By Brad McGovern
• Published 03/25/2008
• Article Writing

Can you remember when you first started learning to tie your shoes? I know it was a long time ago, it happened last century, but think back on it. If you were like the rest of us, you probably spent more time unraveling the snarled granny knots you made than you ever did tying them. You eventually mastered the task at hand though and do it by second nature now without much thought. If writing is pretty much a new thing for you, then you will no doubt experience some growing pains. We all did and still do, to some degree. Sometimes I will be writing on a new idea on how to improve either speed or quality or both comes to me like a bolt of lightening. It’s often a moment for humility as I look at it and realize how simple it is and how it was right under my nose all these years and I never saw it. But I see it now and that’s all that matters!

There are as many ways to write as there are writers. It is an individual sport and each player will eventually find the glove that fits him or her perfectly. It takes time. It takes patience. Most of all, it takes diligence. What works well for one writer will absolutely stop another dead in their tracks. Listen to all advice, take what you can use and leave the rest alone, would be my recommendation. Of course, there are some things you can’t get around like grammar and spelling. If you are deficient in those areas, work to improve on it. Aside f

rom those things, everything else is pretty much up to the writer. As you find what works best for you, work it into your writing routine. Consistency in method brings consistency in results. Constantly be thinking of ways to improve your methods, though, don’t be afraid to learn and grow. Never allow yourself to fall into the mindset of, “Well, it’s the way I’ve always done it.” That thinking will let you grow stale, stagnant. It will curtail your creativity and deny you future possibilities. Be willing to change as the nature of the business grows and changes. You will just have to try this and that and the other, too, until you find your comfort zone. Trial and error is often the only to find out what really works for you and motivates you to write faster and better. For example, I’ve found that making outlines of my articles and ebooks just isn’t effective for me. It is a waste of time and slows me down. Some people swear by using an outline though and would never dream or writing a piece without having one set in stone already. I’ve tried it and I found it did not work for me.

When you read tips from other authors and publishers, it’s important to remember that they are only sharing the methods that work for them. The same methods may or may not work for you. Only by trying different methods can you find the fastest way for you to write articles and submit them to directories for maximum exposure. Once you master the ability to write an article or a longer piece, speed will come.