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How to Write an Essay in Under 30 Minutes

Last Updated: December 19, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Arash Fayz . Arash Fayz is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of LA Tutors 123, an academic consulting and private tutoring company based in Los Angeles, California. Arash has over 10 years of educational consulting experience, managing the tutoring of students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to score higher on standardized tests and gain admission to their target schools. He has a BA in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 602,184 times.

If you’re taking your SATs this year, you may be preparing to write a solid essay within the 30 minute time limit. Or you might be trying to improve your writing speed to complete essay exams faster and more efficiently. Writing a five paragraph essay in under 30 minutes can seem daunting, but with the right planning and time management, it is certainly achievable.

Sample Essays

Planning the Essay

For example, you may get a prompt in the form of quotation: “Time has a doomsday book, on whose pages he is continually recording illustrious names. But as often as a new name is written there, an old one disappears. Only a few stand in illuminated characters never to be effaced.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow [3] X Research source
You may then receive a question attached to the prompt: “Are there some heroes who will be remembered forever? Or are all heroes doomed to be forgotten one day?" Plan your response, and then write an essay to explain your views on this issue. Be sure to support your position with specific points and examples. You may use personal examples or examples from your reading, observations, or, knowledge of subjects such as history, literature, science. [4] X Research source

For example, you may brainstorm the Longfellow quote/question by thinking of personal examples of heroes who are remembered or forgotten, such as family members, friends, teachers, or peers who have acted as heroes to you or to others. Or you may focus on a historical figure who seems to be a forgotten hero or a decorated hero.
This essay question is asking for two sides of the discussion, the forgotten hero and the remembered hero. Your thesis should discuss both sides and choose one side to argue for or against.
You may choose to spotlight a historical figure who encountered opposition and challenges in her life, such as the suffragette Susan B. Anthony. Anthony worked tirelessly for decades to get the government to recognize women’s right to vote, and was often derided by the government and by individuals within her own organization. She is a good example of a hero who was not recognized as a trailblazer until late in her life, though she is now remembered as a heroine in history. Try to refer back to the quotation in the essay prompt in your thesis, if possible, to show you have read the entire question.
A possible thesis statement could be: “Though Longfellow argues that names, or heroes, may be forgotten over time, one historical figure, Susan B. Anthony, was derided in her lifetime for her beliefs but is now remembered as a heroine of her time.”

Introduction: Your beginning paragraph should contain an engaging first sentence and your thesis statement. Some writers find it easier to write create a temporary introduction and revise it once they are finished with the essay. This will ensure the introduction is cohesive with the rest of the essay.
Conclusion: This paragraph should summarize your main argument and restate your thesis. You may also want to include last thoughts around the essay question.

Writing the Essay

Step 1 Take 15 minutes to write the essay.

Try to spend two to three minutes on each body paragraph. Then, take three minutes on your conclusion paragraph and go back to your introduction. Spend the last three minutes revising your introduction so it matches the tone and perspective of the rest of your essay.

An interesting or surprising example: This could be a personal experience or a key moment in the life of the historical figure you are discussing in your essay. For example, you may discuss Anthony’s childhood as a Quaker and her later adoption of more casual dress and growing interest in social reform at the age of 26. [9] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
A provocative quotation: This could be from a source you used for your essay or one that feels relevant to your topic. For example, you may use a well known quote from Anthony, such as: “Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputation and social standing, never can bring about a reform. Those who are really in earnest must be willing to be anything or nothing in the world's estimation, and publicly and privately, in season and out, avow their sympathy with despised and persecuted ideas and their advocates, and bear the consequences.” [10] X Research source
A vivid anecdote: An anecdote is a very short story that carries moral or symbolic weight. Think of an anecdote that might be a poetic or powerful way to start your essay.
A thought provoking question: create a question that will get your reader thinking and engaged in your topic. For example: “Did you ever wonder how women received the right to vote in the United States?”

Step 3 Write your three body paragraphs.

Body paragraph 1: You may start by discussing Anthony’s early successes. Look at the establishment of the Women’s Loyal National League in 1863 by Anthony and Stanton. As the first national women’s political organization in the United States, it had a membership of 5000 and provided a platform for women to speak out on issues like slavery and women’s right to vote. [11] X Research source
Body paragraph 2: You may discuss Anthony’s mid career struggles. Look at the split in the women’s movement in May 1869, with the establishment of the National Woman’s Suffrage Association (NWSA) by Anthony and Stanton, and the rival American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA). Note how after the Civil War, Anthony devoted her time and life to the suffrage movement, assuming leadership of the NWSA in 1890 and continuing to advocate for women’s rights. Anthony also remained unmarried, which gave her an advantage under the law, as married women at the time were not permitted to sign official documents and had to defer to their husbands. [12] X Research source
Body paragraph 3: You may discuss Anthony’s later life, including her many speaking engagements throughout the United States on the need for women’s suffrage and equal rights. Though Anthony died in 1906, and did not live to see the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment of the Constitution, affording women the right to vote in the United States in 1920, her forty years of tireless work paved the way for the legal precedent and gave women a strong sense of empowerment and equality. [13] X Research source

Step 4 Summarize your thoughts in your conclusion.

For example, you may restate your thesis: “Throughout her life, Susan B. Anthony’s sacrificed her time, energy, and personal livelihood to advocate for women’s rights, proving that though many heroes may be forgotten, their actions will live on in history.”

Editing the Essay

Step 1 Use the last five minutes to proofread your essay.

For example, an essay on Susan B. Anthony could have the title: “An Unsung Heroine” or “Susan B. Anthony: An Advocate for Change”.

Community Q&A

↑ Arash Fayz. Test Prep Tutor. Expert Interview. 1 November 2019.
↑ https://libguides.newcastle.edu.au/essay_planning/essay-planning
↑ https://resources.warburg.sas.ac.uk/pdf/emh823b2778298.pdf
↑ https://www.hunter.cuny.edu/rwc/handouts/the-writing-process-1/invention/Writing-a-Response-or-Reaction-Paper
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/thesis-statements/
↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/test-terror.html
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/introductions/
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/should-i-use-i/
↑ https://www.rochester.edu/sba/
↑ https://repository.library.georgetown.edu/bitstream/handle/10822/553350/laCossJoanHarkin.pdf
↑ https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/susan-b-anthony
↑ https://www.britannica.com/biography/Susan-B-Anthony

About This Article

In order to successfully write an essay in under 30 minutes, you need to plan it out and work efficiently. Take a good 10 minutes to plan out the essay and come up with a thesis statement that will convey your argument and help guide your essay. It may seem like a large chunk of your time, but it will save you from having to rewrite or restructure your essay later on. Then, take 15 minutes to write your introductory paragraph, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Use the last 5 minutes to proofread your essay and look for spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. Don’t worry about coming up with a title until you’re finished. It will be much easier then. For tips about how to edit an essay you write in under 30 minutes, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write an Essay Fast and Submit a Winner Every Time (26 Effortless Hacks for Slow Writers)

Declan Gessel

Mar 21, 2024

woman helping a friend - How To Write An Essay Fast

Want to learn some good ways to start an essay and master the art of how to write an essay fast? Whether you're a procrastinator or just need to boost your writing speed, this blog will provide you with practical tips and strategies to help you efficiently craft a well-written essay in no time. From effective brainstorming techniques to time-saving editing tricks, buckle up as we dive into the secrets of writing a stellar essay quickly and effectively. Let's get started!

How to write an essay fast, write smarter with jotbot — start writing for free today.

man writing an essay - How To Write An Essay Fast

Preparation Hacks

Deconstructing the essay prompt.

When faced with a time crunch, the first step for a slow writer is to deconstruct the essay prompt. Break it down into key requirements and questions that need to be answered. Identify keywords, understand the topic, and determine the desired approach. It is crucial to discern the purpose of the essay and who the audience is. This clarity will guide the writer in crafting a focused and relevant piece efficiently.

Create a "Simple Thesis" First

Crafting a basic 1-2 sentence thesis statement should be the next move. Put down your main argument or stance without overthinking it. The thesis can be refined later, but getting it on paper initially is essential to provide a clear direction for the essay. This simple thesis acts as a roadmap for the writer to follow as they delve into the essay.

Try Mind Mapping Instead of Outlining

Instead of traditional outlining, consider using a mind-mapping tool to visually organize ideas. Mind mapping is excellent for promoting divergent thinking and allowing ideas to flow naturally. This method can help in quickly generating ideas and connections, which can then be converted into a more traditional outline if desired. Mind mapping is a creative way to streamline the thought process and enhance productivity.

Dictate to a Word Processor with Voice Typing

When fatigue sets in, utilizing built-in voice typing in Word or Google Docs can be a game-changer. Simply activate the feature and speak your ideas aloud, allowing the tool to transcribe your words into text hands-free. Alternatively, employing a speech-to-text tool to verbally free-write can help ideas flow more naturally than typing. This method can serve as the foundation for your essay draft, enabling you to capture thoughts quickly and efficiently.

Research Hacks

Utilize keyword modifiers for surgical searches on search engines.

To enhance your research efficiency, employ keyword modifiers when conducting searches on search engines. Utilize modifiers such as quotes, AND, OR, and more to refine your search results. By filtering for specific phrases, topics, and sources, you can pinpoint exactly what you need at a faster pace.

Bookmark Relevant Websites as You Browse

Create a temporary "research" bookmark folder in your browser to save valuable resources as you navigate the web. Compile books, articles, videos, and other sources that are pertinent to your essay topic. This curated collection will serve as a quick and easy reference point during the writing process.

Elevating Writing Efficiency and Quality with Jotbot's AI Assistance

Write smarter, not harder with Jotbot. Jotbot is your personal document assistant, offering AI note-taking, video summarizing, citation/source finding, outline creation, and even AI essay writing. Join over 500,000 writers, students, teams, and researchers worldwide to elevate your writing speed and quality with Jotbot. Start writing for free with Jotbot today — sign in with Google and get started in seconds.

Leverage Wikipedia's Sources

Explore the sources cited in Wikipedia articles related to your essay topic. While vetting is crucial, these sources can lead you to valuable and credible references. By reviewing what quality sources are being cited, you can uncover hidden gems for your essay.

Capture Citation Details with Google Scholar

Utilize Google Scholar to access a plethora of academic sources for your essay. Easily identify and capture citation details from reputable publications. Vet and bookmark relevant sources on Google Scholar to streamline your research process.

Writing Hacks

Follow the classic five paragraph essay format.

The Classic Five Paragraph Essay Format is a lifesaver when time is of the essence. With a clear introduction, three body paragraphs, and a concise conclusion, this format provides a simple and effective structure for your essay. It streamlines the outlining process, making it easy to organize your thoughts and arguments logically. Plus, you can always adjust and expand on this format to suit your specific essay requirements.

"Upside Down" Writing: Start with the Conclusion

Starting with your conclusion paragraph might sound counterintuitive, but it's a game-changer when you're in a time crunch. By crafting your conclusion first, you establish your main argument and key points upfront. This allows you to reverse outline your body paragraphs to ensure they support your conclusion. It keeps you focused and on track, preventing you from straying off course.

Use Blueprint Sentences to Structure Paragraphs

Blueprint sentences act as guiding beacons for your paragraphs. By setting the tone with a topic sentence that outlines the main idea or argument of the paragraph, you provide a roadmap for both yourself and your readers. For example, "This essay will explore three reasons why X..." Then, unpack that blueprint by elaborating on each reason in the paragraph.

Apply the "They Say / I Say" Technique

To give your essay a compelling flow, consider using the "They Say / I Say" technique. Start by summarizing what others have said about your topic to provide context. Then, smoothly transition to your unique perspective by stating "I say..." This technique helps you engage in a dialogue with existing ideas and present your stance clearly and persuasively.

Channel Your Stream of Consciousness

Perfectionism and overthinking are the enemies of fast essay writing. Instead of getting bogged down by editing and refining as you write, let your thoughts flow freely. Embrace your stream of consciousness and allow yourself to riff on ideas. You can always revise and polish your essay later. The key is to get your initial thoughts down on paper without getting caught up in perfectionism.

Editing Hacks

Reverse outline after your first draft.

When reviewing your draft, create a reverse outline by identifying key points and the logical flow of your essay. This outline will help you rearrange content as needed, ensuring a coherent structure and seamless transitions between ideas.

Watch for Repetitive "To Be" Verbs

Scan your essay for instances of "is/am/are/were/been/will be" to avoid passive voice. Passive voice can make your writing less clear and bog down the reader. Instead, opt for the active voice to instantly tighten your writing and vary your phrasing, making it more engaging and dynamic.

Eliminate Flabby Words and Phrases

Cut the fluff by removing filler words like "really, very, just, quite" and identifying bloated phrases such as "due to the fact that." Condense your phrasing to be more concise and impactful, reducing friction in your essay and keeping your reader engaged with clear and direct language.

Read Your Essay Out Loud

Reading your essay out loud, or using a text-to-speech tool, can be a game-changer. This practice helps catch unclear phrasing, highlights any abrupt tonal shifts or flow issues, and is instrumental for achieving tight, logical writing. By hearing your words, you can pinpoint areas that may need revision and ensure a polished final product.

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Productivity Hacks

Maximizing focus with the pomodoro time management technique.

Utilizing the Pomodoro Technique can significantly enhance your essay writing process. By breaking your work into focused 25-minute intervals called "pomodoros," you can maintain a high level of concentration. After each pomodoro, take a short break to refresh your mind. This technique helps prevent burnout and maintains a steady momentum in your writing.

Enhancing Concentration with Instrumental Music

To tune out distractions and maintain focus while writing your essay, consider listening to instrumental music. Ambient and unobtrusive sounds can create a conducive environment for deep work. Sources like instrumental playlists, video game soundtracks, or classical music can provide a soothing background that helps you concentrate better.

Optimizing Efficiency by Setting Firm Deadlines

Setting a firm deadline earlier than your actual due date can boost your productivity and efficiency. By working backwards from this self-imposed deadline, you can segment your tasks effectively. Schedule time for research, drafting, revising, and editing to ensure a structured and well-paced writing process. This approach helps alleviate procrastination and increases your motivation to meet deadlines.

Recharging with Intentional, Timed Breaks

Rest is crucial to maintaining mental clarity and avoiding burnout during the essay writing process. Taking short 5-10 minute breaks every hour allows your mind to recharge and stay fresh. These brief pauses help prevent fatigue, enhance productivity, and improve overall cognitive function. Breaks are not a luxury but a necessity for sustained focus and efficiency.

Motivational Hacks

Visualizing success to boost motivation.

When the blank page feels daunting and the words just won't flow, picture your professor's impressed expression as they read your essay. Envision the nod of approval, the impressed smile, and the mental note of your insightful ideas. This visualization technique can serve as a powerful motivator to push through tough moments. Knowing that your hard work and unique perspective are being appreciated can fuel your determination to keep going, leading to a sense of accomplishment and pride in your work.

Post-Submission Relief and Pride for Mental Reward

After hitting the submit button, there's a wave of relief and pride that washes over you. The satisfaction of knowing that you put your best effort into your essay and submitted quality work is a significant mental reward. This feeling of accomplishment can boost your confidence and motivation for future assignments. Embrace the sense of pride that comes from completing a task to the best of your ability, as it can be a powerful driver to maintain focus and dedication throughout the writing process.

Promising Yourself a Reward for Motivation

Treat yourself to a well-deserved reward after completing your essay. Whether it's a delicious meal, a show you've been wanting to watch, or an outing with friends, promising yourself a reward can be a powerful motivator. Setting a tangible incentive for finishing the task can help you stay focused and driven, knowing that something enjoyable awaits you upon completion. Use this as a tool to reinforce positive behavior and maintain motivation when faced with challenging writing tasks.

Enhancing Writing Speed with Tech Tools: Grammar & Plagiarism Checkers

In the quest to write an essay swiftly, utilizing tech tools like grammar and plagiarism checkers can be a game-changer. Tools such as Jotbot, Grammarly, Quetext, and Turnitin can significantly expedite the proofreading and plagiarism detection process. By running your drafts through these tools, you can quickly identify grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes, and potential instances of plagiarism.

Streamlining Editing with Grammar and Plagiarism Checkers

Grammar checkers like Grammarly not only highlight errors but also offer suggestions for improvement, making the editing process more efficient. Similarly, plagiarism checkers such as Quetext and Turnitin can swiftly scan your content against a vast database to ensure originality and integrity in your work. By leveraging these tools, slow writers can save valuable time that would otherwise be spent manually combing through their essays.

Essay Writing Efficiency with Technology

When striving to write an essay fast, incorporating these grammar and plagiarism checkers into your workflow can streamline the editing process and enhance the overall quality of your writing. By harnessing the power of technology, writers can boost their productivity and efficiency, ultimately producing well-crafted essays in less time.

Experimenting with AI Writing Assistants (with Caution!)

AI writing assistants have emerged as valuable tools for writers looking to expedite the writing process. Platforms like ChatGPT and Jotbot leverage artificial intelligence to assist with brainstorming, outlining, and even generating initial drafts. By tapping into the capabilities of AI, writers can access instant suggestions, structure their ideas more effectively, and kickstart their writing process.

Use of AI Writing Assistants with Caution

It is crucial to exercise caution when using AI writing assistants. While these tools can offer valuable support, it is essential to fact-check the information provided, personalize the content to align with your voice and style, and ensure the accuracy and authenticity of the final output. AI should be viewed as a complement to human creativity and expertise, rather than a complete replacement. By incorporating AI writing assistants into your writing toolkit, you can potentially overcome writer's block, generate ideas more efficiently, and accelerate the essay writing process. Embracing these technological advancements can empower writers to enhance their productivity and achieve their writing goals with greater ease.

Writing Efficiency and Quality with Jotbot's AI-Powered Assistance

Jotbot is your personal document assistant. Jotbot does AI note-taking, AI video summarizing, AI citation/source finder, it writes AI outlines for essays, and even writes entire essays with Jotbot’s AI essay writer. Join 500,000+ writers, students, teams, and researchers around the world to write more, write better, and write faster with Jotbot. Write smarter, not harder with Jotbot. Start writing for free with Jotbot today — sign in with Google and get started in seconds.

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Jotbot is a revolutionary tool that leverages artificial intelligence to assist users in various aspects of the writing process. With features like AI note-taking, video summarization, citation and source finding, outline generation, and even full essay writing capabilities, Jotbot streamlines the writing process for over 500,000 writers, students, teams, and researchers worldwide. By integrating Jotbot into your writing routine, you can enhance your productivity, efficiency, and overall writing quality. Start your journey towards more effective writing by signing in with Google and experiencing the power of Jotbot for free today.

Mastering the Art of Efficient Essay Outlining

One of the key strategies for writing essays quickly is effective outlining. Begin by clearly defining your thesis statement, main arguments, and supporting evidence. Utilize Jotbot's AI outline feature to automate this process and create a structured framework for your essay. By organizing your thoughts and ideas in a logical manner, you can expedite the writing process and ensure a cohesive and coherent essay.

Harnessing AI for Citation and Source Finding

Research is a critical component of essay writing, but it can also be a time-consuming task. Jotbot's AI citation and source finder simplifies this process by scanning through vast databases to locate relevant sources and generate accurate citations. By automating the citation process, you can save valuable time and focus on crafting your arguments and analysis.

Utilizing AI Essay Writing for Speed and Quality

Writing the actual essay is where many individuals struggle to meet deadlines. Jotbot's AI essay writer is a game-changer in this regard, as it can generate well-structured and coherent essays based on your outlined framework and provided information. By collaborating with Jotbot's AI essay writer, you can produce high-quality essays in a fraction of the time it would traditionally take, allowing you to meet tight deadlines with ease.

Writing Smarter, Not Harder with Jotbot

Incorporating Jotbot into your writing arsenal is the key to writing smarter, not harder. By harnessing the power of AI technology for note-taking, outlining, citation finding, and essay writing, you can streamline your writing process, boost your productivity, and elevate the quality of your work. Join the ranks of successful writers who rely on Jotbot to write faster, better, and more efficiently. Sign in with Google today and unleash the full potential of your writing prowess with Jotbot .

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How To Write Faster: 20 Hacks For Boosting Writing Speed

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Is slow writing cramping your style and affecting your productivity? Learning how to write faster can dramatically improve your workflow and help your hands keep up with your thoughts.

In my 15 years of freelance and content writing experience, I’ve learned quite a few hacks that will certainly help you optimize writing speed if you actually implement them.

In this article, I’ll share 20 useful tips for accelerating your writing speed without compromising quality . Let’s jump right in!

20 things you can do to write faster

1. block the time for writing.

Ever find yourself not satisfied with how much you managed to write in a week? This is likely due to the lack of proper planning and time management.

Failing to prioritize writing often leads to lower productivity because there are so many other things seeking (and often winning) your attention.

It’s easy to get caught in the trap of “I’ll write when I find the time,” but let’s be honest: that time often never comes. There is always something else to do.

Tools like Sunsama allow you to plan and prioritize your workload every day to make sure you have the time to sit and write. The idea is to block time in your calendar specifically for writing, treat it as non-negotiable, and then plan everything else around it .

Since I started daily planning with Sunsama (read my full review here ), I noticed how much more focused I am and how much faster I write when it’s on my schedule and I get into the flow.

You can also use AI schedulers like Motion to automatically schedule your tasks into your calendar around your meetings and other time-bound arrangements.

In this example schedule, I dedicated 4 hours per day to focused writing, which means saying no to everything else during that time. (You can read more about Motion in my detailed review. )

8 Best AI Day Planner Tools & Apps In 2024

2. Get yourself in a productive mood

How many times have you sat down to write only to find your mind wandering or stuck in a mental fog?

You might feel like you should be able to just “power through,” but writing in that lazy mood usually leads to wasted time and subpar work. The key here is to prepare for a successful writing session before you even start!

Take a few minutes to engage in an activity that boosts your mood and sharpens your mind. Find your own effective ways of pumping yourself up for writing and getting your creative juices flowing. You’ll find that this preparatory step can significantly accelerate your writing process and produce better-quality results!

How To Get Into A Productive Mood Right Now: 13 Quirky Ideas

3. Use AI writing tools

Depending on what you are writing (it might be a book, an article, an essay, a social media post, or even an email), you can leverage different tools to generate the first rough draft.

I often find that editing something is mentally easier than writing from scratch. Even if the generated text is not exactly what you had in mind, it helps you get going and think about how you want to see it. As you polish or rewrite bits and pieces, you gradually fill your blank page with your own thoughts.

In many cases, you end up finishing faster than you would without AI writers.

Additionally, AI tools can generate ideas and additional angles in an instant, giving you food for thought and something to work with.

While these tools won’t entirely replace your creative input, they do offer a rapid way to get the ball rolling.

7 Epic AI Fiction Book Writing Software Tools In 2024

4. Write in focused sessions

Ever get into a writing groove only to be pulled out by a notification, or worse, find yourself involuntarily scrolling through social media? Before you know it, an hour has passed, and you still only have the 100 words you had an hour ago.

If this tends to happen to you, working in focused sessions can be a real lifesaver. Using focus apps that set the timer, block distractions, or create a good environment for concentration can help you make the most of those time blocks you created in tip 1.

As you sit down to write, commit to doing nothing but writing for a dedicated period.

Some apps use techniques like the Pomodoro method to structure your writing time into intervals. The most common schedule is 25 minutes of writing followed by a 5-minute break.

Personally, I prefer 50 minutes of writing with a 10-minute break as this allows me to really get into that deep flow where my brain stops wandering and the thoughts start to pour. ( I use the Freedom app .)

5. Do exercises to improve your writing speed

When you hear “writing exercises,” you might think back to those tedious high school assignments. But this is different. Think of it more like warming up before a workout – it primes you for better performance.

Regularly doing speed writing exercises can significantly improve your writing stamina and speed. Whether it’s freewriting for 10 minutes (no editing allowed!) or practicing with typing software, the goal is to get you comfortable with putting thoughts to paper rapidly.

By consistently incorporating these exercises into your routine, you train your brain to churn out words more quickly, making it easier to meet your writing objectives in less time.

6. Leverage smart suggestions

You know that moment when you’re typing a sentence, and you pause to think of the best word to use next? It feels like every second is a drop in the bucket of lost productivity.

Text expanders and various tools that offer smart suggestions come to the rescue, helping you waste less time seeking the right word. These tools suggest word or phrase recommendations as you type, helping you complete sentences without losing momentum.

For instance, if you frequently write “best regards” at the end of emails, you can set up a shortcut that auto-fills this phrase whenever you type “brg.” Or use a text expander tool that will finish the sentence and even add the name after you type “best.” It’s a small trick that adds up to big time savings.

7. Listen to concentration music

Just as you sit down to write, your neighbor suddenly decides it’s the perfect time for a DIY project. Or maybe the chatter of people around you keeps interrupting your train of thought. Or maybe it’s just too quiet. Either way, you’re finding it hard to focus.

I used to struggle like this, too! Personally, I love writing in silence, and ALL external noises are distracting for me. Thankfully, none of these are the issue for me anymore since I started listening to science-backed focus music at Brain.fm !

They build soundtracks specifically designed to boost concentration, and they have actual studies that showcase the impressive difference in brain waves.

As I’m writing this, I’m listening to the track called “spectral transmission.” It’s an acoustic soundscape with a gentle neural effect that is meant for deep work.

I used to listen to Spotify and “work music” playlists on YouTube, but they didn’t do much other than block the noise. Brain.fm makes a real difference in my ability to focus.

8. Don’t strive for perfection

If you’re waiting for each sentence to be a masterpiece before you move on to the next, you’re setting yourself up for a long, long, loooooooong writing journey. It’s the quickest route to staring at your screen, paralyzed by indecision, and spending several extra hours on unnecessary polishing.

Instead, focus on getting your ideas down as quickly as possible. First drafts are supposed to be messy; that’s what revisions are for. So give yourself permission to write badly, and don’t let yourself perfect anything before you finish.

Once the words are out, you can always go back and make them beautiful!

If you are brave, there is this app called Squibler that pushes you to write non-stop. If you pause for too long, it will remove everything you wrote. This is an extreme way to prevent yourself from editing as you write. Try it if you dare!

9. Turn off the spell check

You’re in the zone, typing away, when suddenly that red squiggly line appears, signaling a typo. It’s tempting to go back and fix it right away, but that’s a trap! Doing so interrupts your flow and costs you valuable time.

Turn off your spell check while writing your first draft. It will allow you to focus solely on getting your ideas down without the distraction of correcting typos or grammatical errors. The time for polishing comes later.

I use Grammarly as my spelling and grammar-checking tool, but I make sure to turn the extension off when I’m writing the first draft. Those smart corrections mean well, but they disrupt my flow state more than they help, so I only turn them on for the editing phase.

20 Best Chrome Extensions For Productivity I Use In 2024

10. Leverage the power of accountability

No matter how self-disciplined you are, everyone can benefit from a little external accountability. You know how it’s easier to stick to a workout routine when you have a gym buddy? Writing can work the same way.

You can either find an accountability buddy in your inner circle, utilize accountability partner apps that match you with random partners online for a work session, or use a daily coaching service like GoalsWon to keep yourself on track.

Involving other people to hold you accountable is an incredibly powerful method to write faster and get your daily word count out as soon as possible. You’d be surprised how much faster you write when you know someone counts on you!

It’s after 9 pm right now, and I’m sitting here writing this article because I have a daily goal to check off in GoalsWon, and I don’t want to disappoint my coach Joel. Trust me, it works!

11. Outline first

Diving into a writing project without an outline is like going on a road trip without a map. Sure, you might reach your destination, but you’ll likely take a lot of unnecessary detours.

The lack of direction means that you might get too generous with words when it’s unnecessary and will need to cut a lot or do additional editing later.

It’s also easier for your reader when there is a defined structure, such as headings in an article or short chapters in a book.

So, before you start writing, create an outline. It doesn’t have to be super detailed – a few bullet points to guide each section can do the trick. Knowing the roadmap makes it easier to navigate from one point to the next without getting lost, saving you time in the long run.

12. Limit distracting websites

We all know the internet is a double-edged sword when it comes to writing. One minute you’re researching for your article and the next you’re down a YouTube rabbit hole.

By using productivity-oriented website blockers , you can limit access to distracting websites during your writing sessions. This helps maintain your focus so you get deeper in the flow, write faster, and use your time more efficiently.

For example, here is how a website looks when you try to access it during a focused session with Freedom :

And here is how it looks if you use RescueTime :

8 Best Social Feed Blockers To Stop Mindless Scrolling

13. Fight writer’s block

It happens to the best of us: one minute you are on a roll and the next, suddenly, you hit a wall. Writer’s block is not just frustrating; it’s a well-known productivity killer, and nobody is immune.

Thankfully, we live in a wonderful world of smart technology now! An AI personal assistant can offer a quick escape by helping you do research, finishing your sentences when you get stuck, or writing the first draft so you don’t have to stare at a blank page.

Just feed it a prompt with details on something you intend to write or your last couple of sentences, and let it generate some ideas for you. This will give your creative muscles a push in the right direction and get you back into the groove.

14. Train your brain to think faster

Sometimes, the bottleneck in writing isn’t your typing speed or your focus but how quickly you can generate ideas and solve problems.

Cognitive training exercises can help in this area. These are tasks designed to improve your memory, reasoning, and speed of information processing.

For example, Elevate and Luminosity are among the most popular online platforms that offer fun games to stimulate your brain for better performance.

Repetitively challenging your brain like that helps you build new neural connections and strengthen the areas of your brain (such as the prefrontal cortex) that are important for your creative work.

You can also learn more about brain training and how it can change your life in John Assaraf’s science-based book called Innercise .

Over time, brain training can help you become a faster and more efficient writer.

15. Leverage your most productive time

Everyone has that golden hour when they’re exceptionally productive. For some, it’s early morning; for others, it’s late at night.

Your energy is not distributed evenly during the day. It fluctuates based on a multitude of factors, but it usually has some kind of a pattern.

The goal is to identify your optimal hours and schedule your writing sessions during these times. Your brain will be at its peak performance, allowing you to write faster without feeling tired or experiencing brain fog.

16. Don’t waste time procrastinating

We’ve all been there – telling ourselves that we’ll write “when inspiration strikes” or after just “one more episode” of that addictive show. This delay tactic is nothing more than procrastination in disguise, and it eats away at the time you could spend writing.

The most effective way to avoid procrastination is to set specific times for your writing and stick to them. You can also take a critical look at your behavior and try to figure out what causes your procrastination so you can deal with it.

One of my favorite quotes that I have on my inspiration wall is this:

Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.

Don’t wait for inspiration; make writing a non-negotiable part of your routine. Before you know it, you’ll find that the simple act of sitting down to write the first sentence at the same time every day builds momentum, making the process a lot smoother and faster.

17. Set up a comfortable and productive workspace

Have you ever sat down to write and found yourself constantly adjusting your chair or getting distracted by random things on your cluttered desk?

Your environment has a significant impact on your productivity, and an uncomfortable or disorganized space can seriously derail your writing flow.

Invest time and maybe a bit of money in setting up a workspace that pushes you to focus. Whether it’s a cozy corner with a plush chair or a minimalist desk with just your computer, make it a place where you feel motivated to write.

The less distracted you are by your environment, the faster you’ll be able to get that target word count down!

18. Invest in good quality tools

You’re halfway through a sentence, and your keyboard misses a keystroke. Or you’re jotting down ideas, and your pen runs out of ink.

Sounds familiar? Faulty or subpar tools not only disrupt your writing but can also cause unnecessary stress and waste time.

Surprisingly, it’s proven that a better-quality keyboard or pen can literally help you write faster!

For example, watch this video by one of my favorite Youtubers Ali Abdaal where he compares the typing speed of different keyboards:

If you want a summary, the fastest keyword is Apple Magic Keyboard . In my opinion, it’s also the most aesthetically pleasing and compact (I’m not a fan of colorful and chunky tech), but to each their own.

19. Do all your research beforehand

There’s nothing like having to stop to look up a piece of information when you just picked up a good writing pace. Each interruption, no matter how minor, fractures your focus and extends your writing time.

Make it a habit to compile all the research you’ll need before you start writing. Whether you use traditional methods like note-taking or employ AI tools to gather information, having everything at your fingertips means you can write without unnecessary breaks.

If you are open to using software to streamline your writing, here are some resources I recommend:

Sudowrite is an awesome app for fiction writers that can help you build a solid plot, write faster with autocomplete, suggest unique character names, etc.
Content writers can leverage AI keyword research tools to create a content strategy based on topic clusters, competition analysis, and good keywords.
Perplexity.ai is great for fact-checking and finding related studies or statistics to support your writing.

20. Track where your time goes

If you often find yourself wondering where the time went and why you managed to do so little in a whole workday, it might be wise to take a step back and review your work habits.

One way to do it is by using time-tracking tools like RescueTime that monitor your computer activity over time and offer insights into where your time is commonly lost.

Knowing where your time is going allows you to make conscious decisions about your writing habits. If you notice you’re spending too much time on non-essential activities, you can cut them out or at least timebox them and channel your energy into writing, which will inevitably make you faster.

RescueTime Review 2024: Can It Really Improve Productivity?

What is a good writing speed?

A good writing speed varies depending on the task at hand and your skill level. For typing, a speed of around 40-60 words per minute (WPM) is considered average, while 100+ WPM is seen as fast.

In a professional setting, particularly for writers and content creators, aiming for at least 60-80 WPM is beneficial for keeping up with deadlines and workload.

When it comes to handwriting, a speed of about 20-30 words per minute is typical for many people. However, if you’re taking exams or need to jot down notes quickly, striving for a handwriting speed of 30-40 words per minute can be an asset.

Handwriting speed is often a bit slower than typing due to the physical nature of the task.

Which factors affect your writing speed?

Various factors can influence how quickly you write, impacting both the quality and quantity of your output. These factors can range from your mental state to your physical environment.

Here are several things that affect your writing speed the most:

Skill level: Proficiency in typing or handwriting will always be the most important factor. The more you practice anything, the better you get at it.
Mental state: Focus, alertness, and stress levels all influence how many words you manage to get out of your head in a given time.
Writing tools: The quality of your keyboard, pens, device, and software you use can all affect how fast you write.
Helper tools: Using text expanders or AI writing assistants can save you hours per week when you get the hang of it.
Environment: Physical workspace and external distractions contribute a lot to your ability to get into the flow.
Time management: The ability to allocate focused time for writing and identify your most efficient hours in a day are both game-changers for writer’s productivity.
Task complexity: The complexity of the topic or assignment is also a factor that affects your writing speed. How well you know the subject is another thing that can either slow you down or write the whole thing in turbo mode.

How to physically write faster

Improving your handwriting speed is particularly useful for students who take handwritten exams or professionals who need to jot down information quickly.

Start by identifying a comfortable yet efficient grip on your writing tool, as an improper grip can slow you down or make your hand fatigued quickly.

From my experience, ball pens are a little faster than gel or fountain pens.

One of the best ways to physically write faster is through consistent practice. Consider doing speed writing exercises where you copy paragraphs from books or articles within a set time frame. Gradually increase the complexity and length of the text to challenge yourself.

Wrapping up

Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and improving your writing speed will require some practice or getting used to the new tools.

I shared with you the hacks I myself use to be an efficient writer. Pick a handful of these tips that make the most sense to you and start implementing them today!

Juliet is an AI strategist for digital businesses and a content creator herself. With MS in Computer Science and a decade of hands-on experience in tech and marketing, she shares her best tips for leveraging AI tools to grow and scale your brand.

How to Write Faster: 8 Strategies for Productivity

Slow writing is a challenge that every author faces — one that can be particularly frustrating to tackle. So, if you want to save time, publish more books, or simply finish your project, here are eight tricks and strategies for writing faster:

1. Minimize distractions

2. do word sprints, 3. try the pomodoro technique, 4. set small goals and rewards, 5. use placeholders, 6. write without looking at the screen, 7. use speech-to-text dictation, 8. visualize the scene before writing it.

Writing requires focus, so find a distraction-free environment that works for you . For some people that means leaving the house and writing from coffee shops or libraries, while for others it comes down to curating their perfect writing environment .

The internet, of course, is one of the biggest challenges in terms of distraction. To protect yourself from being pulled away from your novel, leave your phone in another room and set specific hours to surf online (i.e. from 7 to 8 in the morning/evening). If you need the Internet for research, you can always use apps like Self-Control or Cold Turkey to block specific websites during your golden hours ( adiós , Twitter rabbit holes!)

Put on some noise-canceling headphones or your favorite writing playlist, open up your writing software and get in the zone.

Tell us about your book, and we'll give you a writing playlist

It'll only take a minute!

Ever heard of word sprints? Just like a sprint race, the idea behind it is to write as much as possible, as quickly as possible. Try a 10-minute session at first, then push yourself to “sprint” for longer if you find that it successfully opens your creative floodgates. Who knows, maybe you’ll even write a novel in 30 days at the next NaNoWriMo !

This strategy is ideal for those who struggle to find long stretches of time to write during the day. A 15-minute word sprint in the morning and another in the evening will see you making substantial progress with your book.

You can pair up with a friend or someone from an online writing community to provide accountability and boost each others’ productivity. For example, you could do simultaneous word sprints and before reporting back on your respective word counts. Try to set a friendly-yet-determined tone — while you don’t want to feel combative, you do want to have a sense of urgency around writing.

How to write faster | A woman is writing a book in a library

The Pomodoro Technique is a time-management method that can be used to write more productively. The rules are simple: write uninterrupted for 25 minutes, then take a break of 5 - 10 minutes. One session equals one pomodoro (Italian for tomato , a reference to old tomato-shaped kitchen timers). After four 25-minutes writing sessions, you can take a longer break of 20 to 30 minutes. Then rinse and repeat.

It’s a simple technique to make yourself accountable and find a workflow. And don’t worry, you don’t need a kitchen timer to track your time: there are plenty of apps and websites that will do it for you.

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How to write faster | The Reedsy Book Editor automatically calculates your daily word-count goals

Many writers make the mistake of only rewarding themselves when they finish their manuscript. However, creating a book is a long and exacting process, and if the reward seems to be too far away, you may not be as motivated to write.

Research shows that, in order to pursue long-term goals, we need to set smaller, achievable writing goals for ourselves. Every time we succeed in achieving a goal, no matter how small, the brain rewards us with dopamine and motivation to keep going (even with an ADHD brain ).

As an author, that means creating a system of smaller goals and rewards for your daily writing sessions. For example, if you write 300 words in a day, you get to watch an episode of whatever show you're in the middle of. If you do it for six days in a row, you buy yourself a new book. When you finish a whole chapter, treat yourself to a nice dinner out!

Having a short-term finish line and trophy within reaching distance will help you to write more and, eventually, finish your book .

To better visualize your progress, you can use our Reedsy Book Editor , a free writing app that will automatically calculate and display your daily word count. You can also set friendly email reminders that nudge you to write in case you fall back on your set goals.

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Sometimes authors write slowly because they encounter a scene or paragraph that they don't know how to write, or that requires further research. It’s easy to struggle and tinker with these parts forever, never making real progress.

Have you ever spent 20 minutes digging through a thesaurus, trying to find the perfect word before it escapes from the tip of your tongue? You feel that a breakthrough is right around the corner but, if you’re honest with yourself, it will elude you.

When you are stuck with a word or a scene, you can temporarily bypass it by putting a placeholder to remind you to revisit it later. A common trick is to use the capital letters TK (an intentional misspelling of “to come”). Since this letter combination doesn't appear very often in the English language, it's easy to search it in the document when you want to edit it, and it won’t be confused for part of the final copy.

Sometimes the biggest source of distraction is your own words on the screen! There’s no greater productivity killer when writing than stopping to edit. That’s why the process of editing your book should always come at a later phase.

To calm the impulse to continuously edit, try writing without looking at the screen. A couple of tricks you can use are typing with a wireless keyboard from the other side of the room, or turning the brightness on your laptop all the way down.

It can be weird to not see the words you’re typing, but it can truly make a difference in speed, especially when combined with techniques like the word sprint!

How to Write a Novel

Author and ghostwriter Tom Bromley will guide you from page 1 to the finish line.

Most of us think faster than we type, and many writers aren’t the most proficient typists, to begin with. If this is a problem for you, consider using the speech-to-text function to dictate your manuscript. This option is offered by word processors like Microsoft Word and Google Docs, as well as services like Descript, Otter.ai, and Dragon Professional.

How to write faster | To use speech-to-text dictation on Google Doc go on Tools then Voice typing

Dictating your novel will require a big edit to polish your first draft, but it might help you capture a scene more naturally than if you were to type it. Give it a try and you may end up a speech-to-text convert, too… especially when you see how much faster it helps you write.

One of the reasons writers experience writer's block is because they try to think through a scene while also writing it, which can break their creative flow. If this sounds like you, try visualizing a passage in your head for a few minutes before you jot it down.

Think through the scene like it's a movie playing in your head: imagine the characters' sensory experiences, thought processes, and dialogue . Once the narration is clear in your head, put it into words. Not only will you write faster, but also with greater excitement about the story itself!

These individual techniques will all help you write faster, but combining them together will give you true superpowers. Next time you're stuck, try a couple of them out and you may just find yourself finishing your book faster than you think!

2 responses

batmansbestfriend says:

10/12/2019 – 14:03

I always find that if I have enough caffeine over the course of the day I can usually hit my daily quota in about half or a third of the time...and the quality is usually slightly better (in terms of having to do less rewriting). However, this only works if I've gone over the scene in my head enough that I feel like I've personally lived it. So, the take away is: know what you're going to write before you write it and you'll have that much of an easier time.

Anne Hagan says:

14/02/2020 – 16:11

I like numbers ten and eleven a lot. I've never given a thought to doing something like #10, writing like a child, but I use #11 all of the time. I start with a detailed outline. If I'm not 'feeling' the next scene, I move on to something that does move me - usually a dialog heavy scene. Often I can go back to the troublesome scene later and work it out or I eliminate as unnecessary to begin with.

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12 Effective Tips On How To Write Faster

Would you like some practical tips on how to write faster?

Of course, you would.

Who in the writing community wouldn’t love to get more writing done in less time?

Fast writing means more time to spend with family and friends, more time to explore new creative outlets, and more time to read, among other things.

It also means you can write more books (or whatever it is you enjoy writing)!

Once you implement even one of the twelve tips laid out for you below, you’ll become more efficient at letting the words flow onto the page .

So, say goodbye to writer’s block , and enjoy becoming a more prolific writer.

1. Check your mindset.

2. write like a journalist., 3. or research and organize before you write., 4. create a daily writing habit., 5. set realistic daily and weekly writing goals., 6. set the tone for calm and distraction-free writing., 7. use the text expander app to speed up the addition of repetitive text., 8. ditch the red, squiggly lines., 9. write without your inner editor’s “help.”, 10. don’t be a slave to your schedule (or editorial calendar)., 11. become a faster typist (with freetypinggame.net and wordgames.com)., 12. amp up the pressure by raising the stakes., 12 tips for writing faster.

Use the following tips to crank up your writing speed, so you can write more in less time and get those thoughts onto the page before they slip away.

What you do with the time you save is up to you.

Your attitude regarding a specific writing assignment has plenty to do with how quickly you can get the words out.

If you’re busy thinking things like, “This is a waste of time,” or “I’m not good at writing about things like this,” you’re creating your own writing blocks.

So, check your mindset before you start writing.

Remind yourself that most, if not all, the things you’ve written about in the past were new to you at some point.

And you have what it takes to create an article (or book, etc.) that will exceed expectations — including your own.

By that, I mean write what you know now, and use “TK” for areas that need more research.

Then, once you’ve finished writing the body of your article (or book), do a search on “TK” and fill in the blanks.

Doing this helps you write faster because you’re not holding off until you have all the information you could possibly need.

By the time you’ve begun researching to fill in those blanks, you’ll have most of the work done already.

You can also choose to research and organize before you start writing.

This can make it easier to get the words out — as long as you don’t over-research and end up with information overload.

So, find out what information you need before you research. Then organize the information you find by creating a rough outline of your piece before you start writing.

The best way to get the words flowing out of you is to create the habit of writing every day .

Choose a time of day that works best for at least five minutes of butt-in-chair time. Set a timer for five, ten, or more minutes, and write until the timer goes off.

Write for a project, or just write whatever is on your mind – whatever will help you get started. When the timer goes off, you can either take a break and repeat, or you can stop for the day.

Keep doing this every day for at least a month (ideally two) to make it a habit.

Set daily and weekly writing goals that you can consistently meet.

Consistency matters more than the size of these goals, but as you improve, you can make the goals more ambitious to challenge yourself.

Once you’ve created the daily writing habit, use it to reach goals that matter to you, even if the first goals you set seem modest.

Just reaching those goals has a way of building your confidence and encouraging you to aim higher.

Sooner or later, you’ll set goals you used to think were beyond you.

You know better than anyone else whether having music in the background helps or hinders you with writing, but do what you can to create a calm and distraction-free writing environment.

You can create a playlist on apps like Spotify to keep the music or ambient noise going while you write.

You can also silence your phone and use apps that prevent your access to social media while you work.

If those distractions are off-limits, and you consciously commit to writing for a set number of minutes at a time — with breaks in between — it’s much easier to enter the writing zone and stay there.

The Text Expander app allows you to quickly insert a pre-written snippet of text using an abbreviation or a quick search.

If you’d like to save the time you’d otherwise spend writing a brief author bio or byline, your email signature, or other content you often add to your daily work, this app can be a tremendous help.

Take advantage of the 30-day free trial to see if it’s a good fit.

When you’re typing away at something, few things are as distracting as those annoying squiggly lines that show up under words you just typed.

The good news? You can turn them off.

With Microsoft Word, go to the “File” menu, and click on “Options” at the bottom of your left-hand menu.

Then click on “Proofing” and, under “When correcting spelling and grammar in Word,” deselect “Check spelling as you type” and “Mark grammar errors as you type.”

Don’t expect your first draft of anything to be your best work. It’s going to need some editing, and you’ll write much faster if you accept this and just allow yourself to write freely without editing.

Don’t invite your inner editor into your writing space until it’s time to revise or rewrite your piece.

The first draft is all about turning on the faucet and letting the words pour out however they come.

You’ll no doubt do some editing as you go (it’s nearly impossible to make that inner editor shut up completely), but the more you allow yourself to write badly, the more freely you’ll write.

And the more your speed will improve.

How to Write Faster: 19 Effective Strategies to Increase Your Writing Speed

It’s strategy, not talent, that will help you write thousands of words a day.

By Natasha Khullar Relph

Two years into my writing career, I made a simple but career-changing realization: If I could double my writing speed, I could do twice the work in the same amount of time, allowing me to increase my income significantly .

More than just the money, though, one of my biggest frustrations as a writer until then—with a folder full of unfinished manuscripts to prove it—had been that the longer I took to finish a project, the more likely it was that I would get bored and abandon it midway. I knew that if I could teach myself to write faster, my freelance writing career would benefit from increased income and opportunities, and my books would actually get finished .

I made it my mission to learn how I could write thousands of words each day and, as a result, over the last fifteen years I have written 1,000+ articles for national and international publications, 3,000+ blog and newsletter posts , and almost a dozen books .

How fast you write impacts your work in a number of ways. It allows you to create more free time in your life if that’s what you choose; increase your income, if you need it; or simply create a larger body of work, giving you the room to experiment with new projects frequently instead of remaining stuck on a single one for years.

If you, too, want to learn how to write faster, here are some practical tips to boost your writing speed:

Don’t start with a blank page
Minimize distractions
Use triggers to get into writing flow
Honor your own creative process
Create a workflow
Use writing sprints
Learn to type faster
Try freewriting
Use placeholders
Know that editing is not writing
Embrace the art of productive procrastination
Be comfortable when you write
Utilize the Pomodoro technique
Write by hand
Try dictation
Improve by 1% each day
Take part in writing challenges
Be accountable
Give it time

1. Don’t start with a blank page

Listen, the trope of the writer battling the blank page? It’s largely false when it comes to professional writers. Anyone who has a deadline and needs to meet it in order to pay their bills knows that starting with nothing is the domain of the uninformed. Most professional writers know what they want to say before they sit down to write, even if they’re not quite sure how they’re going to do it yet.

You don’t need an entire outline before you begin, though some people prefer to use one as a creative map. If you’re just beginning to get clarity on your writing project, begin with what you have.

If you’re a journalist on deadline, jot down the main points of the story idea you’ve discussed with your editor and the questions your article will need to answer.
A blogger wondering what your next post should be about? Do a brain dump of the topics your audience is interested in.
If you’re a nonfiction author, jot down the main points that the next chapter will need to cover, and divide it up with subheadings.
A first-time novelist stalled on the next scene? Use a character template to better understand your protagonist, or list out all the major events that happen in the next scene.

2. Minimize distractions

Hear me when I say this: If you leave Instagram or other social media open on a browser tab as you’re writing, you will be tempted to check in. It’s important to minimize and, when possible, eliminate distractions that can derail your focus, slow your progress, and sap your creative energy. Here are a few ways to maintain undivided focus:

Have a dedicated writing space and make it a distraction-free zone.
Silence devices and mute notifications when you’re writing.
Block out any noise disturbances with headphones or soothing music.
Keep your area organized.
Let other people in your home know when you’re writing and would like to not be disturbed.
Use apps like Freedom , which block distracting websites and apps for a set period of time.
Use the full-screen option on your word processor or writing tool of choice, which eliminates everything on your screen, except your page. Most writing software, including Microsoft Word and Google Docs, offer this option.

3. Use triggers to get into writing flow

The best way to build a writing habit that results in faster writing? Trick your brain. Just as Pavlov’s dogs associated the bell ring with food, your brain associates the trigger with writing. This creates a conditioned response, making it easier to quickly shift your mental state from distraction to concentration, leading to improved writing speed and efficiency.

To use triggers effectively:

Identify your trigger: It can be as simple as lighting a scented candle or playing a specific playlist.
Create a routine: Implement your trigger consistently before each writing session, establishing a habit.
Associate it with writing: Ensure the trigger is uniquely associated with the act of writing. Over time, your brain will connect the two.

4. Honor your own creative process

Some writers like to wake up in the morning and get their work done before anyone else is out of bed. Others are night owls. Some of us write full time, while others do it part time or as a hobby. Some writers prefer scene-by-scene outlines before they’ll commit a single word to the page while others fly by the seat of their pants.

If you’re a night owl who’s being forced to write in the morning, you’re not going to be your most creative self. That will show up in both your writing speed and the joy you experience in the actual writing process.

That’s why it’s important to be true to yourself and honor your unique creative process. When you work with your creative energy rather than against it, speed will naturally follow.

5. Create a workflow

One of the best things I did to increase my writing speed is to create templates and workflows for every piece of writing.

There are always going to be the same steps involved in writing a blog post—outline, research, first draft, editing, proofreading, finding or creating images, and publishing—and if I could systematize the process, then I’d spend less time worrying about the next step and more time actually doing it.

For example, I know from experience that I’m more productive when I’m batching my tasks. So I make a list of all the stories I have due to my editors over the next two weeks and do certain tasks, such as researching and setting up interviews, for all the stories in one go. Similarly, when I know I have a bunch of book chapters to write , I’ll outline as many as I can before I start the actual writing. The editing process? Far easier to get through ten posts at once when I’m in the self-editing zone than trying to do them one at a time.

6. Use writing sprints

This is the single most important writing tip I can give you to increase speed. Because when I started implementing writing sprints into my process, my word count practically exploded . I went from writing 500-1,000 words a day to 3,000-5,000 words, often effortlessly.

So what are writing sprints? They’re focused, time-limited writing sessions typically lasting from 10 minutes to 25 minutes, during which you commit to uninterrupted, intensive writing, with the goal of writing as much as possible. Sprints, especially when they’re short and focused, can be an excellent way to channel your focus and boost your productivity —and word count.

Sprints are an excellent writing tool for a few reasons:

They encourage intense, concentrated speed writing by giving you limited writing time.
They can help you push through writer’s block , resistance, and hesitation.
The pressure of a sprint can lead to creative breakthroughs and innovative ideas.
Completing multiple sprints in succession builds writing momentum and a sense of accomplishment without having to spend a lot of time in the chair.
By sprinting with others, you can share writing goals and progress, fostering accountability and motivation.
Word sprints allow you to allocate time specifically for writing and use it wisely.
You don’t need to write every day to see results.

7. Learn to type faster

It’s not frequently talked about, but think about it: If you’re a slow typist, you’re limiting how many words you can get out on to the page, right?

The pecking and hunting of keys I was doing in my first year of freelancing wasn’t getting me to my goals fast enough, and so, the impatient writer that I am, I taught myself to touch type. This involves learning how to type without looking at the keyboard. By mastering touch typing, you can type faster and more accurately, and this automatically increases your writing speed.

To become proficient at touch typing:

Familiarize yourself with your keyboard layout, since knowing the position of each key and its function is essential for efficient typing.
Considering using typing software and apps designed to improve your typing speed and accuracy.
The key to improving typing speed is consistent practice. You may find it incredibly frustrating in the beginning when you’re learning the basics and your speed crashes to a halt as you figure out where your fingers go. However, I can promise you that the more you practice, the more exponentially your speed will rise when you become proficient.
Online typing games and tests can be both fun and educational. They provide real-time feedback on your typing speed and accuracy, motivating you to improve.

8. Try freewriting

To eliminate perfectionist tendencies, try freewriting.

Freewriting involves setting aside your inner critic and letting your thoughts flow freely on to the page or screen. It’s a process of writing without rules or structure. During a freewriting session, your goal is to generate stream of consciousness writing. Don’t worry about grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors. Let the grammar checker handle that later. For now, just focus on capturing your thoughts, feelings, and ideas as they arise.

Freewriting isn’t something you’ll be doing when you’re working on deadlines or work that’s meant for publication. Instead, use freewriting for practice. By learning to loosen up your mind and your fingers during freewriting sessions, you’ll find it easier to do when writing for publication as well.

9. Use placeholders

If all else fails, try using the old journalist’s trick of using TK as a placeholder when you need to check a fact or research something. TK stands for “to come” and easily stands out in a document because there’s no word in the English language where those two letters appear together.

Using TK as a placeholder allows you to do a global search of your document once you’ve finished the first draft and find areas you need to address without breaking the flow of your writing in the moment. This is an especially great tip for writers who waste time going down a rabbit hole of research and end up losing hours or days of writing time to aspects of the work that are better handled later.

10. Know that editing is not writing

The simplest answer to the question “How do I write faster?” is “By not stopping when you’re in the middle of it.”

That’s exactly what most writers do, of course. You’ll be in the flow with a scene and you’ll stop to fix a typo. Or you’re racing through your rough draft when you notice that the formatting is wonky and must be fixed before you can type another sentence.

Hear me when I say this: Researching is not writing. Revising is not writing. Proofreading? Not writing.

There will be time for all of that later. When you’re in the editing phase, you will come back to this manuscript and go through it with an editor’s eye. But when you’re writing, the creator in you needs to have the freedom to race ahead without being bound by the constraints of spell check.

If you want to become a faster writer, leave the editor at the door when you sit down to write.

11. Embrace the art of productive procrastination

Productive procrastination is my superpower and one of the main reasons I’m able to remain prolific even when I get creatively blocked on certain projects.

The concept itself refers to a situation where you delay or avoid working on a primary or essential task by engaging in other productive activities or tasks. These alternative activities, while unrelated to the primary task, are still productive in nature and can provide a sense of accomplishment.

For example, this morning I was meant to be working on a novel synopsis that an editor has requested. I found myself procrastinating on this job, but instead of watching Netflix or playing a video game, which is what I would have done a few years ago, I started writing this article. While I am still procrastinating on the synopsis, rather than engaging in unproductive or time-wasting behaviors, such as mindlessly browsing social media or watching TV, I’m bringing another project closer to the finish line instead.

12. Be comfortable when you write

While many writers like to get dressed and put on make-up before they sit down to write so they can feel more professional while “on the job,” I lean more towards comfort.

Being comfortable while I write, whether that’s in bed or in a coffee shop, is essential to nurturing my creativity and sustaining productivity. When I’m physically comfortable, I can focus on my plot and how my character’s situation is going to work out, rather than the cramp in my leg or the way the chair is digging into my back.

Create an environment that promotes focus and minimizes distractions. This can make a significant difference in the quality and quantity of your output. Consider investing in an ergonomic chair, a well-designed workspace, and proper lighting to enhance your comfort, especially during extended writing sessions. Maintaining good posture and taking short breaks to stretch can prevent discomfort and fatigue, allowing you to stay immersed in your writing without interruptions.

13. Utilize the Pomodoro technique

The Pomodoro technique is a time management and productivity method that’s designed to help individuals enhance their focus, manage distractions, and improve productivity by breaking work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks.

With this method, you’d select a task you want to work on, set a timer for 25 minutes (a Pomodoro) and don’t stop writing until the timer goes off. When the Pomodoro timer rings, take a five-minute break, and then start another Pomodoro to continue working on the tasks. Typically, after completing four Pomodoros (about two hours of work), you’d take a longer break of 15-30 minutes.

Here are some ways in which the Pomodoro technique can be useful for writers and why I recommend you try it:

Structured work intervals: The Pomodoro technique breaks your work into focused intervals, during which you commit to focused writing, eliminating distractions and maintaining a consistent pace.
Time management: By allocating a specific duration to your writing tasks, the Pomodoro technique encourages you to manage your time effectively .
Preventing burnout: The regular breaks built into the Pomodoro technique are crucial for preventing burnout. Extended writing sessions can lead to mental fatigue, which hampers your creativity and productivity. Short breaks provide an opportunity to recharge, clear your mind, and return to writing with renewed energy and focus.
Incremental progress: Writing a large document or tackling a substantial project can feel overwhelming. This method encourages you to approach your work in smaller, more manageable chunks. Over time, these focused intervals accumulate, leading to a significant amount of written content.
Tracking and reflection: The technique’s structured approach allows you to track your writing sessions more effectively. You can monitor how many Pomodoros you complete in a day and use that to assess your productivity.
Enhanced concentration: One of the biggest benefits of the Pomodoro technique is in its ability to enhance concentration. During each Pomodoro, you’re encouraged to maintain a laser-like focus on your writing. Over time, this practice can improve your ability to concentrate for extended periods, making your writing sessions more efficient.

14. Write by hand

When it comes to the decision of whether to type or write by hand, the choice may not be solely about handwriting speed. It’s also about which method opens up a different creative part of your brain. Many writers find that picking up a fountain pen and putting it to paper can to be a conduit to a more profound connection with your thoughts and ideas.

So, how do you write faster when using this analog method? My recommendation would be to use this process for idea generation and deeper connections through journaling, especially if you’re stuck with a project and need to generate a path forward quickly.

15. Try dictation

Dictation can be a game-changing tool for many writers, especially if you’re a slow typist and find it difficult to keep pace with your thoughts. Dictation, which involves speaking your words aloud for transcription, uses voice recognition software to significantly boost your writing output. Here’s why.

Faster than typing: For most people, speaking is faster than typing. You can articulate your thoughts quickly and naturally, and this speed advantage allows you to capture ideas as they flow.
Hands-free multitasking: Dictation frees up your hands, allowing you to “write” while you’re doing household chores, taking a walk, or relaxing on the sofa.
Conversational tone: Dictation often results in a more conversational tone in your writing. This can be particularly useful for dialogue in fiction, blog posts, or speeches.

To get started with dictation, you’ll need a compatible device or software, such as a smartphone with voice recognition capabilities or dedicated dictation software. It’s also important to remember that while dictation can be a powerful tool to increase your writing speed, it may take some practice to become proficient and start creating high-quality content.

16. Improve by 1% each day

The principle of improving by 1% each day is a powerful concept that can have a profound impact on your writing speed and overall productivity. It’s based on the idea that consistent, incremental progress can lead to significant improvements over time. While aiming for massive leaps in writing speed may seem daunting, committing to a 1% improvement over the next day is manageable and sustainable.

The beauty of this approach is that it allows you to focus on small, achievable goals. By dedicating a small portion of your time to deliberate practice and skill development, you gradually build proficiency. Over weeks and months, these incremental gains compound, resulting in noticeable enhancements in your writing speed.

Moreover, the 1% improvement mentality encourages consistency and perseverance, key traits for any writer.

17. Take part in writing challenges

If you want to level up quickly, on the other hand, a writing challenge can push you out of your comfort zone and be a powerful motivator. Knowing that you have a limited window of time to complete a writing task encourages you to focus and hit those word count goals efficiently. This time pressure can help you overcome procrastination and writer’s block, forcing you to dive into writing and maintain a steady pace. Over time, this practice improves your ability to work swiftly without compromising quality.

Here are the challenges I recommend for speeding up your writing:

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) : Write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days during the month of November. (If you’re doing this, don’t forget to check out our 30-day book writing plan .)
Story a Day : A month-long short story challenge in which writers write a short story every day in May.
12 x 12 : Write a children’s picture book every month of the year
The 365 Writing Challenge : Write 1,000 words a day for a year.
30 Days, 30 Queries : Our very own freelance pitching challenge, in which writers write and send 30 pitches to national and international publications over 30 days.

18. Be accountable

There’s only so much you can do on your own. When your motivation starts lagging, it’s time to bring in some accountability. Accountability can look different from writer to writer, depending on how much help you need to say on track, your relationship with external validation, and your personal preferences.

Some ways to build accountability into your writing process include:

Join a writing group: Participate in a group or workshop where members share their goals and progress.
Find a writing partner: You can set goals together, as well as check in at a certain time of day or week, in order to track progress.
Use apps: There are multiple apps and online tools designed to help writers set and track their goals. These can send reminders, track word count goals, and provide visual progress updates.
Create a reward system: Reward yourself for meeting writing milestones. It could be a small treat, a special activity, or anything else that keeps you motivated.
Publicly declare your goals: Share your writing goals on social media or with your friends and family. Knowing that others are aware of your objectives can boost your commitment.

19. Give it time

Fast writing doesn’t develop overnight. It’s a skill that evolves alongside your overall writing proficiency. As you progress along your journey, your writing skills and speed will naturally improve. However, it’s crucial to understand that achieving excellence in writing, whether in terms of speed or quality, primarily comes from practice and dedication.

Want to write better? Write more.

Want to be a writer faster? Write more.

Want to produce a larger body of work? Write more.

Good writing comes from practice. Make sure, daily, to practice more.

FREE RESOURCE:

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Natasha Khullar Relph

Founder and Editor, The Wordling

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When You Write

How to Write Faster: 23 Tips to Speed Up Your Writing Output

As a writer, you already know the essence of learning how to write faster and putting out more writing work.

You hear other writers talk about “I average 7k words per day” or “my weekly output is roughly 20k.”

But your fiction has been lingering around chapter one for months… What are you doing wrong?

I cannot diagnose your problem, but I will give you some tips that you can use to perform a self-diagnosis and increase your writing speed.

Writing Is a Game of Numbers

For 21st-century freelance writers, novelists, or any other professional writer, quality matters. But without quantity, you are just going to lumber in the abyss of the world wide web libraries.

Writing is a game of numbers – the more you put out, the more you get noticed. Likewise, the more gigs you complete, the more money you get.

It’s as simple as ABC.

The faster you write, the faster the ‘cha-ching’ comes in. So once you learn how to write fast, you can get more work done in a shorter time and probably earn more.

So, writing-faster hacks are essential life hacks for any serious writer.

23 Tips To Writing Faster (And Better)

Out of the 23 tips, 1 and 2 are the most essential. That is why I have given them more meat than all the rest.

1. Learn How to Increase Your Handwriting Speed

Almost everyone learns the art of handwriting at a very young age, but we tend to forget this important skill as we grow older. This trend has been exacerbated by the more convenient computers and mobile phones.

With the dawn of the Age of Ultron digital age, handwriting has become an even more obscure skill.

However, handwriting speed is still essential for people who take notes using pen and paper (students, for example).

There are a couple of benefits of increased handwriting,

Better performance. You take better handwritten notes and save time in an exam.
Increased Automaticity. This means that your brain will have to burden itself with other important intellectual stuff rather than the physical movements of your hand.
Less writing gaffes. We often commit errors because we think faster than we write. But if the writing pace catches up, there will be fewer errors.

Handwriting Speed Tips

Use Better Writing Tools: The type of pens you use affects your writing speed. Your ballpoint pens don’t rank in the speed ratings. You’d be better off having a fountain pen, a roller pen, or a gel pen.

Learn or Develop a Shorthand System: Instead of using bulky words, why not try symbols or abbreviations. There are no limits, so you can develop your own shorthand writing system or learn pre-existing ones like (Pitman, Gregg, Teeline).

Be Comfortable: Somebody might have shown you the ‘best way’ to hold a pen, you tried it, and it didn’t feel comfortable at all. Don’t force it, it’ll just slow you down.

Always hold the pen in a way that feels comfortable. The way you hold a pen doesn’t really affect writing speed, but if you are comfortable, your pace might improve.

Maintain a Good Posture: Writing is laborious; not only does it stress your fingers, but your spine also gets a beating too.

There are ergonomic kneeling and upright sitting office chairs which help you to improve your sitting posture. The chairs should be complemented by your own efforts.

Your feet should lie flat on the floor.
Your knees should be at a 90-degree angle.
The lower back should be supported by the chair.

2. Learn to Type Fast

The idea is that every finger should have its place on the keyboard. To help the fingers get used to ‘their’ position on the keyboard, you have to type without looking at the keyboard.

Home Row Finger Placement: place four fingers (from your index finger to the pinkie) on the ASDF and JKL. The keys are in the center row of the letter keys, also called the HOME ROW.

When you are typing, you should always start and return to the “ASDF – JKL” letters (that’s why they are called the middle row and are called the home row). The letters ‘F’ and ‘J’ have little ridges for your fingers to sense the initial position by groping the keys.

Your thumbs should always hover around the space bar, and the SHIFT key should be assigned to the pinkie opposite to the hand that is pressing the other key.

Good Sitting Posture for Typing

I also covered this when I wrote about ergonomic office chairs . But let me just hash over a couple of important tips:

The top of your screen must be level with your head.
Relieve the pressure in your shoulders, arms, and wrists. You can invest in a keyboard with a wrist rest so that your body weight isn’t shifted to your wrists.
Sit straight.
Keep a good distance between your eyes and the computer screen (at least 40cm).
Keep the elbows bent at a 90-degree angle.
DON’T SLOUCH.

3. Write Rhubarb, Edit Later

Hi writer, no one is going to see your very first draft: nobody but you.

When you start writing, all you need to do is pour raw thoughts. Forget the typos and coherence; none of that matters, for now.

Editing is actually the most arduous step of writing. That is because we tend to rewrite a lot of the initial stuff and pay a lot more attention to detail. Have you ever written a whole page only to come back and erase it because it is pure garbage?

So just focus on putting words to paper and leave the corrections to the other you, the editing you.

4. Follow the Cliché

“Practice makes perfect.”

This is the most overused cliché and… the most accurate. You have to write every day. Do not force the writing speed. As long as you are applying the proper techniques and writing consistently, you will get better.

5. Write the Intro at the End

Writing the introduction earlier than the main body will slow you down nine out of ten times. The introductory paragraphs (in some cases, an abstract) give a taste of the juice contained in the main body of your work. Writing this part first usually means setting unnecessary standards for yourself.

The introduction will always mess up your head, trying to align your content with the introduction.

But if you start with the main body, you will probably write faster and use the content to create an abstract afterward.

Introductions and abstracts write themselves.

6. Gather Information Before You Start Writing

Doing research is a vital part of writing. Literal work (especially academic) with unverifiable content exposes the writer’s knowledge gaps and stinks of unprofessionalism.

However, researching while writing is counterproductive. You spend huge chunks of time on the web or bookshelves instead of writing. And sometimes, you are ready to write again, only to find out that all the creative juices have dried up.

Google your stuff beforehand, scour the bookshelves and take notes and pictures before the actual writing begins. When you sit down to write, you should WRITE.

Another cliché, “failing to plan is planning to?”

Freestyling is good because you just hop around and before you know it, you have 25k words. But, setting an outline helps you save time thinking about what to do next.

Write an outline, then freestyle inside the outlined topics. You can jump from the first topic to the last, then back to a middle section.

8. Set challenges

Challenging oneself is one of the greatest traits of successful people in any field. Most professionals, likely you too, work well with deadlines.

Give yourself word counts and deadlines. It may seem like a simple overused old hack, but when you start employing this technique you will realize that whatever the circumstance, failing feels bad.

You will zealously want to beat your deadlines.

9. Fragment Your Work

Writing a book may seem like a tough thing to do (that’s because it is). But if you break the book into chapters or scenes and work on them one by one, the workload seems a whole lot lighter.

As a matter of fact, Mark Twain did say something just like this, he said, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one”.

10. Play Typing Games

Thanks to apps and websites, learning to type faster has become fun. Nowadays, there are a squillion web-based or offline games, tests, and YouTube tutorials.

Websites like WordGames.Com and Typing.com provide typing games and challenges which can help you improve your typing speed.

11. Go blind and Invent

You can do your research beforehand or completely write from your head. This is usually effective for fiction writers. Create worlds, words, names, cities, et cetera.

There’s a writing technique that I call “Blitzkrieg Freestyle Writing.” It’s something similar to the “write rhubarb, edit later” style, just that with blitzkrieg freestyle writing, you can include some nonexistent stuff and create your own stuff that can even make it past the final draft.

After setting up a few things beforehand, jump onto the chair and wing it! Just blitz through the pages without pressing backspace, googling, or verifying.

12. Ignore the Schedule (Sometimes)

Creativity is spontaneous, and sparks of genius usually occur sporadically. If you are writing a scheduled article but the words aren’t coming, it’s better to disregard your schedule and look at something different.

It might be another article or your poems from five years ago. You need to be concerned with the magic, not the time frame.

Word of caution; do not mistake the “spontaneous creativity” that I’m talking about with that mischievous demon of procrastination.

13. Find Your Optimal Writing Times

The ‘night owls versus early risers’ thing isn’t genetic, you are not born to be a night owl or somebody that wakes early every morning.

Our bodies have a reprogrammable biological clock. If you keep late nights a lot, your body readjusts and you start to notice that instead of feeling sleepy in the after-hours, your eyelids usually give up in the wee hours of the morning.

The issue here is not trying to program the clock but understanding it (although it’s okay if you want to). You must observe what time(s) of the day you’re most active. It’s during those hours that you’ll write faster, and the content will be of better quality.

14. Always Stop Writing Mid-Sentence

This might seem counterintuitive at first; why would I stop writing mid-sentence? When my flow is so on point? So undue.

However, when you stop writing in the middle of an exciting, fully developed (in your head) plot, you exactly know what to write when you resume writing.

When you go back to write, you know where to pick from. It’s vroom vroom from the first keystroke, your phalanges going Luis Hamilton fast.

15. Set a timer

Just like the previous method, this seems counterintuitive too. Imagine blitzing through a paragraph, then the alarm rings.

Aargh!!!

I know, I know, it seems inconvenient but, there are a lot of hidden benefits.

Taking breaks after the clock runs down also helps you refresh the brain and stretch your body. A fresher brain means more productivity, and since you are probably going to stop writing mid-sentence, you will have a lot of content already thought out (hence faster writing), and you save yourself a world of pain and stress.

Sometimes the timer helps you pace up so that you can write a lot of stuff in the short given time.

16. Use The Pomodoro technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management scheme that helps people to effectively use time to their advantage when working.

This is similar to the previous hack (you obviously use a timer), but unlike the former, it has preset time margins.

It’s a simple system, you have 25-minute focused work sessions followed by five-minute breaks. The breaks are what are called Pomodoros. After four Pomodoros, the break should be longer (about 20 minutes).

Just like the normal timer setting, you get the benefits of stopping mid-sentence, plus you save energy.

17. Schedule Undisturbed Writing Time or Just Hang a Sign.

For me, it is hard to hang a sign and expect that the other ‘creatures’ in the house will observe the new rules.

No no no no. Nope!

I live with toughies, and it’s almost impossible to tell them what not to do. My solution? Doing my writing when they’ve exhausted all their energy.

At night, the guys turn to sloths. That’s when I attack my keyboard with zero distractions. However, putting up a “don’t disturb sign” usually works, especially in a professional environment.

18. Start from Anywhere

When you are writing a book, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is to think that you MUST write it chapter by chapter, chronologically.

You might start off quite brilliantly, but you will — 9 out 10 times—get stuck somewhere before you even the first chapter.

Start from wherever content seems to flow seamlessly. After a while, some other parts will start revealing themselves.

19. Write drunk, edit sober

I first saw this advice on a certain blog, and I said to myself, “this is rubbish, these people just write things just to fill up articles.”

But I found out, from my writer circles, that this actually works for a lot of writers. Apparently, a hard drink (a gentleman’s quantity) can spur creativity since it snaps some wires in the head. However, you should expect some content to be utter rubbish, so you’ll have to follow the “write Rhubarb, edit later” hack.

20. Get a Journal

Not only will a journal help you increase your handwriting speed (because you will be writing frequently), it will also help you save your ideas. You can use the ideas later, reducing the time you spend on brainstorming during a writing session.

You can also use the journal to create characters or write some rhubarb to be edited later.

21. Switch Your Perspective

Looking at a writing project just in terms of the word count and workload is demotivating. Somehow, the word count always seems like a mountain to climb.

And hiking isn’t for everyone. Ha-ha.

But seriously, you have to switch the perspective and start looking at a blinking cursor as a metronome, your chance to write creative stuff that will wow millions – Your chance to shine.

22. Go Incommunicado

The digital space is full of distractions; Facebook, Insta, Twitter, Pinterest, a movie perhaps.

Your computer or mobile phone can be both your ally and foe when you have some content to write.

One minute, you want to see your Facebook inbox and an hour letter you’re pinning stuff on Pinterest. A few days later and you still haven’t started typing that chapter.

Shut it off!

But if you use the computer for writing, then shutting it off is equally counterproductive. You have to have software that turns your computer into a digital offline typewriter.

There is a lot of software that will block all the background distractions, i.e., FocusWriter , Typora , Mark text , and Ommwriter .

23. Use Squiggly Line Reminders

Sometimes, your typing speed isn’t the problem. Sometimes, it is those missing words in your head.

You can blitz your way through a chapter only to get stuck explaining what kind of dress ‘Daisy’ wore. Then you go on the web and start scouring for dresses and fashion trends, and before you know it, you’ve spent a whole hour looking for a “dress.”

Many word processors use red squiggly lines to tell you that you’ve made a mistake. Using misspelled words or symbols when you get stuck helps you put markers to which you can come back to make corrections or fill with text.

Final Words

Experiment, the tips are not a “one shoe fits all” type of solution. Trial and error won’t hurt.

And… one more cliché.

“If you want to be successful, you should do what you love.”

Make writing a top priority, a full-time thing. You’ll discover a lot of writing hacks on your own. Some things just come naturally.

Note: You cannot do all of them simultaneously. While some will work for you, others won’t make any sense at all. You just have to mix and match and see what works best for you.

How to Write Faster: Writing Tips to Finish a First Draft in 6 Weeks

by J. D. Edwin | 0 comments

Want to Become a Published Author? In 100 Day Book, you’ll finish your book guaranteed. Learn more and sign up here.

Do you have an abandoned or partial manuscript sitting in a drawer or on your hard drive, one you just couldn't finish, even after maybe years of chipping away at it? Me too. Until I learned how to write faster. The Write Fast System not only boosted my writing productivity, but it has helped me finish numerous projects in record time.

Writing the first draft for any book is hard work, but it is also manageable. The amount of time it takes does not have to be daunting at all.

In fact, it's even possible to learn how to write faster and complete your book in less time – six weeks, even!

That's my goal for my upcoming blog series, to teach you what I've learned about writing faster, and not only that, but show you why improving your writing speed will make you a better writer as well.

How I Learned to Write Faster First Drafts

When you sit down in front of that endless blank page and think about your writing project, does it look utterly, incredibly vast, like a white desert waiting to be filled? Do you feel yourself wanting to stop before you even start, putting your book off for yet another day, because the idea of putting that many words on paper just feels too daunting? Do you find yourself going down that rabbit hole of “I'll never be able to do this”?

Maybe you are telling yourself, “One day I will start, that day will definitely come.” Doing this give yourself a little vote of confidence, even though you have no idea when that day will actually happen.

Maybe you get distracted by something shiny on social media, and promise yourself the writing will come the next day, when you “feel it”.

Maybe the “time of day” just feels wrong for writing. After all, it's morning and you work better as a night owl.

But sooner or later, you realize that these are just excuses.

My first book took me three years, and that’s just the time it took to write one draft. Altogether, if you count the time from the inception of the idea and the bits and pieces of poorly conducted planning, it took at least six .

I dreamed of the idea for at least two years, wrote bits and pieces, put it aside, changed my mind on and off, forgot where the story was going in between months of inaction, made notes, lost notes, renamed the characters, redesigned the plot, made the story too short, then too long, and everything in between. I even paid for several fancy book-writing tools. Mostly, I was wasting time.

By the end, I ended up with a 150K word behemoth and was so tired of looking at it that I couldn’t bring myself to write another draft.

What I learned in this experience, above all else, is how not to write a book.

Fast forward a few years, and I wrote my second book.

The first draft of this book, 90K words long, took a little less than six weeks. I used Google docs for the whole thing, editing and formatting and all.

Not only that, it was a far more cohesive, well-plotted book with a tighter story and more well-developed characters. This book, titled Headspace , has become the first in a series and will be published this summer by Story Cartel Press.

So what changed in those years?

How did I go from a multi-year slog to turning out books that are not only fast and efficient, but also of far improved quality compared to that first disaster?

In a very special series of articles, I’m going to take you through the lessons, tips, and tricks in efficiency that I’ve learned over the past ten years so you can learn how to write faster.

These lessons have helped me improve my writing productivity greatly, even in a year like 2020. I hope that by sharing them with you, you will be able to write your best stories—specifically your first drafts, quickly and efficiently, without having to take a decade to figure it out.

Because, surprise of all surprises, productivity can be learned !

How to Write Fast: The 3 Fast Writing Essentials

Learning anything takes time and that should come as no shock to anyone. However, the good news about productivty is that you can learn it while simultaenous accomplishing your goals and projects.

In this blog series, we will go into detail about how this process works, but there are three core things you need in order to write fast:

The correct mindset
A set of writing techniques
A good system.

Master these three and you will write faster, and finish your stories, too.

Develop a (Fast) Writing Mindset

Believe it or not, productivity begins with a mindset. This applies not only to your writing schedules and habits, but also how you view the first draft of your story.

The first draft is different from all the subsequent drafts. It is the starting point of everything. It serves as the skeleton of your story that holds up the flesh of the story.

In a drawing, it would be that first messy sketch under the final drawing that no one sees.

It is important to remember that the first draft does not have to be perfect. In fact, it doesn’t have to look anything like the final product. Remember that a first draft is a rough draft. It can be ugly, flawed, and full of typos, but all it needs is to be written. The first draft is not the time to be a perfectionist. Accepting this will often help you conquer that first writer's block.

Rather than trying to write a perfect first draft, it’s far more productive to focus on producing a first draft that does its best to support future drafts.

This lesson was one of the most important ones I’ve learned on my journey.

Apply Writing Techniques

Writing can be taught.

More than that, writing can be learned.

The more you learn about the craft, technique, and act of writing, the more productively you will be able to write. This is the same principle as anything—you can build a house, paint a painting, or perform a dance choreography better when you are more familiar with the skills and craft involved.

But with endless resources, programs, seminars, and classes, how do you know where to start?

What’s going to be the most useful to you and what might turn out to be a waste of time? It’s easy to get overwhelmed or fall into the trap of feeling like you need an endless amount of education or even a university degree before you can write a decent book.

Good news—it’s a lot simpler than it looks.

With a targeting approach and a clear goal in mind, leveling up your writing skills – as well as your writing speed – doesn’t take nearly as much time as you might fear.

Use a System

What’s a system?

The word “system” can sometimes scare people off. It conjures images of computers and codes and complicated thingamajigs.

Many writers may not think systems have anything to do with their craft and shirk away from it. But it need not be that way—systems are your friends.

A system can be defined as “a set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized framework or method.” To put it in simpler, clearer terms, it means a way to do things that is organized and repeatable .

When you have a system for how you approach a book, you will never be left lost and stranded, wondering what to do next.

You will always know the steps to take, from the first to the last. In this series, I will show you the system that’s worked for me as well as guide you on how to build better writing habits and continuously improve your own writing system.

Want the full Write Fast System? My new book just launched and with it, you can stop agonizing over a draft for years. With The Write Fast System, you can get that first draft down in as little as 6 weeks and develop a repeatable process for revision that will get your books in the hands of readers sooner than you've ever imagined.

The Write Fast System: The Steps to Writing Your Best Book Faster

A Preview of My How to Write Faster Series

I’m beyond excited to take this journey with you all! Below is a list of all the topics that will be covered in this series. I hope to offer practical tips that can be implemented right away, for amateurs, professional writers, or otherwise.

What Should Be Included in Your First Draft?

In this first post we will get a better understanding of what you should accomplish in writing your first draft, including identifying important elements and goals, as well as what isn't quite a important in this process.

Read this post in full here !

4 Key Reasons Planning a Novel Speeds Up Your Writing Process

This post helps you understand the importance of planning and the role it plays in writing a book quickly. The better your planning, the more you can save time on your writing. Writing fast isn't just about your typing speed, but how you approach the project as a whole.

This post is ready for you to study here .

How to Become a Successful Writer: 5 Productivity Tools

You will want to keep this post close by. It's going to serve as a helpful reference of what you need to achieve productive writing, and we'll use a variety of tools for your writer's toolkit to improve your writing flow.

Add these productivity tools to your writing toolkit today !

How to Write Good Fiction: 4 Foundational Skills and How to Build Them

Overwhelmed and don't know where to start building your skills? This is the post for you. This is where we will talk about how to identify your strengths and improve your weaknesses by learning some foundational skills that will enhance your productivity and keep you motivated and focused.

Read more about how to strengthen four foundational writing skills and become a better fiction writer.

4 Practical Exercises to Improve Writing Skills (and Keep Practicing)

Practice is important. But blind, untargetted writing sessions can slow your progress. As Ernest Hemingway says— never mistake motion for action . We will talk in this post about the importance of the practicing mindset and how to make the most of it when trying to build your writing speed. We will also discuss free writing and how it may or may not work for you.

You can read more about the importance of practice (and how to practice writing) in this post .

Writing a Book Outline: 5 Essential Sections That Build a Solid Story

The very first steps of planning your book can determine if you finish your story and find the enthusiasm to start your next draft. In this post I will reference James Scott Bell's “build a bridge” method, plus a few tips of my own.

Start writing a book outline today; use this post as a guide.

Ending of Stories: How Planning an Ending Will Help You Write Faster

It may seem a little odd to talk about story endings when you haven’t even started writing. Deciding on the type of ending you want, however, is an important part of planning a book.

When a writer knows how their story ends, they can figure out important plot points in between, all the plot twists that eventually lead to that climatic moment.

In this article, writers can learn the essentials of a satisfying ending. You can read it here .

Scene Outline: How to Write Faster by Developing a List of Scenes

A scene outline, or scene list, can give your story plan focus and prevent burnout or confusion when actually writing your story.

Some people dislike the idea of planning scenes, but you would not believe how useful this exercise can be in helping build your story. Even better, you don't have to stick to it.

In this article, you'll learn how to create a scene list that gives your big story idea focus, which will help you not only write faster, but give you a higher chance of actually finishing your book. Read more about outlining a scene list here .

How to Revise a Novel: A Revision List to Edit With Confidence

My revision list is my best friend in writing draft one.

Not only does it serve as a central collection point for my notes, it also keeps me from having to revise as I write.

In this article , I share my revision list template with you as well as show you how to make it work for you. Used correctly, this tool will save you a lot of time during the editing phase.

Plotter vs. Pantser: When to Plot, When to Pants, and When to Combine Them

This series focuses heavily on planning. However, we are not all plotters.

Some of us are pantsers, but that doesn't mean some of these tips won't help you.

This article explores ways pantsers can make use of this series , and how planning in different ways can set writers up for success.

Writing Success: 3 Easy Steps to Develop Your Writing System

This article teaches writers what to do when it's time to actually write. After all the planning, all the ideas and thoughts and goals, this is where we put it all together into a system/writing process that you can use your first book and every book after it.

If you're ready to write but not sure how to start, learn about writing systems in this article .

Setting Writing Goals: How to Set Goals and Finish Your Book

The ultimate goal of this series is for you to not only start a book, but to finish it. But finishing the story is actually more than just a checkbox and in this post I will tell you why.

If you want to finish your story, you need to set writing goals that will push you to the end. This article can help you get organized.

Why Are Characters Important in a Story? 4 Ways Essential Characters Make Contributions

Part of efficient writing is knowing what's essentail and what's not. This applies not only to plot but characters as well.

In order for a secondary character —or any character—to matter in a story, they have to work as an essential character that impacts the protagonist, plot, setting, or another important aspect that shapes or moves a story forward.

This article teaches four ways that determine if (1) the character is essential, and (2) how they contribute to a story.

It also reviews the major types of characters and ways to determine if—for the characters who don't qualify as essential—you're better off revising their role, or cutting them from the plot.

Deadlines for Writers: 3 Easy Steps to Try as Your Deadline Looms

You're down to the wires. The deadline is coming up but you're not sure if you're going to be able to finish on time. This post teaches writers three tips and tricks that will help you wrap up your first draft fast.

It also shares how to set manageable deadlines that will ensure you finish instead of give up your manuscript.

Read more about deadlines for writers here .

The second draft will take work, and that is a lot more manageable if you get your first draft done sooner than later. Tweet this

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J. D. Edwin

J. D. Edwin is a daydreamer and writer of fiction both long and short, usually in soft sci-fi or urban fantasy. Sign up for her newsletter for free articles on the writer life and updates on her novel, find her on Facebook and Twitter ( @JDEdwinAuthor ), or read one of her many short stories on Short Fiction Break literary magazine .

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Join over 450,000 readers who are saying YES to practice. You’ll also get a free copy of our eBook 14 Prompts :

Voice-to-text software can significantly expedite essay writing by allowing users to dictate their thoughts and ideas, bypassing manual typing verbally. This technology enables a continuous writing flow, as individuals can speak their ideas naturally and conversationally without interruptions.

For example, instead of pausing to search for the right words or phrases, users can express their thoughts fluidly, resulting in a faster and more efficient writing process. Additionally, voice-to-text software eliminates the physical strain associated with typing for extended periods, allowing users to maintain productivity and focus for longer durations.

Furthermore, voice-to-text software offers flexibility in writing environments, as users can dictate their essays from virtually anywhere using a smartphone, tablet, or computer. For instance, individuals can dictate their essays while commuting, exercising, or completing other tasks, maximizing their time and productivity.

You can use the following voice-to-text tools:

Need Urgent Help with Your Essay?

Don’t strain yourself – use professional writing services .

The Stream-of-Consciousness Writing

Stream-of-consciousness writing is a technique that involves recording thoughts as they come to mind, without filtering or censoring them. This approach can be particularly useful for writing essays in less than 60 minutes as it allows for a rapid flow of ideas and content generation.

By bypassing the need for careful planning and organization, stream-of-consciousness writing enables writers to quickly capture their thoughts on paper and generate raw material for their essays. For example, writers can focus solely on expressing their ideas and arguments instead of worrying about sentence structure or grammar, resulting in a faster and more spontaneous writing process.

Moreover, stream-of-consciousness writing can help writers overcome writer's block and tap into their creativity more effectively. This can lead to more original and compelling essay content. For instance, writers may discover new angles or perspectives on their topic that they hadn't considered before, enriching their essays with fresh insights and perspectives.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use the stream-of-consciousness technique to write an essay:

AI Writing Tools

AI writing tools can significantly expedite the essay writing process by automating various aspects of content creation, such as generating ideas, structuring arguments, and even drafting entire paragraphs. These tools leverage advanced natural language processing (NLP) algorithms to analyze input data and produce coherent, contextually relevant text output.

For example, platforms like OpenAI's GPT-3 and Grammarly's AI-powered writing assistant offer features such as auto-completion, grammar and style suggestions, and even content generation based on user prompts.

Furthermore, AI writing tools can assist writers in overcoming writer's block and generating ideas more efficiently. For instance, tools like Articoolo and QuillBot can generate article outlines or paraphrase existing text to provide inspiration and generate new content.

Here are reliable AI essay writing tools:

EssayPro Writing App

WARNING: While these tools can aid in content creation and idea generation, relying too heavily on them may lead to plagiarism or submitting low-quality, unoriginal work. Writers should use AI writing tools to supplement their research and writing process rather than replace critical thinking and academic rigor.

Collage Essay Method

The collage essay method is a creative approach to essay writing that involves assembling visual and textual materials into a collage to represent different aspects of the essay topic. This technique can be particularly effective in generating ideas quickly and organizing thoughts in a visually engaging manner.

For example, imagine you're tasked with writing an essay on climate change. You could gather images, quotes, statistics, and diagrams related to climate change and arrange them on a poster board or digital canvas. The collage is a brainstorming tool to spark ideas and inspire the writing process by visually representing key concepts and arguments.

Moreover, the collage essay method encourages a nonlinear approach to essay writing, allowing writers to explore ideas from multiple perspectives and make connections between different topic elements.

For instance, while arranging materials for the climate change collage, you might notice patterns or themes emerging that you hadn't considered before. This can lead to new insights and angles for your essay, enriching the content with diverse perspectives and supporting evidence.

Here are some useful tips for using the collage essay method for writing an essay fast:

Role-Playing Scenario

The role-playing scenario method offers a fresh and engaging approach to essay writing, injecting creativity and empathy into the process. By immersing oneself in a specific role, writers can tap into their imagination and explore complex topics from various angles.

For instance, if you're tasked with writing about the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, you could adopt the perspective of a futuristic AI developer or a concerned citizen living in a world dominated by AI technology. This imaginative exercise sparks inspiration and encourages deeper reflection on the subject matter, leading to more insightful and thought-provoking essays.

Furthermore, the role-playing scenario cultivates empathy and understanding by encouraging writers to embody diverse viewpoints and experiences. Whether you're writing about climate change, social justice, or economic policy, stepping into the shoes of different characters allows you to see the world through their eyes and develop a more nuanced understanding of complex issues.

For example, by pretending to be a climate scientist researching the effects of deforestation, you might gain a deeper appreciation for the urgency of environmental conservation efforts. This empathetic approach to essay writing fosters a greater connection with both the subject matter and the audience, resulting in essays that are not only informative but also engaging and impactful.

How to adopt the role-playing scenario technique for writing an essay:

There’s nothing impossible if you put an effort into it. Although 60 minutes sounds like a very limited period, a smart student can use it to produce a pretty decent essay and even have a few minutes left! So, how to write essays faster ?

The tips we gave you above do work, which thousands of students with hectic schedules have already proved. A word of warning, though – don’t rush to use tools like ChatGPT to generate an essay in 5 minutes because it’s hazardous for academic integrity. Remember – AI tools are assistants, and generated texts are to be rewritten from A to Z, which can also be done in an hour or less. If you’re awfully tired and physically can’t think or type, you better ask a professional human writer to help you.

Too Exhausted to Finish the Essay?

Expert writers will do an essay for you from scratch.

Can You Write an Essay in 30 Minutes?

Can i write a 3000 word essay in 1 hour, how long does it take to write a 3000 words essay.

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

How Long Should a College Essay Be: Simple Explanation

The Bookshelf

Exploring edtech and cognitive psychology.

4 Ways to Write Essays Faster

Life happens, and sometimes you forget to plan for an essay. All of a sudden it’s a couple of days before the deadline and you’re trying to figure out a way to get this essay done. If you’re in this situation, here are a few ways you can write that essay by the due date.

1. Write What You Know

If you’re stuck staring at a blank page with the time ticking down, the easiest way to put something to the page is to write what you already know about. Not only will it be the ideas and concepts you’re most familiar with so the essay will be accurate, but you’ll likely have a lot to say without having to do a lot of research versus something you’re not as knowledgeable about. And you’ll end up writing a lot of content quickly as well, so the more you know off the top of your head about the topic, the easier it’ll be.

But even if you don’t know about the topic or not enough to write most of an essay, some quick research can set you on the right track. If you’re writing on something that’s been well-researched or written about beforehand, a short 15 or 30-minute research session can give you a great resource for any topics you might want to go into and help you write down a few notes to include in your paper. Another way you can get an essay written by knowledgeable people is to work with an essay writing service Reddit users recommend, as they’ve likely been in your shoes and can help you decide the best service to write your paper.

2. Don’t Start From the Intro

Many students and even professional writers struggle with figuring out where and how to start their essays, no matter how long they’ve been writing. But if you’ve been assigned a certain topic or know you have a specific point or idea that you want to prove or get across, a great way to get started is to start not from the beginning, but at the end. It might seem counterproductive, but you’ll have a much better time working backward and putting all your focus on proving your point or explaining your perspective.

Or if you’re not sure what the ending of your essay or paper should be, writing the first sentences of the ideas you’re going over may give you the inspiration to get started and work from there. That way you’ll have covered what you want and can properly introduce or conclude the paper.

3. Make an Outline

If you’ve got a lot to cover or there are a lot of specifics you need to get into, writing an outline will be a big help. Not only will you have a better idea of where you’ll need to spend your time if you know the essay will cover a lot of ground and you have to insert information from your notes or research, but you can go ahead and knock out the paragraphs that’ll be easier to write.

An outline can also help you start each paragraph off on the right foot. When you’re outlining you shouldn’t just think about the basic idea, but plan out what the rest of the paragraph will cover. Drum up a couple of sentences to go along with it that summarizes the main point, how it connects to the rest of the essay, and any evidence that you’ll need to have.

4. Lose the Distractions

One of the easiest ways to lose time when you’re writing is to get distracted. You’ll end up spending more time looking at your phone or listening to music than actually writing the essay. But if you’re a big fan of technology, you can use a distraction blocker that locks you out of other websites and apps like social media and video players that aren’t relevant to your paper.

These can take a lot of forms but they’re all designed around the concept of either completely blocking or making it obvious if you do visit one of these sites or apps that you should be working instead.

The second is to do it the old-fashioned way and put your other electronics or potential time-wasters far away enough that you won’t be tempted to reach for them. While this requires a bit more willpower on your part, it can be a useful method if you need to go to a variety of websites for your research.

Get That Essay Done

Writing an essay is a large undertaking on its own, and adding a close deadline can make it extra difficult. But if you follow these tips, you’ll have a better time sitting down and getting to work on your paper without dreading that close due date. And even if you’re not writing close to the deadline you’ll be able to write your essays faster and get back to the other things in your life.

About The Bookshelf

The Bookshelf was founded by a group of Cornell students with the goal of bringing together thought leaders in the field of Educational Technology (EdTech) and cognitive psychology.

If you have any questions about our blog, please get in touch !

College Info Geek

How to Write High-Quality Papers and Essays More Quickly

C.I.G. is supported in part by its readers. If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more here.

I’m not gonna lie: writing papers can suck. Even as someone who basically writes papers for a living these days (like this article), I still viewed every college paper with a tinge of dread.

After all, writing a paper isn’t like working math problems or reading a chapter of a book. As frustrating as those activities can be, they always seemed more finite than the monumental task of “writing a paper.” You can’t just open the book and start working : you have to brainstorm, research, outline, draft, edit, and add those pesky citations.

As I moved through college, however, I developed a system for cranking out papers in record time. This let me spend more time on things that I enjoyed, such as writing for this blog and taking long walks through the woods. Today, I’m going to share this process so that you too can write papers more quickly (without a decrease in the quality of your writing).

Sound impossible? Read on to see how it works.

1. Understand the Assignment

The ultimate waste of time when writing a paper is to write something that doesn’t even answer the question the professor is asking. Don’t be afraid to ask the professor to explain any part of the assignment that’s unclear.

If the assignment seems vague, it’s not because the professor is trying to trip you up. Often, it’s that they know their field so well that it’s easy for them to think some things are “obvious”…even when they aren’t to us non-experts.

Remember: asking for clarification because you don’t understand the assignment doesn’t make you stupid; what’s stupid is to complete the assignment without understanding it.

Yet, when I was an English TA in college, I saw this problem all the time. Students would spend hours researching and writing a paper on a completely different topic than what the professor assigned. It doesn’t matter how good a paper is–if it doesn’t answer the question, it’s going to receive a bad grade.

Best case scenario, the professor is nice and lets you rewrite it, but why do all that extra work? Furthermore, asking the professor for clarification shows initiative –that you care about the assignment. Demonstrating this level of engagement with your assignments can only boost your grade.

2. Research with Ruthless Efficiency

Once you understand the assignment, you need to start researching. But beware! If you’re not careful, research can be one of the best ways to procrastinate. “One more source” can easily turn into hours that you could have been writing.

To overcome the temptation to procrastinate on research, I employ my favorite approach for beating all forms of procrastination: setting a time limit. As I explained in my guide to research , you shouldn’t spend more than 30 minutes per page of the final paper researching. That is, if the paper is supposed to be 5 pages, don’t spend more than 2.5 hours on research (maximum).

Spending any more time than this puts you at a point of diminishing returns. Don’t worry about not having enough information. If you find that you need more info after you start writing, you can always do more research . The goal of your initial research session is to give you just enough material to start writing. Get into the library or database, find your sources, take your notes , and then get to writing.

3. Create a Flat Outline

“It’s impossible to figure out every detail of your argument before you sit down, look at your sources, and actually try to write. Most students abandon their hierarchical outline soon after their fingers hit the keyboard.” – Cal Newport, “How to Use a Flat Outline to Write Outstanding Papers, Fast”

Ever since I learned the traditional method of outlining papers in 8th grade, I felt the system was broken. I never created an outline with bullets and numbers and letters before writing the paper. I always just made one up afterwards because I was required to turn one in with the final paper.

Starting in college, I developed my own outlining technique that was much more effective. As it turns out, my technique wasn’t so original after all. As Cal Newport explains, it’s called a flat outline . In Cal’s words, the flat outline works as follows:

Don’t build a hierarchical outline. Instead, list the topics you want to tackle in the order you want to tackle. Revisit the library to find sources for the topics that still need support. Dump all relevant quotes from your sources under the topics. Transform your topic-level outline into your paper. Don’t start from a blank screen.

Isn’t this so much better? The flat outline works because it mirrors the writing process . No one sits down to write with a perfect idea of what they’re going to say. You discover what you’re going to say through the process of writing . The flat outline gives you just enough structure to overcome the dreaded “blank canvas” while still leaving room for discovery.

Struggling to write your draft? Here’s how to overcome writer’s block .

4. Create the Perfect Writing Environment

Okay, so you have a rock solid understanding of the topic, you’ve done your research, and your flat outline is ready. Now, you need to sit down and write the sucker. But not so fast: where you write makes a difference.

Because after procrastination, the greatest obstacle to writing a paper quickly is distraction. If you don’t have an environment where you can focus, you’ll waste hours jumping back and forth between the paper and whatever distractions come your way.

To make sure you have the focus of a zen master, you must create a writing environment that enables zen-like focus . For a full guide to creating a distraction-free study space, check out our article on the topic . In the meantime, here’s a summary of the best practices:

5. Follow a Standard Structure

Each paper you write should not feel like reinventing the wheel. Your goal when writing a paper for a college class is to fulfill the assignment requirements in a way that goes just above and beyond enough to impress the professor. You’re not trying to break new ground in your discipline or redefine the way we use the English language (if you are, then you don’t need to read this article).

The way to make sure that you don’t get caught up in the structure is just to pick a standard structure for your discipline and follow it. Save the originality for your arguments. So how do you find these elusive standards? Ask your professor. They can point you to some relevant guides or examples.

Also, pay attention to the readings your professor assigns for the class. This should give you some idea of the academic conventions you should follow in your papers. It’s easy to go through an article and focus so much on the information that you ignore the structure (which is a good thing–the structure shouldn’t distract you). But if you spend a couple reading sessions paying attention to structure, you’ll get a feel for how it should go.

If that seems too advanced or too much work, then another option is to Google “SUBJECT NAME paper template”. Just be careful about the source–a template from a university is fine; one on some random student’s Blogger page, not so much.

6. Focus On Quality Over Quantity

If the paper is supposed to have a final page count of 5-7, you may be tempted to write a paper that’s 7 or even 8 pages. After all, more is better, right?

Wrong. Every professor I had in college told me that they would always prefer a good 5-page paper over an okay 7-page paper. Frankly, some topics don’t need 7 pages–5 is plenty. If you try to stretch it out, you may end up diluting your argument.

If you’re not convinced, consider this: I rarely wrote more than the minimum page count, and I consistently received A’s on papers in English, History, Religious Studies, and Education classes.

Knowing this, why would you ever write more than you need to? It’s not just a waste of time or effort; it may even be counterproductive .

Of course, your paper has to be good for this to work. For advice on improving the quality of your papers, check out my post on 6 Writing Tips to Make Your Papers 300% Better .

7. Draft and Edit Separately

Editing and drafting at the same time is, like all forms of multitasking , inefficient and ultimately impossible. Don’t do it. Write with your full attention and effort, and then edit.

The goal of writing this way is to keep you in the flow state as long as possible. Because if you can just get to a place of flow, your momentum will be unstoppable.

8. Write the Conclusion and Introduction Last

One of the greatest barriers to starting a paper is coming up with an introduction. If you think about it, this difficulty makes sense: how are you supposed to introduce something you haven’t even created?

This is why you shouldn’t write the introduction until you’ve finished the main body of the paper. I know it seems like a counterintuitive approach, but I challenge you to try it. This method avoids what has happened to me more times than I can count: writing the paper and then realizing that my intro doesn’t even fit with the final paper.

The same goes for the conclusion. Write it last. After all, how can you conclude when you haven’t even finished writing? If you want more advice on the specifics of writing solid conclusions, check out my post on how to write a paper .

9. Don’t Edit Alone

When you’re writing the draft, you need privacy and focus. But when you’re editing, having someone else to look over your work can speed things up. Why? Because you’re inherently blind to the mistakes in your writing . You’ve been looking at the draft so long that mistakes won’t jump out at you the way they will to a fresh set of eyes.

When it comes to finding someone to help you edit, you have a few options:

10. Use a Citation Generator

Adding citations is the worst, especially when you just spent hours writing a paper and are so over it. If you don’t want to spend further hours paging through some arcane style manual, do yourself a favor and use a citation management/generation tool.

My favorite is Zotero , which allows you to keep track of research sources and even has a browser extension that will pull the citation info from a library catalog web page. But I also have friends who prefer EasyBib . It doesn’t matter which one you use–just pick one and watch your citation worries evaporate.

That being said, it doesn’t hurt to glance at your citations before submitting, as these tools aren’t perfect (especially when it comes to digital sources).

Bonus Tip: Take a Writing Intensive Class

This tip isn’t strictly part of the paper writing process, but it can make a big difference in your writing speed and quality. At my college, the definition of “writing intensive” varied from professor to professor, but it always meant a class with lots of writing, often one (short) essay per week in addition to a 20+ page final paper.

Each of these classes was intense, but at the end I always found myself a better writer. This went beyond just getting faster, although that was a major benefit. I also found that the quality of my arguments and analyses increased, along with massive improvements in my research skills.

If your college offers classes specifically geared to improve your writing, do yourself a favor and take a least one. Strong writing skills are always a benefit, both in college and beyond.

At the end of the day, writing a paper is still a lot of work. But if you follow the process in this article, you’ll be able to do it more quickly without a loss of quality.

What tactics do you use to speed up the paper writing process? Share them in the comments below, or discuss them in the College Info Geek Community .

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Gemini Advanced vs ChatGPT Plus: Which is better?

Listen long enough to the buzz about artificial intelligence, and the names ChatGPT and Gemini will stand out from the noise. The AI chatbots from OpenAI and Google are some of the biggest players in the space. However, asking both the same question may yield wildly different answers due to their use of different training datasets.

Both Google's Gemini Advanced and ChatGPT Plus subscriptions cost around $20 every month for access to the full list of features. (Notably, ChatGPT does not have a free trial, while Gemini offers two months free). However, the two chatbots use different training datasets, which can significantly influence the responses they generate. GPT-4's dataset was trained on approximately 570 GB of data, but this knowledge extends only through April 2023, requiring the integrated Bing browsing tool to find facts about recent events that occurred after that cutoff.

Google's Gemini Advanced does not use a static training database; it is constantly being updated, which means the chatbot is better at answering questions about current events.

However, that's not the only way the two platforms differ. I posed the same questions to ChatGPT Plus and Google Gemini Advanced, with topics and tasks ranging across art, politics, math, and ethics. The chatbots often churned out wildly different answers -- and those responses offer a clear indication of which platform to try.

I tried ChatGPT Plus. Here's everything it can do

Image test: chatgpt plus produces more art, gemini advanced has paused image generation of people.

First, I asked both platforms to create a watercolor image of a woman holding flowers . ChatGPT Plus delivered two different options with soft, flowing brushstrokes , which helped obliterate the details in the face and hands that image generators aren't great at yet.

Gemini Advanced declined to produce anything. Google temporarily removed the option to generate images of people in February 2024 after complaints that it made historical depictions of the Founding Fathers inaccurate by depicting multiple races. Racism is an issue among many artificial intelligence platforms. Google explains that Gemini Advanced was programmed to represent a wide range of people but admitted that diversity-focused programming created issues when requesting images of someone of a specific demographic.

Since Gemini Advanced couldn't create a person, I tried just asking for watercolor paintings of spring flowers. Both did a pretty good job, but Gemini Advanced produced three paintings faster than ChatGPT Plus created one option. Frustratingly, however, Gemini Advanced seemed to only produce square images, even when I specifically requested a different aspect ratio.

I next switched from paintings to graphic design and quickly realized that Gemini Advanced wouldn't actually design anything. Instead, Gemini made a list of suggestions for how to design it, wrote the content, and even suggested software and places to hire a freelance graphic designer.

ChatGPT Plus, on the other hand, will create graphic designs but often probably shouldn't. I asked it to create an infographic about what to wear and what not to wear to a family photo shoot. The graphics looked quite good, but much of the text was gibberish. The inability to create text in graphics is a known shortcoming for AI generators. I then asked it to remove the text entirely. While the resulting graphic was good, it included both the dos and don'ts in the graphic without differentiating which was which. I then asked it to create a postcard advertising my photography , but the results were straight out of a horror film. The faces were so wrong they looked like decaying corpses. One groom was holding the hands of two brides, one of whom had an arm coming straight out of her bosom.

ChatGPT Plus will produce more types of graphics . However, the types of images that Gemini Advanced refuses to produce are the same types that the other AI failed miserably at creating.

What is Gemini? Google's AI model and GPT-4 alternative explained

Writing test: gemini advanced gets right to the point, chatgpt plus tends to be more long-winded.

I asked both programs to write me a 500-word short story about a haunted house. Both followed the instructions well. However, neither came up with anything beyond the usual haunted house tropes, as AI is more a remix of ideas than a creator of something entirely new. ChatGPT Plus's story felt clichéd and was littered with passive voice, while Gemini Advanced did a better job showing the details rather than offering a bland retelling of the story.

Transitioning from creative to professional writing, I then asked both platforms to write a sample cover letter for a software engineer looking for a job. Both produced a rather bland template but included spots to insert specific details. Gemini's letter was shorter, more to the point, and followed up with tips for writing a cover letter. ChatGPT's output was longer and redundant -- I would have cut out at least a paragraph from what was generated. I then asked both programs to write a letter of resignation and a professional email, and the results were similar, with ChatGPT Plus being a bit longer (if the prompt isn't limited to a specific word count) and Gemini Advanced getting right to the point .

While both platforms can handle mundane tasks like writing emails, I preferred Gemini Advanced's results . The Google-owned AI was straight to the point for business writing, while the short story it generated also felt more refined, whereas ChatGPT's felt more like a first draft.

How to use Google's Gemini AI from the web or your phone

Advice test: gemini advanced answers with linked resources, but chatgpt plus is sometimes less frustrating.

I then asked both platforms a range of different questions. First, I asked for advice on avoiding bears during a hike . Both offered some of the same advice, but Gemini Advanced linked to sources where I could find out why exactly bear bells don't work. ChatGPT Plus sometimes has links at the end but did not for that specific question.

I then asked them to solve one of my fifth grader's math problems . (I hated learning fractions the first time around, and the second time isn't any more enjoyable.) Both platforms got the correct answer, but ChatGPT Plus said simplifying 10/3 to 3 1/3 was optional, while Gemini Advanced called it an improper fraction and explained that you should simplify it. Both initially wrote the answer as a decimal until I specifically asked for an answer written as a fraction.

Gemini's explanation of how to solve the math problem was only three steps long; ChatGPT's was six. Just like with the writing tasks, ChatGPT Plus was unnecessarily wordy, and I thought Gemini's shorter description was easier to follow.

I then asked questions about current events -- which actually took multiple tries to find a question that both platforms would attempt to answer. Gemini Advanced wouldn't answer questions about politics , while ChatGPT Plus didn't know that the prime minister of Haiti had resigned. This was somewhat expected as ChatGPT is trained on older data, but it did not even attempt to use the Bing search plugin to verify if the answer was current.

I finally found a question about current events that both platforms would answe r-- sort of. I asked about moon landings , looking specifically for the February 2024 landing that happened after ChatGPT's training data was updated. ChatGPT Plus answered immediately with a number followed by an explanation, including the latest Odysseus mission. Gemini erred on the side of caution and told me that there were six crewed and multiple uncrewed landings. I asked again, and Gemini said that the question was "a bit complex to answer definitively." I never did get a number -- though I did get several links -- but when I finally adjusted my question to "successful uncrewed soft landings," the most recent February 2024 landing was included, which is what I was looking for.

6 Google Gemini prompts to try for the best results

Speed test: gemini advanced is faster, chatgpt plus / gpt-4 is limited to 40 messages every 3 hours.

One of the main purposes of generative AI is to handle tasks that we don't want to deal with -- such as fifth-grade math -- or to accelerate more mundane processes. With the latter in mind, I submitted several prompts simultaneously to see which platform would generate a result first. Gemini Advanced consistently responded first , even creating three watercolor paintings before ChatGPT Plus had completed one. Gemini Advanced was also noticeably quicker at solving math questions.

The results are unsurprising once you delve into the data. GPT-4 is limited to 40 messages every three hours, whereas Gemini Advanced can handle up to 60 requests per minute.

One of the main purposes of generative AI is to handle tasks that we don't want to handle -- like 5th-grade math -- or to speed up the more mundane processes. With the latter in mind, I sent across many of the prompts at the same time, looking to see which platform generated a result first. Gemini Advanced answered first nearly every time, including creating three watercolor paintings before ChatGPT Plus had finished with one. Gemini Advanced was also noticeably faster at answering math questions.

10 ChatGPT extensions to try and what exactly they can do

Ethics test: chatgpt plus refuses to copy artists' style, and gemini advanced won't talk about politics.

Ethics should be a key consideration when comparing different AI platforms. If you refuse to use an AI that scrapes training data from the web without the owner's permission, then you're still out of luck here. Both are also capable of answering questions incorrectly, so factual data should always be double-checked when working with any AI chatbot. But what about ethics and how each chatbot answers key questions?

When prompted, Gemini Advanced created a landscape painting in the style of Picasso. ChatGPT Plus, on the other hand, responded that requesting a specific artist's style violated content policies. It then suggested creating a painting "inspired by early 20th-century art movements that emphasize geometric shapes, fragmented forms, and vibrant colors." The result was similar to Gemini Advanced's, but the prompt was not connected to the artist's name. That courtesy seems to be limited to visual arts. Neither one refused when I asked them to write in the style of Stephen King.

Overall, Gemini's approach is to disable options that aren't quite right. It won't respond to questions about politics and has disabled generative images of people until some diversity issues can be remedied. However, ChatGPT Plus won't produce results in a specific visual artist's style .

How to master GPT-4 in ChatGPT: Prompts, tips, and tricks

Privacy test: chatgpt lets you delete more data, gemini will keep data for up to three years.

Another consideration is how your data is used. Both platforms retain data for later training. Some Gemini prompts will be viewed by human staff, so users should not share personal data on the platform. Gemini Advanced can keep the data for up to three years, though it is not associated with your account that far out. In comparison, ChatGPT allows you to turn off chat history , which means you will not be able to go back to previous chats, but the company has less of your data. With this setting, ChatGPT deletes your conversations once every 30 days . Your data is still used for training, but not for the long term.

Google launches Gemini AI, its answer to GPT-4, and you can try it now

Extra features test: gemini advanced has more, but chatgpt plus does have a wealth of plugins.

As part of the Google family, Gemini Advanced can be found in more than just the web browser chat window. Gemini can assist you with writing or proofreading in Gmail, as well as in apps like Google Docs. integrated into Pixel devices , though iOS users can still access the AI inside the Google app. The $20-a-month subscription also includes 2TB of cloud storage with Google One .

ChatGPT Plus doesn't offer the same integrations, but with a longer history, it boasts a more extensive list of different custom GPTs for users to explore. In the Explore GPTs tab , you can discover anything from tutors to coding to coloring book pages. You can find custom GPTs from companies like Kayak, Canva, Khan Academy, and more. With ChatGPT web browser extensions , you can also access a range of tools that work directly inside a web browser. GPT-4 also supports the uploading of JPGs and PDFs, whereas Gemini Advanced is limited to image uploads. ChatGPT has both a web application and a dedicated app that, like Gemini, can also use voice.

Verdict: Which is AI chatbot subscription is best?

I prefer gemini, but chatgpt is needed for ai image generation.

Google's Gemini Advanced produced clearer, more concise written content. I preferred the written results of Gemini Advanced over ChatGPT. The Google-owned chatbot also had the fastest performance out of the two. The fact that it comes from a large tech company also gives it clear benefits like 2 TB of cloud storage included in the price and integration into Google Docs and other apps.

While I preferred the results from Gemini Advanced a majority of the time, ChatGPT Plus was capable of more tasks. It can, for example, produce graphic designs that Gemini refused. It's worth noting, however, that the types of images Gemini won't create are also the types of images that ChatGPT struggles to produce acceptable results with, including images of people and graphics that contain text. However, ChatGPT also allows users to delete their data every 30 days, while Google keeps it for up to three years. ChatGPT's longer history also means that it offers a lot of different custom plug-ins that are tailored for a specific task.

Overall, Google's Gemini Advanced is the subscription that I would pick if I wanted an AI to help type out emails or decipher math homework. ChatGPT Plus would be my choice for generating images using DALL-E, using specific plug-ins, or for greater control over what happens to your data.

Q: What is Gemini Advanced and ChatGPT Plus?

Gemini is Google's AI chatbot that's integrated with Google products, and Advanced is the AI's paid subscription tier. ChatGPT Plus, on the other hand, is a paid subscription to OpenAI's ChatGPT. Like Advanced, it's more powerful and has more features and capabilities.

Q: How much do Gemini Advanced and ChatGPT Plus cost each?

Here's the current pricing information:

This article may contain affiliate links that Microsoft and/or the publisher may receive a commission from if you buy a product or service through those links.

Gemini Advanced vs ChatGPT Plus: Which is better?

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Lesley Hazleton, Writer Who Tackled Religion and Fast Cars, Dies at 78

Born in England and raised Jewish, she became agnostic, writing books about her own lack of faith, the prophet Muhammad and her time as a car columnist.

An older woman with round wire rim glasses and blonde-white hair stands gesturing with her arms raised in the air. She wears a purple patterned jacket and small microphone headset.

By Penelope Green

Lesley Hazleton, a British-born, secular Jewish psychologist turned journalist and author, whose curiosity about faith and religion led her to write biographies of Muhammad, Mary and Jezebel and examine her own passions in books about agnosticism and automobiles, died on April 29 at her home, a houseboat in Seattle. She was 78.

Ms. Hazleton announced her death herself, in an email that she scheduled to be sent to friends after she died. She had been diagnosed with terminal kidney cancer and chose to take her own life, as Washington State’s Death with Dignity Act allowed her to do legally, with the assistance of hospice volunteers.

“Yes, this is a goodbye letter,” she wrote, “which is difficult for me, because as many of you know, I’m lousy at saying goodbye.”

“I’ve been a pro-choice feminist for over six decades, so it should come as no surprise that I’ll be exercising choice in this, too,” she said, adding, “I’m experiencing an unexpected but wonderfully bearable lightness of being. Not a sad feeling of saying goodbye to life, but one of joy and amazement at how great it’s been. And of immense gratitude. I truly have had the time of my life. In fact, it sometimes feels like I’ve managed to live several lives in this one.”

Ms. Hazleton was a formidable figure, with a deep, husky voice — care of Philip Morris, her friend Olivier D’hose said, noting her devotion to its tobacco products — and an appetite for physical and intellectual risk. She moved to Jerusalem in 1966, at age 20, and lived there through two wars and one peace treaty, working as a journalist for The Jerusalem Post and as a stringer for Time magazine.

She covered the complex state of feminism in Israel in her first book, “Israeli Women: The Reality Behind the Myths,” published in 1977, at which point she announced that she had no plans to marry and did not want children.

She left Israel for New York in 1979, six months after the Camp David Accords, “exhausted by the constant high level of tension and drama there,” she wrote in The New York Times in 1986 , in the long-running column Hers, to which she was a regular contributor. “After too many wars — and the ecstatic high of one peace — I hungered for normality.”

But instead she began driving racecars and embarked on a career as a car columnist, first for Lear’s magazine and then for The Detroit Free Press.

She had fallen in love with speed while driving a Porsche 911 on a spring day in Vermont, though her favorite car was her doughty Citroën Deux Chevaux, sometimes known as the Duck, which she had driven in the Middle East, dodging tanks on her way to Mount Hermon and surviving a mined desert track because the car was too light to set them off.

During her years on the car beat, Ms. Hazleton attended racing school (the only woman in a class of 12), apprenticed to a mechanic, worked the assembly line at a Saturn plant in Tennessee and nearly died when she lost control on a track. She also visited the spot near Cholame, Calif., where James Dean met his own end, in a Porsche 550 Spyder.

“Perhaps as a writer, I place too much faith in catharsis, in the idea that by describing and exploring the obsession with speed that began that fine spring day in Vermont, I can drive it out of me,” she wrote in “Confessions of a Fast Woman,” a 1992 book about her automobile adventures. “The trouble is, I’m still not sure if I really want to do that.”

Her book, the automobile columnist Marshall Schuon wrote in his review for The Times, “delivers what the title promises, double entendre included, in glorious prose.”

Later, Ms. Hazleton got a pilot’s license and moved to Seattle.

“Fearless and irreverent” is how the author Pico Iyer described Ms. Hazleton, whom he met about a decade ago at a TEDGlobal conference, where both were popular speakers. “I felt to a striking degree she held to no orthodoxies,” he said in an interview. “She was full-throated in a liberating way.”

Fourteen years ago, Ms. Hazleton began writing a blog, Accidental Theologist , about faith and religion. “I never meant for this to happen,” she wrote. “Perhaps the 13 years I lived and worked in Jerusalem have a lot to do with it — a city where politics and religion are at their most incendiary.”

Ms. Hazleton was deeply affected, and unsettled, by her time in the Middle East and wrote often about its complicated ancient history. “Mary: A Flesh-and-Blood Biography of the Virgin Mother,” appeared in 2004, followed by “Jezebel: The Untold Story of the Bible’s Harlot Queen,” in 2007. She explored the roots of the Shia-Sunni branches of Islam, and how they split, in her 2009 book, “After the Prophet.” Then she tackled Muhammad.

Ms. Hazleton wanted to get a sense of the prophet as “a complex, multidimensional human being,” she said, “instead of the two-dimensional figure created by reverence on the one hand and prejudice on the other.” (She had already given a TEDx talk debunking the many myths about the Quran, including the one about 72 virgins awaiting martyrs in heaven.)

“The First Muslim: The Story of Muhammad” (2013) was well-received, and to her delight Ms. Hazleton became a sought-after speaker at cultural events and conferences about Islam.

“In today’s febrile cultural and religious climate, what project could be more fraught than writing a popular biography of Muhammad?” Hari Kunzru wrote in The New York Times Book Review, noting that Ms. Hazleton had handled her subject with “scrupulous respect.”

Ms. Hazleton examined her own beliefs in her last book, “Agnostic: A Spirited Manifesto” (2016).

“I stand tall in my agnosticism,” Ms. Hazleton wrote in “Agnostic,” “because the essence of it is not merely not-knowing, but something far more challenging and infinitely more intriguing: the magnificent oxymoron inherent in the concept of unknowability.”

Lesley Adele Hazleton was born on Sept. 20, 1945, in Reading, England. Her parents, Sybil (Silverman) Hazleton and Jessel Hazleton, a general practitioner, raised Lesley and her brother, Ian, her only survivor, in an Orthodox, but not strict, Jewish household. Lesley attended the Roman Catholic St. Joseph’s Convent School (now St. Joseph’s College) in Reading. As the only Jew there, she once wrote, she developed “a deep sense of mystery but no affinity for organized religion.”

She earned her B.A. in psychology at the University of Manchester, where she worked on the student newspaper, and her master’s degree in psychology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She was a counselor and a teacher in an experimental high school there before turning to journalism.

“What’s wrong with dying?” Ms. Hazleton asked in a 2016 TEDx talk in Seattle. She had met a Silicon Valley type who was working on his immortality. (Many, many supplements were involved.) What could be more awful, more boring, she thought, than immortality? The exchange led her to develop the talk, which was her last.

“We need endings,” she said in that talk, “because the most basic ending of all is built into us.”

“Our ability to die, our mortality, is a defining part of what it is to be human,” she added. “We are finite beings within infinity. And if we are alive to this, it sharpens our appreciation of the fact that we exist. Gives new depth to the idea of life as a journey. So my mortality does not negate meaning; it creates meaning.”

“Because it’s not how long I live that matters — it’s how I live,” she concluded. “And I intend to do it well, to the end.”

Penelope Green is a Times reporter on the Obituaries desk. More about Penelope Green

GPT-4o Chat AI Bot: Feather AI 4+

Ai chatbot by official gpt-4o, app rise up ltd., designed for iphone.

iPhone Screenshots

Description.

Welcome to FeatherAI - the ultimate writing solution for professionals, students, and anyone looking to take their writing to the next level. Our app is designed to help you write smarter, faster, and better, with a range of AI-powered features that enhance your creativity and productivity. Features: ◆ AI ChatBot to discuss content generation ◆ AI ChatBot research on website ◆ Generate blog posts, stories, etc ◆ Create social media posts ◆ Write promotional content for landing pages, ad copies, etc ◆ Offers plenty of content frameworks including AIDA, PSA ◆ Provides long-form assistance to create longer articles ◆ Improve existing content with Content Improver ◆ Write emails including subject lines ◆ FeatherAI creates 100% original content ◆ Create scripts for videos, and much more ◆ 100+ Templates to choose from ◆ Simple and clean interface ◆ Powerful & rich Document Editor + Management ◆ View your favorite outputs and history One of the key features of FeatherAI is our expert writing tools. With these tools, you can create and edit content with ease, streamlining your workflow and eliminating the need for multiple applications. Whether you're working on a blog post, a research paper, or a novel, FeatherAI provides all the tools you need to make your writing shine. Another standout feature of FeatherAI is our AI document editor. With our advanced algorithms, you can effortlessly perfect your writing, ensuring that your work is error-free and polished to perfection. Whether you need to check for grammar and spelling errors, improve your writing style, or optimize your content for search engines, our AI document editor has you covered. But that's not all - our interactive AI tools also serve as intelligent assistants, helping you enhance your productivity and unlock your creativity. With our AI chatbot, you can get quick answers to your questions and access the information you need, without ever leaving the app. And with our smart content bookmark feature, you can save and organize AI-generated content, making it easy to keep track of your ideas and inspiration. At FeatherAI, we believe that technology should serve humanity, not the other way around. That's why we've created an app that combines the best of AI and human creativity, to help you achieve your writing goals and unlock your full potential. So why not give FeatherAI a try today, and experience the power of AI for yourself? Terms of use: https://aiessaywriting.app/terms-of-service Privacy policy: https://aiessaywriting.app/privacy-policy

Version 2.0.0

- UI & UX Updates

Diagnostics

AI Paragraph Writer, AI Letter

GPT-4o AI ChatBot: Whisper AI

AI Assistant - №1 personal AI

AI Assistant: Essay Writer Pro

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