How to Write Faster and Better: Learn Tips from Experts

If you are like most people, there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. Most of us have dozens of different obligations we have to tackle daily, from work and school to family and friends, so making time for everything in just 24 hours—really, the 16-18 most of us are awake—is impossible. Determining what you can slash out of your day to prioritize the essentials is also hard. It’s no wonder, then, that so many college students are looking for ways to write their papers better and faster. In this article, we’ll listen to the experts to find out the best ways to make writing quicker and more effective so you can save time as you check items off your daily to-do list.

12 Tips to Write Better and Faster

Here are a few expert tips to help you speed up your writing:

1. Know why you’re writing. This might seem obvious, but you need to know what you are writing about and why you are writing it. If you are writing an academic essay, for example, you need to be sure you have read and thoroughly understand the assignment. If you are writing a piece for a magazine, you need to know the editor’s expectations. If you aren’t sure of your questions, get clarification before you start writing.
   
   
2. Review evaluation criteria. When you write an academic essay, you’ll likely receive a grading rubric that is basically a cheat-sheet telling you what your instructor will look for in your paper. If you are writing for an audience, you should do some audience analysis to understand who they are and what you expect from your writing so you can appeal to them effectively.
   
   
3. Research before you write. When you gather your research at the start of the prewriting process, you will save time because you’ll have all of the facts you need at the ready before you begin writing and won’t have to go back to the library to gather more information. This speeds your writing immensely. 
   
   
4. Craft a strong thesis statement before you write. When you have a strong thesis statement to guide your writing, you will have a better idea what each part of your writing will need to do in order to support and defend that thesis. Even if you are writing fiction, having a clear main idea and sense of purpose will make sure that you don’t go down unproductive rabbit holes.
   
   
5. Write an outline first. We know: Many of you think of outlining as a waste of time because it isn’t visible in the final deliverable product. But, consider this: Even a brief outline will save you time in the long run because it will provide a guide for your writing process, working out the most difficult organizational details before you begin the writing process and opening a smooth path forward once you put pen to paper to start writing.
   
   
6. Hire a service to write for you. Many students say, “I wish I could go online and pay someone to write my paper for me!” The good news is that a reputable essay service like WriteMyPaperHub.com has experts on standby to do your paper for you so you can receive the high-quality writing assistance you need to serve as a model for your own paper. Seeing how a pro would handle your topic will give you a charge of speed as you write your own paper.
   
   
7. Wait until you’re done to write your intro. Many writers spend countless hours crafting the perfect introduction for a piece only to have to change it completely after their research and writing take them in a different direction. Save writing the introduction for last to make it easier to match the intro to the conclusion. 
   
   
8. Write when you feel most alert. With everything we have to do all day, it’s no wonder so many people do their writing late at night. But you aren’t likely at your most alert then. Write when you are fresh for faster and better results.
   
   
9. Limit distractions. You will write faster if you stay focused on your work. Shut off notifications on your phone and close unnecessary browser windows, especially social media.
   
   
10. Take regular breaks. The longer you write, the more you expend your mental energy. Taking regular breaks of five minutes every half hour or so can help you to stay focused, pay attention to what you are doing, and remain energized. But be sure to keep the right balance—you should be doing more writing than relaxing!
    
    
11. Get a good night’s sleep. It can be tempting to try to knock out a whole piece of writing in one sitting, but it is often helpful to get a little distance from your work. Getting a good night’s sleep before editing and proofreading, for example, will let you see your writing with fresh eyes and pick up on errors and omissions that would benefit from revision.
    
    
12. Make writing into a game. If you want to write faster, you need to find motivation. Turn your writing into a game by rewarding yourself with small treats for completing specific milestones, such as the outline, first draft, revision, etc. You might also try competing with a classmate to see who can get the best grade. Competition can help spur you to write better and faster.

Author bio: Ted Wilson started his academic writing career in 2005. Since then he has tried his hand in SEO, website copywriting, writing papers, and working as an academic writer. His major interests lie in content marketing, developing communication skills, and blogging. He's also passionate about business, marketing, accounting and literature.