How to Write a Dynamite Blog Post Fast – No Matter How Much You've Struggled to Do It Before
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Last week a friend and I were chatting about what we were working on.
She’s been furiously pouring in the hours to get her website live. She’s a whiz at setting up websites, something I know enough about to get me into trouble.
I told her about the four articles I wrote last week:
- One for a client
- One for my blog
- Two guest posts
Shocked, she asked, “I’ve got to ask, how do you turn out articles like water?”
“Over the years, I’ve learned to write fast. It’s all about the process I use.”
I do this while working full-time an hour from home.
If I want to get the work done, I’ve got to write fast.
I’ll simplify my process for you in this article. But first, let’s look at some things that keep you from writing fast.
If you want to get the work done, you’ve got to write fast. Click To Tweet
Why People Struggle to Write a Dynamite Blog Post
1) You don’t know what you want to say.
This is the reason a lot of people sit on the sidelines at a party.
Introducing yourself to someone is easy enough. After all, you know your name, right? The problem comes after you say, “How are you?” Where do you go from there?
If you have a few conversation starters in hand, you can spark interest. When you get someone talking, it’s easier to keep talking.
- You offer a comment or a question.
- She answers and adds something else.
- You respond to what she says and add something new.
It’s that easy, and it’s that hard.
If you want to write a dynamite blog post fast, you’ve got to have something to say.
Know what you want to say before you write a single word. Click To Tweet
2) Your topic is too broad.
Years ago, I led a debate at a public speaking class.
The problem is I didn’t understand how to narrow my topic enough.
Participants went down one rabbit trail after another. Midway in, I had forgotten what I’d asked them to talk about. It was fun, but it was a disaster.
You can’t go around the world in a single blog post. Go from point A to point B, just like you would a trip to the store for milk.
3) You haven’t given your reader a compelling reason to keep reading.
You know there are hundreds of billions of websites to visit.
Why should anyone care what you have to say?
Here’s a quick way to answer that question with another question. Ask yourself “So what?” after every claim you make.
When you come up with an irresistible answer, you’re done.
Now let’s look a 3-Step Method to write a dynamite blog post – one that people will love to read – and do it fast.
Ask yourself SO WHAT after every claim you make. Click To Tweet
How to Write Dynamite Blog Posts Faster Than Ever
What if you could go from idea to finished blog post in a single afternoon – or less?
Here’s how you can.
1) Brainstorm your idea first.
One of the problems writers have is going too broad with a blog post. So if you’re going to do that, do it in your brainstorming session.
I’m a firm believer in using timers. Why? It forces you to dig deep to beat the clock. When you know you’ve got only a few minutes to get something done, it’s amazing what you can do.
Imagine your foot is stuck on a train track. In the distance, you hear the steam of the engine. Fear grips you as the whistle echoes in your head. Do you cut off your foot? Or do you take off your shoe? Whatever you do, if you want to live, you’ve got to get off that track before you’re dead.
So set that timer for 10-15 minutes. Write everything about your topic that comes to mind:
- Great ideas
- Utter nonsense
- Semi-related topics
When you’re done, you’ll have a page full of stuff you can narrow down.
If you don’t, just do the exercise again until you do.
2) Reduce it to one idea.
You can’t write about everything you thought about.
Look for trends. Is there a common theme running through some of what you wrote down? If so, sum it up into a single sentence – a sentence pregnant with meaning, impact, and power.
That’s the focus of your blog post.
Focus on one idea and you’ll write with power. Click To Tweet
3) Spend the bulk of the post supporting your main idea.
This is the secret of high impact blog posts.
You can’t make a trip around the world in a few minutes.
You can’t learn an entire language in an afternoon.
If you want to write a post that is interesting, informative, and compelling, have one main idea and support it 3 times.
Here are some examples of support devices that work well when mixed:
- Surprising statistics
- Stories where the main character has a challenge to overcome
- An analogy that simplifies your main idea
Maybe you’re asking, “Frank, why should I tell stories? I’m not a fiction writer.”
Because stories make abstract concepts real. If you can see someone else doing it, it seems possible.
Every writer must tell stories. Click To Tweet
Use This Formula Every Time You Write and Your Posts Will Engage, Entertain, and Excite Your Readers
What’s the benefit of using this 3-step approach?
- Your writing will be more focused and have more impact.
- You’ll know exactly what you want to say before you write the first word.
- With a single main idea, you can give your reader a specific call to action.
You say you want your writing to change people’s lives?
What if after reading your post your reader will do whatever you ask?
Know your outcome from the start and your writing will lead her there.
Now Do This
The next time you write, use the 3-step method to write your own dynamite blog post.
- Brainstorm your idea.
- Reduce it to one sentence.
- Offer 3 supports for it.
Do this and you’ll have more readers, more engagement, and more conversions.
Have a fantastic week! I can’t wait to hear how this works for you.
- Share your story in the comments.
- Feel free to for help if you’re getting stuck.
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