I am committed to writing 100 articles in 100 days. The primary reason I am undertaking this writing marathon is to train myself how to write as efficiently as I can.
I’m already a “comfortable” writer. I’ve written 38 books which have sold over 1.6 million copies around the world. I blog daily, and have several websites with over 600 pages of content. But, I want to take my writing to the next level. I want to increase my writing efficiently, so I can write more in less time.
Another reason I’m undertaking this challenge is that I want to create more “written equity.” I want to build a large inventory of content ideas for future projects. Each time I write an article, I’m also getting a head start on future projects like blogs, newsletters, tips, and ideas for speaking. Each article also creates the nucleus of future topics for my Published & Profitable and Design to Sell Online blogs and websites.
Here are some of the steps I’ve taken to achieve my goal:
- Commitment and disclosure. I have not only committed to writing 100 articles in 100 days, I have shared my commitment with others through my Published & Profitable blog and in my Twitter posts. By sharing my commitment with others is an important step. I now have others following my progress. I do not want to let them down. My public commitment reinforces my determination to write 100 articles in 100 days.
- Topic. I have chosen an “umbrella” concept for my 100 articles. My articles will address the most common questions that authors and my coaching clients have about writing a book. Most of the titles will be stated as questions. Question titles will engage the reader’s curiosity. Equally important, writing my articles as answers to questions encourages a concise, first-person tone. It also permits me to frequently use bullet and numbered lists in my answers.
- Titles and main ideas. I have also identified the titles of my first 25 articles, and I have begun to identify the 3 or 4 main points I want to include in each article. I have used a mind map to display my titles. By selecting titles and identifying main points ahead of time, I am getting a head start on writing each article. I have found that writing articles is easy once I have a clear idea of what I want to accomplish in each article and the main ideas I want to share. I have also organized my titles in order of priority, so when I sit down to write, I know what I’m going to be writing about.
- Structure. Each article will begin with a statement of relevance, i.e., a one-paragraph description of why readers should be interested in the contents of each article. This will be followed by the 3 or 4 main ideas. Each of the main ideas will be described in two or three paragraphs. I will conclude articles with resources pointing the way for readers to either apply the idea, or describing where to go for more information.
- Set-up and tracking. I have set up my computer for maximum writing efficiency. I have created a separate folder for all of the files associated with this project. I have also created an alphanumeric protocol for file names which will help me track my progress. The file name of my first article begins with 01. The file name of my second article begins with 02, and so on. As a result, the files for my articles appear in alphabetical order in my articles folder. Each time I add a newly-written article, I will enjoy a feeling of progress and satisfaction as the list grows longer and I see how much I’ve already accomplished.
The origins of writing success
My goal is to improve my writing efficiency by creating a system for writing 100 articles in 100 days.
Writing is often viewed in abstract terms like “creativity” and “inspiration.”
I disagree. To me, writing is a learned habit, one that can be mastered by anyone willing to take the time to learn what’s needed to succeed and willing to master the skills through constant practice.
