For example, what can you do if you need to publish an article on your blog within the same day, but you have many other things to do?

Is there a guide to follow in order to create quality content for your blog in a short time?

Of course, there are some steps you can follow.

So here are my tips on how to write a blog post of good quality in an emergency situation.

1. Be Free of Distractions

You know you have limited time, so be sure to avoid any possible distractions while you dedicate yourself to write the content.

The ideal situation should be to remove completely the internet connection and have just your text editor open.

No Twitter, no Facebook, no emails.

Personal tip : 

It may seem weird, but I use earplugs : in this way there is no noise that bother me and I can just focus on writing.

2. Choose an Idea Quickly

Basically, you have to decide quickly what topic you will write about in your blog post.

For example, you can rely on these sources of inspiration :

– what you like to write about in this very moment;

– an important news that concerns your niche;

– a comment on a particularly challenging post of an  influential blogger;

– the deepening or the refreshment of topics covered in an old post of your blog;

– write about important research or studies that relate to your niche.

3. Write the Post

This is the stage in which you do the real work.

Here are some recommendations to get results that are satisfactory :

– write down the most important points of your post. Then you can develop them;

– keep in mind what is the target to which you are addressing;

– write the post all in one breath, and only at a later time you can worry about editing your text;

– a good post should be authoritative, so be sure to always cite the sources of data or facts that you refer to in your content;

– write in a simple way.

Your goal in the post is to produce something interesting and useful for your readers.

4. Format the Content

This part should be easy, if you are a blogger with some experience.

You should add the correct punctuation and divide the content into short paragraphs.

You need also to evaluate the placement of links for further information, which can be either internal (ie links to your old blog posts) and external (ie links to quality resources written by other bloggers).

5. Proofread

When you have finished the post, make a 2 minute break, and then begin the proofreading.

You should read your content at least twice, in order to track all the mistakes or misspellings.

You can use online tools like Paperrater, to boost this process.

When you think your article is ready to be published, then you should read it once again.

You Can Promote Your Post Now

All right.

You’ve been so good to quickly complete your task, that you can still invest some time in market your content.

In order to promote your post you can:

– share it on the most popular social networks – Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn;

– share it on websites for content curation (such as Scoop.it);

– inform the publication of your post to some of the most influential bloggers in your niche, especially those you mentioned. You can do this easily by commenting on their latest blog posts;

– share the content on the most popular blogging communities, like Klinkk.

Conclusion

You’ve just read some important tips to consider when you need to write an article in a short time.

For example, this post was written by following these points.

What do you think?

Can you write a good article in less than an hour?

Do you have some other suggestions to add?

Please share your experience in the comments below, thanks!

When you think of the writer, you probably imagine a free spirit sitting at a desk with a half empty cup of coffee writing his heart out in the late hours of the night.

Now, when you think of the scientist, you probably see her in a big team working around some fancy machinery and concocting things in flasks.

Woah, two different universes.

Except not really. Behind the scenes, the process that led the writer to writing and the scientist to experimenting is pretty much identical; two variations of the same idea.

The scientific method is the literary method and vice versa. Pretty cool, right?

Despite the whole creative, impulsive perception of writing, you can’t produce effective content just by sitting down with pen and paper or computer and going for it.

You actually have to plan things out step by step, just like with an experiment. I know, it sounds kind of bothersome, but it makes the difference between good writing and outstanding writing.

So what’s this literary process?

It’ll seem familiar if you remember your 5th grade science class.

1. Observation

Something you read or hear or observe catches your attention and sparks a desire to produce your own input on the matter.

It could be something in the news or an idea in a blog post or a movie or a personal experience or anything, really. Mental stimuli come in all forms.

• Knowledge and education is power. That’s why collecting knowledge on a topic is crucial.

2. Research

Now that you know what your subject is, you’re going to need to brush up on some facts so that you’re armed with appropriate information.

If you were inspired by a movie, you might want to check out some critic reviews and see what people are saying about it.

If it’s something you learned in a blog post, you might want to find out what other bloggers are saying on the subject.You definitely can’t shun this step.

Readers like facts because facts are concrete information that corroborate your opinion and make you an authority.

Always do your research.

3. Hypothesis

This is a little different from the scientific definition since you’re not predicting something per se.

In this step, rather, your setting your goals for your writing by asking yourself these questions:

> What’s the point of your writing?

> What point of view are you establishing?

> Most importantly, what do you want your reader to do/feel/think?

Just like proving the hypothesis is the point of a scientific experiment, your goals are the point of your work of writing. Yay connections!

Don’t rush into it. Sit, think, and plan things out. Be pensive.

4. Planning

So far, you know what you want to write about, but you’re not sure how exactly you’re going to do it. You lack an organized plan.

Sure, you could start writing what comes to mind, but you’ll likely end up producing a very convoluted, disorganized piece of work.

That’s why planning is crucial.

I can’t remember a time when my teachers in school didn’t make me outline my thoughts before writing them down. Microsoft Word and Apple’s Pages have tools for creating those nifty outlines with the roman numerals and numbers; though, you can go rogue and come up with your own outline style.

The important thing is that you actually do it.

Bonus Tip #1

I learned an interesting tip from my 12th grade history teacher: always reference your point throughout your work.

For example, my teacher asked us to write an essay on why American Reconstruction failed. In each paragraph of my essay, I’d lay out some facts, do some comparisons, and write a brief sentence or two at the end that explained how the facts support the main idea (point) of the essay.

It’s as simple as that and it prevents your leader from getting lost along the way.

Bonus Tip #2

If you want your reader to take some sort of action (like clicking a link or commenting), then you really need to plan your words of influence.

I learned from one of David Wood’s articles that the way you write something and how often you write does matter!

For example, if you want your readers to click on something in a blog post, then you have to strategically place the link three times throughout the post in a way that makes sense.

Apparently it takes us three times of being told to do something before we do it. Man, the human mind is a mystery!

David’s article is marketing focused, but the information is definitely universal, so check it out here if it serves your goals:

Adverbial Clauses – How To Use Indirect Suggestion Patterns To Create More Influence and Sales…

Bonus Tip #3

Formal writing, like articles takes a good deal of concentration because you want to convey your authority on the subject.

Here’s a really valuable post right here from NoPassiveIncome that shows you how to write an effective, professional article if that’s your wish:

How to Write an Article – Writing Tips from a Professional Writer

Write. Woooooo! You’re finally ready to write!

All you need is your trusty outline by your side along with these helpful yet optional resources:

> A dictionary. We all forget that one, perfect word that we desperately need.

> A thesaurus. Redundancy and repetition are bland, but a thesaurus can remedy those ailments.

> Grammar resources. My high school teachers revered the Perdue OWL, and it certainly served me well whenever I felt unsure about my grammar.

Revisions Revisions Revisions

Your first draft will have mistakes. So will your second and third and fourth draft. It’s inevitable.

You need to revise multiple times before your final product perfectly fulfills the goals you set in step 3. Einstein once said “Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.”

This principle is the cornerstone of writing that really speaks to its readers. You want to be clear and concise so that your readers can sail through your words without stumbling or scratching their heads.

As you peruse each sentence in your text, ask yourself this: “Are there any words here that don’t contribute to the meaning?” If your answer is yes, get those words out of there.

There you have it. A method you thought you’d never remember after high school (unless you’re a scientist) proved to be just as useful for producing awesome, effective writing.

Now the next step: getting eyes on your literary creations. If you put your content out there on the web, check out this article from NoPassiveIncome that tells you how to increase traffic to your content:

How to Increase Traffic to Your Website : 11 New and Old Effective Tips

Over to you, now. Did you find this post helpful? Do you have any tips or tricks of your own that you’d care to share? I would absolutely appreciate it if you shared your thoughts in a comment below.

May the force be with you!

Deciding to spend part of your time creating content to publish in other blogs of your niche is simply one of the best promotional activities for you and your website.

Guest posting is profitable from many points of view. For instance, you can reach a new significantly volume of readers, connect with new people and engage with a new audience.

So everyone should start their own guest posting campaign, no? But it is easier to say than to do!

You need to find the right ideas, writing in a way as to be adequate to the quality of the hosting blog, reading carefully the guest posting guidelines and considering the right way to be accepted.

In a few words, make sure that at the end, the exchange has been fruitful for both you, writer of the guest post and the blog owner.

Every blogger would like to write the perfect guest post. This is what it means to me.

How the Perfect Guest Post Should Looks Like

1 . It is Not Simple Self-Promotion

If all you have managed to write is just four paragraphs with your link inside, you have very low chances to have your content published.

I assure you that it really happens to receive such proposals (I’ tell you from my experience!).

2 . It’s Written in a Rich and Appropriate Style

If you decide to send your article to someone, you have at least spent a couple of days studying the blog you would like to submit your guest post to.

You have read some posts and perhaps you already have become familiar with the style of the host blogger.

Most of the bloggers create a page with the main guest posting guidelines and you should check every key points before submitting your article.

3 . It is Grammatically Correct

You must be sure you have done everything in your power to deliver an article without grammatical or syntax errors.

I know it is not easy (it’s the same for me), especially if you are not native English speaker, but you must make your best effort to use every tools for correct and proofread your post.

Tip : I use Paperrater – a free online Grammar & Spelling Check Tool.

4 . There Are Few, but Good Links

Do you think it is good to add some useful external resources within your guest post?

I think it is acceptable to insert a couple of internal links to old articles AND some links to external resources, tools or website, which match the topic covered within your guest post.

5 . There Are Some Attractive Images

Be sure to add at least one relevant image within your guest post. Sometimes even a funny picture, can capture more attention than an entire text wall.

Tip : I use FreeDigitalPhotos. You simply need to mention them in your article and you can use any of their images for free.

6 . Who Reads the Content Has Something to Learn

I know it may seem a utopia, but the perfect guest post should always teach something to the reader.

An interesting resource, a guide, a suggestion for improvement : in short, something useful!

7 . It is Followed by an Active Discussion

If you have used many hours in preparing your article and get it published, then you can spend another 30 minutes following the discussion below your content.

There is nothing worse than seeing a guest post with many comments, without the response of the guest blogger.

From my point of view, I love to respond to comments and I believe from them can born some healthy discussions.

Do not forget that you can always learn a lot from your readers and commenters!

You may be interested in reading this :

How to Get MORE Traffic and MORE Comments to YOUR Blog

Can You Write the Perfect Guest Post ?

If you are able to respect all the points mentioned above, then you are right on your path to write the perfect guest post.

For me, the secret behind having almost the 100% of your articles approved, is to know the owner of the blog where you want to submit your content. It worked for me!

And after you have some content published around the blogosphere, above all if you are featured on popular blogs, then you will be surprised to receive invitations to guest post on several websites.

What do you think? Do you already have published at least one guest post?

If yes, what are the results you got? Let me know within the comments, thanks!