How Long Should It Take To Write An Article?
Many practitioners cite lack of time as a reason why they can’t consistently create content. While it is true for many busy practitioners with multiple commitments, there may be another problem. In my experience, many are spending too long to create a single article! So let’s answer the question: how long should it take to write an article?
How long should it take to write an article? The breakdown
Research – 0-15 minutes
If you are only just starting out on your blog, you shouldn’t be doing much research, if at all. You should be focusing on the topics that you know well.
But if you’ve been blogging for a little while, you might like some supporting statistics and findings. In this case, keep it to a strict time limit. I know all too well that Google Scholar is a Bermuda Triangle for curious practitioners!
The only times this might be a bit longer is if you are writing an article summarising some research, or if it's a long-form post covering a variety of topics. In which case, there are different rules!
Writing – 30-45 minutes
Lose the distractions. Sit yourself down. The average person should be able to write a draft of 500-800 words comfortably within 45 minutes.
Don’t worry about mistakes – that’s what the next phase is for.
Editing – 5 minutes
This is where you take a few minutes to check spelling and grammar. Then quickly read your post out loud. Anywhere that sticks in your throat, try rephrasing the sentence. This will help the writing flow easily for your readers.
Other additions – 5 minutes
If you have an image or video to add in, this is where this happens. Links, both internal and external, are also added last. Make sure you’ve added a call-to-action at the bottom of your post, so you don’t lose your reader!
How long should it take to write an article? 45-60 minutes on average.
Taking too long? How to reduce writing time (without losing quality)
If you take significantly longer than that - don't worry! Most people do to start with. It's just a case of practice makes perfect.
In the meantime, here are a few quick tips to cut your writing time down:
Keep research to a minimum - do a targeted search for exactly what you need
Install Grammarly for editing help (more on tools here)
Stick to a word count of 500-800 words for most topics
Have a stash of stock photos that are related to your modality
Set yourself a timer and a deadline to prevent dawdling (we've all been there!)
If you introduce these tips, you will cut your writing time down significantly.
Does writing take too long?
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