Our writing processes: How we get words on a blank page
The blank page. Ugh. It’s a source of intimidation and frustration.
In this episode, we talk about our processes for getting a piece of writing out the door.
We also concluded we don’t want each other’s jobs. Listen in to find out how many words Kaleigh writes in a day.
The first step in the writing process
No matter what you’re writing—whether it’s a case study or blog post—you need to understand your clients’ needs, goals, and expectations. Without this information at the forefront, you could spend too much time researching or writing about the wrong thing.
Our first step: getting everything we know out of our heads and onto the blank page. We open a Google Doc and start to gather, copy, and paste as much information as we can.
Here are some things to include in your initial document:
Project specifications (word count, summary, goals)
Company style guide
Relevant links; any research you have
List of competitors not to reference
Keywords
Any info that’ll make your writing easier
Hey, look! Now your blank page isn’t so blank anymore. It sounds simple, but filling in basic information is a great mental trick to get the ball going.
“Rolling with the process helps you get past the intimidation factor.”
Bonus points: make this document a template. Once you figure out all the necessary info you need for a project, create a template you can use for other projects. (No need to start from scratch every time!).
How do you create an effective outline?
An outline keeps you on track and helps you spend your writing time efficiently. Without one, you could find yourself working late nights or 12-hour days. With one, you’re not constantly asking yourself what’s next or intimidated by the task at hand; it’s a roadmap that shows you exactly what you need to do.
Here’s how you start building an effective outline:
1. Look at what’s already out there.
There’s so much noise out there, and there could be thousands of blog posts on the same topic as yours. Time to do some Googling. Look at what others are saying and start thinking about how you can differentiate yourself and your project:
Are there fresh angles you can take on some of the topics?
What questions come up as your reading and getting new information?
What surprises you? What can you add to the conversation?
Look at related searches and questions people have about the topic. What are people curious about when they search your topic? Make sure you take note of any questions you have while you’re researching, too. Chances are, the reader will have the same questions you have. Address those questions to keep your piece engaging and relevant.
“What new connections can you add for the reader?”
2. List main points you want to make
Seeing other posts will spark some inspiration for your main ideas and headings. As you’re diving into your topic, think about some of the points you want to make. Keep adding links and notes to your document as ideas and research comes up. (That’s why we like working with split screens, so you can take notes, jot down ideas, and research at the same time).
3. Find statistics to back everything up.
Getting stats doesn’t mean clicking on the first few links and calling it a day. It’s a hunt for the evidence of the points you want to make. Start digging for the most recent research or relevant studies, then plop your findings into your outline.
“Curate relevant, high-quality information that brings a new perspective to the content.”
4. Connect with relevant experts.
Emma spends most of her time on the phone. Case studies involve talking to someone in a sales team to learn how they talk about the product and interviewing anyone from CEOs to marketing directors to get relevant quotes.
Kaleigh connects with experts online. She maintains a sheet of go-to experts and stays in touch with them to continue building up her network.
Your research process (and who you talk to) will vary depending on what you’re writing and who you’re writing for.
Should you review your outline with clients?
Even if you feel confident in the content you have, you could hand in your draft and find out the client wanted to take a different direction. Save yourself the headache and prevent doubling your work by sharing an outline with your client.
“This is a dirty outline. I want you to see where my brain is going with this.”
Outlines can be messy; they don’t have to be polished or perfect. Let your clients know this is a roadmap, it’s not the finished product. Then ask specific questions to help you serve them better:
What am I missing?
What do you want next?
How can I make this stronger?
Asking specific questions will help your client provide actionable feedback, allowing you to improve the piece and exceed their expectations.
When do you start writing?
The writing process builds on itself. You start with links, stats, and bullet points. Then as you chip away at it, your outline starts looking like the end product. After you have your research and talking points in order, you can start a rough draft of your headings, title, and fill in the blanks from there.
“By the time I’m writing, it writes itself because I’ve already done the research.”
How do you get into the writing zone?
Getting into the writing zone takes understanding your process and how you work best. Working from a beach every day sounds like a dream, but not everyone can be productive away from their desk. Over time, you’ll figure out what works best for you and your business.
Do you work from the same spot every day?
Are there certain hours you’re more productive than others?
Do you need complete silence? Some music? A cup of tea?
Both of us need to work from a desktop with split screens so we can have our research up while we’re writing, and we can’t have any sound to distract us.
We also need to make sure we’re not getting pulled out of the flow by checking emails or hopping on a bunch of calls. Building in time for writing work can be hard, but without designated writing time you’re going to be pulled in different directions. Two or three quality hours of writing a day before your day is over.
“I need a whole day open to lean into the project, otherwise it’s hard to get into the workflow.”
Lean into your strengths
Where do you thrive? Maybe it’s an interview-focused business, or maybe it’s focused more on the writing. Whatever it is, learn what works best for you and lean into those strengths.