Do you ever wonder how people can effortlessly pump out thousands of words for a blog post in a moment’s notice? After seeing many bloggers from all walks of life, writing post after post, I can tell you that anyone can become a volume writer. Volume is especially important if your goal is to rank on the first page of Google Search results. Some SEO experts say a minimum of 2,000 words is necessary for a chance at ranking in your chosen keyword or topic. I’ve even seen some people write 10,000 words in a day! Here are a few ways to get to 2,000 words (and beyond). Let’s see if I can reach that word count with this post!

Create sections.

Some bloggers can make paragraphs and paragraphs of an idea without really defining each section. Although this works for emotional or opinionated topics where words are flowing, we might commonly stop and feel like there is nothing left to talk about. Creating sections allows paragraphs to become their own mini-chapters, which can then be expanded on with ease. Think of these mini-chapters as paragraphs with mini-headings as well. There will be more on sections throughout this post.

Make listicles.

The easiest way to reach 2,000 words is by making a list of 2,000 words! Haha just kidding. I would suggest a shorter list of things, like a “top 10” list or “21 tips” piece. Once again, you are employing a sectioned approach, which you can elaborate on for each bullet-point. “How-to’s” are very effective as well as “# ways to…”. Just these headline tips alone should help you develop a unique and lengthy listicle.

Find your passion.

If you are writing about something that doesn’t interest you, it will be tough to get anywhere with this blogging journey for the long-term. You need to be passionate about your chosen topic, to the point where you could write at least 50 articles about it. Make a list of the things that excite you and see what stands out as potential 2,000-word articles. One idea is to start with a general niche that interests you. Although most bloggers would suggest choosing a micro niche (specific topic), at the end of the day, there are no real rules to blogging – only the ones that are meant to be broken. Eventually you can niche down later, once you find your rhythm.

Use simple word-processing software.

I use a simple notes app on my laptop for the full writing process, then WordPress for final editing, formatting and publishing. Don’t get caught up in technology, as creativity loves constraints. All you need to do is find software that you can write with for hours on end, without bizarre bugs. I used to believe that Google Docs or Microsoft Word would be necessary platforms, but you can essentially bypass those in favour of web publishing platforms like Medium and WordPress, or a notes app for pre-publication writing. Younger generations seem to be writing books on smartphones these days, which I find to be incredible in terms of skill and talent.

Note-take.

To talk more about software, the notes app I use is also on my smartphone, so I can take notes and write ideas anywhere I go. When you have an idea for a headline, it’s important to be able to jot it down quickly, before you forget. That’s where smartphones come in handy. Every idea I have is recorded on the notes app. If I feel like elaborating on it later, I will add section ideas and start writing. See if this process works for you. I’m using Google Keep, which is a free app. I also have spreadsheets with more elaborate ideas I might refer to in future. You could even have a pocket notebook with you wherever you go, if that’s more natural for your process. By having an abundance of ideas written down, you will always have something to write about. That is the ultimate antidote to the writer’s block dilemma. Capture the thoughts of your creative mind with note-taking; it will do wonders for you.

Outline your ideas.

Similar to sections, outlining your ideas helps you organize your thoughts before you begin to write. You could make outline notes for each section, so that the writing flow becomes easier. I’ve seen many authors make entire books based on elaborate bullet-points. The outline is a very effective way to get your words out before focusing on proper sentence structure. When you just need to get thoughts on paper, outlining is an effective method to make serious progress. Start with simple bullet-points, and don’t worry about making it pretty. Author James Patterson does extensive outlines for all of his books, to the point where every little detail is laid out before even the proper first draft is completed. If you are a structured type of person, this approach may be quite helpful for you.

Sit comfortably.

We often overlook ergonomics when writing with laptops and uncomfortable coffee chairs, but this can be a difference-maker for your productivity. Who wants to be uncomfortable when working? Ensure you are sitting somewhere that allows for long-term work. An office chair is ideal. Dining chairs are okay if they are comfortable. Couches and beds can work if you do not accidentally fall asleep on them (guilty). Basically, anywhere works, as long as you are comfortable. If you are constantly thinking about how uncomfortable you are, you might get angry, give up and do something else, especially when writer’s block hits you. With all of this being said, you should have no excuses for making things happen. If you financially cannot afford a proper desk or chair, sitting against a wall is more than adequate. If you have to write everything out by hand because that is more comfortable for you, then go for it. Don’t let circumstances slow you down.

Make it pressure-free.

Sometimes deadlines can be helpful (especially with school homework). But that pressure can take a toll on you and make writing seem impossible. The goal is to have words flowing onto the page. If you are stressed about deadlines, I doubt that flow will be natural. Eliminate timelines and just write for the fun of it. You might be surprised how much further you will go. Deadlines create a significant amount of stress, especially in the journalism industry, where many writers supplement with pharmaceutical drugs to get through the pressure. I talk more about easing the pressure on yourself further down, when talking about scheduling your posts.

Type faster.

Your words-per-minute score can always be improved. The faster you type, the faster you can record your thoughts in writing. I always wished I could type faster, because my thoughts always escape me! This would be helpful for smartphone typing too, as when you are on the fly, quickly jotting ideas down can be important. I’ve had surges of creative ideas where hours went by while typing away on my smartphone screen! Learn how to master the QWERTY keyboard with two thumbs, and most importantly, your entire hands for laptop keys. Increase your words-per-minute and increase your productivity on multiple levels, from writing full-length novels to scribbling headline ideas. If you are not a fast typer, that is okay. I’ve seen authors write full novels with just their two index fingers!

Stick to a daily habit routine.

It’s easier to say you will write 500 words every day at 9am than to say you will write when you feel like it. Having a set routine at a set time can be tremendously helpful for delivering a blog post consistently, with volume. Treat writing like brushing your teeth, and it becomes much more simple. Sit down and stare at a blank screen for hours if need be. Just the act of the daily routine can be enough of a catalyst to gain momentum for your production. Chunking time each day for this routine will help keep you on track when schedules get hectic. If 500 words in a day sounds daunting, start with something smaller, such as 100 words, to get you into that initial rhythm.

Read, read, read.

When words seem like a struggle, the best way to increase your vocabulary is to read. Excellent writers are avid readers. Also, it seems that most successful people in life are avid readers. Bill Gates is an avid reader, checking off 50 books per year. Warren Buffett reads five to six hours a day and somehow manages to crank through over 500 pages of reports in that timespan. Elon Musk used to read two books per day growing up. If you could develop a habit of reading a few pages every day, similar to the writing habit, you will develop a much more robust vocabulary in no time at all. Maybe you will get to the level of 500 pages per day if you learn to speed-read!

Answer questions.

When it seems impossible to find words to say, I have gone onto various social media platforms and communities to see how I can answer questions and help others. Usually my answers end up being short-form versions of potential blog posts I can write. If you are looking for a community related to your topic of interest, definitely check out platforms like Quora, Reddit and Facebook Groups. Any social media site will have a community ready for your advice. It starts by listening to the problems and seeing how you can provide a detailed solution. Not only will you help others and come up with fresh blog post ideas, but you will also gain a few new connections in the process.

Schedule posts.

Let’s be honest with ourselves. There are some days when writing seems impossible. Or at least, writing coherently. That is why scheduling posts ahead of time will give you the freedom to work on something now without any pressure of delivering it tomorrow. Maybe one day you have a surge of writing, just flowing out of you, and you finish two massive blog posts! Awesome, you can schedule them both for future days and take a breather for a job well done. Be proactive by scheduling posts for later dates so you can take as much time as you need to write today. As mentioned, less pressure can equal more relaxation to write, write, write.

Allow imperfection.

We often look for the perfect word and perfect sentence. I’d rather have imperfection when starting out. We often overanalyze what comes out and onto the page, slowing ourselves down in the process. Allow for mistakes to happen, as you do not need to be the grammar police on your first draft. Let the words flow for now, as some of the best work is unedited and raw. When you allow too much editing or too much nit-picking, your original thinking and intentions can become muddled.

Remove distractions.

Let’s face it, there are distractions all around us. The ideal scenario is you are writing alone in a room, without anyone or anything to interrupt you. Most of the time, that never happens. Smartphone notifications buzz away, loud noises from construction workers outside, kids and family screaming in your ears…maybe it’s time to head to a nearby library. That’s not completely out of the realm of possibility, but to get into a rhythm, it’s best to always have the same environment, which you can gain comfort from. Or, talk with your distractions to see if they can give you some space. For inanimate distractions, see if you can remove or disable them. I don’t have any notifications on my phone, except text. When I want to do a long-form writing piece, I will have the phone on silent. The important thing is to realize that the world can wait for you. We seem to have gotten away from that realization with technology and more distractions being in our lives.

Conclusion.

These small tips should help you simplify your mission to reach 2,000 words. If I can point to one factor that has helped me with writing at volume, it’s been to write about what interests me. Find the topic that you can write 50+ articles about, and you should have no problem getting that word-count in.

Final word count: 2,036 words. Yay!

For job candidates looking to grow their careers, it’s time to think outside the box. The majority of today’s online job postings are not innately designed as the jobs we actually want. Hiring managers craft a cookie-cutter job description in the hopes that someone can handle a few day-to-day tasks. We have to get more creative to land that dream job. Let’s look at a few ways we can do this.

Informational interviews.

The #1 way to actually land a job that never existed on a job board is to interview people in your desired career fields. These are the people who you can learn from. They will help you determine where you can fit into this world. I’ve talked with countless people who have landed jobs, just because they were interested in learning more about a company. The key here is to not expect a job out of the conversation. Come up with a list of ten questions related to their job, and finish off by asking the interviewee if there is anyone else you should talk to. People love talking about themselves, and they may naturally point you to a hiring manager. A personal recommendation is much more powerful than the hundredth job application. Of course, if you take this road of interviewing people, make sure you never, ever ask for anything in return. That will automatically turn people away from you. Do this for your genuine learning and growth. You will get what you deserve in the end.

Connecting two people.

Instead of focusing on your career, see how you can connect two people together. Maybe you know of someone who needs a job or customer, and you know someone else who can fill that need. You will be well-respected for initiating the introductions, and both of these people will more than likely try to help you or return the favour down the road. You can initiate introductions by email, text, LinkedIn…any platform, really, as long as you get permission from both parties before making the connection. A good way to do this is by simply saying you know someone who might be interested in XYZ, would you like me to connect you both? Connecting two people will boost your reputation and trust among others, and this bodes well for your long-term career.

Helping for free.

Helping others for free will give you tremendous leverage in the long-term. Find the hiring manager of a company and message them directly, either by email or LinkedIn. Offer any help you can, related to the job they are filling. I know a designer who offered a whole design concept to a major company, for free. Several weeks later, that company offered the designer a full-time job, just for being genuinely helpful without expectation. These little contributions, although done for free at the beginning, will garner you significant respect. You are essentially guilting people (unintentionally) into doing something for you later on.

Entrepreneurship.

If you do not like what is out there on the job market, it is time to invent the job of your dreams. Enter entrepreneurship. What do you like doing? What activities help pass the time for you? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Who can you help? Finding the problems of the world and designing a solution to them is one way to start. But will you be passionate about someone else’s problems? How about looking at your life and seeing what problems can be solved. Maybe you are frustrated with the job market and wish there was an easier way to find dream jobs. As a solution, you could build a website related to career resources and tools to find it. When it comes to entrepreneurship, the best way to think about an idea is to make something that aligns with your passion, skill and the needs of the market.

Automation.

The job market will be disrupted by artificial intelligence and automation. One way to stand out is to look at how you can automate jobs with systems you build. This is similar to the entrepreneurship route, but you can also do this in a job you currently have, especially with a mundane, repetitive one. Email marketing is something I’ve been involved in automating for a number of companies, and I even automated an entire full-time job once! Simple administrative tasks could perhaps be handled on autopilot too. What this does for you is it shows your initiative in taking on new projects and helping a company grow. If you automate your entire job, that’s okay! A new opportunity will open up in the company, and you will be first in line.

Conclusion.

What are you waiting for?! It’s time to see what kind of dream job you can come up with for yourself. There are only 24 hours in a day, and the world deserves your best self. One trick that helped me is to make a spreadsheet with five columns, labelled “Job Title”, “Passion”, “Skill”, “Market Need”, “Total”. Take time to come up with all of the job titles you would be interested in and write them in column 1. List anything that comes to mind. Then rank each job title out of 10 in terms of passion, skill and market need in the next three columns. Total each row for the fifth column. See which job title is ranked as the highest, according to your ratings! That might be your dream job to pursue.