How to write a quick article about your work
Usually I’d cringe to write sentences full of “do this” and “do that” imperatives. Here’s an exception: a process for writing articles. It’s a faster, easier way than what’s taught. I’ve used it to publish LinkedIn and Medium articles about my work without making it my job.
A different way of writing
The traditional way of writing slowed me down or stumped me before I could start. I’d try to imagine a completed article upfront, as if it would emerge with rainbows and sunbeams, then figure it out in my head before writing. Which never happened. I’d feel like I didn’t know anything or had nothing to share.
In school I was taught to start with form. I’m suggesting you try an approach just the opposite. Lead with the stuff, the content. Start writing and shape it from the outside. Turn it into an article as you go. You don’t even have to know the topic, how long it will be or exactly who it’s for.
The only hurdle is your desire to do it
To write this way, you need to accept that you don’t know where you’ll end up. Start only with the intent to write, and don’t let up. That won’t change regardless of how you get there in the end. There are lots of reasons to do it:
- Share the awesome work you do
- Reflect on things you’ve done or what you might do differently
- Define a specialty area of expertise and add to it
- Do something you don’t get to do every day
- Feed your conference and speaking submissions
- Establish a thought leadership profile for your resume
- Connect with your readers for your own development
What makes a good article?
When you work five days a week at your craft, you’ve got something to say about it. That’s the sort of content we can all share.
Research isn’t required
For most of us, writing about work is not journalistic or academic. Research is optional, though it can be helpful for:
- Documenting a trend
- Getting more knowledgeable on a topic
- Seeing what others are writing and reading about
- Using other content to make an argument, a report or a response
- Pointing to unanswered questions, unresolved or unaddressed issues
You can always do research, but skipping it frees you up quite a bit and saves effort and time. Instead, you can use what you’ve got already.
A process for writing articles
You’ve got content for articles sitting inside your head right now. Here’s how to let them loose.
First, go inward and prompt yourself with questions that will spin up topics:
- What questions do you get most often from others on the job?
- What do you wish your partners understood?
- What’s implied or inferred but never explicit?
- What’s the talk track playing through your head while you work?
- What process, methods, tools or results can you share?
- What are you excited about? Frustrated with?
- What problems are you trying to work out?
- What things affect your work besides the work?
Pretend you’re answering that question and having that discussion — what would you say, literally?
Type while you talk out loud, taking your own dictation. Drop the self-awareness, filters and overthinking. Don’t physically force the thought to your fingertips. You don’t have to shape it while you’re expressing it.
And for some woo woo: I even close my eyes. If I read as I type, I start editing and that stops my flow. Instead, imagine a line from your mind to the keyboard, and stay out of your damn way.
Stop when you stop, like when you have a page full of stuff. Start rearranging the raw text. Sorting, grouping into similar and different things. Forming rough sequences, a line through or a pattern. Don’t throw anything out. From this, ta-da, you’ve created a first draft. It won’t be good at all. So what. Just figure out the gist. What could the article be?
Next, overlay a standard article structure over your stuff. What form is suggested by the content? List, case study, how to, letter to, chronology, day in the life… Since you don’t have to invent a structure on your own, it will go faster. Rework the content into the form, revising to flesh out the corners.
Let your topic emerge from the content as you go. Hold it in mind, but don’t obsess. Wait to craft the headline when you’re finished. Then you can just focus on nailing the choice of words or message.
If you’re not a writer, Google “headline formulas” for some help. There are basic devices you can use for inspiration: numbered tips, surprises, questions, shortcuts, ultimate this and thats.
When you think it’s done, take a break. Come back to it one last time. Reading it out loud helps you hear any awkwardness you can edit out. Always ask someone else to proof it, especially if you try this method. Emptying out your brain as fast as possible is the leading cause of typos.
Once you’ve made final edits, your article is done and it’s time to publish and share with others in your field.
