Writing should be a spritiual experience. But, more often than not, it can be stress-inducing.
Whether it’s basic journaling or writing content online, finding your Zen can help you write better content in less time.
Here are a few key ways to improve your writing right now, by finding your Zen and harnessing it.
Why You Need to Write Longer Content
Writing is a fantastic tool for so many unique purposes.
Whether you are looking to scale organic business growth, become a writing freelancer, or build a story around your brand, long-form content wins.
Long-form content…
- Ranks better on search results, increasing the eyes on your content
- Generates 3.8x more backlinks, meaning more referral visits from other websites
- Keeps attention for longer
So, how do you sit down and write 5,000 words about a given topic or story?
Here is how to harness your writing Zen.
Don’t Brain Dump
One of the most common writing tips is to simply brain dump on a document and see what happens.
The only problem?
You write for 1-2 hours, have produced some great stories, but now you have a massive document that’s (1) unorganized and (2) anxiety inducing!
Writing like this is great to get ideas out, but then you leave the most tedious and stressful tasks for the end: formatting, organizing, and producing a story that people stick around to read.
Instead, a great way to find your writing Zen is by settling into your story. By planning out the setting, plot, conflict, characters, theme, and more.
Make a table of contents before you start writing in a Google Doc. Organize your story or article before you begin:
Brain dumps sound great in theory, but in practice, they lack direction and focus, both of which are needed to find writing Zen.
Utilize Minimalist Tools
There is a nearly endless amount of writing tools out there from grammar editors to synonym generators and everything in between.
But, using too many tools takes you out of your flow state, disrupting creativity.
Synonym tools are great, but you could spend five minutes trying to find the perfect word.
Instead, stick to a single tool that is minimalist in nature. One that doesn’t require you to “stop and go.”
Personally, I love writing in Hemingway:
It’s free, includes formatting options, and highlights sections based on factors like:
- Adverbs
- Passive voice
- Simple or complex language
- Readability
Don’t Neglect Physical Space
Physical space is often regarded as seperate from the online world.
When you are writing, it’s not. Writing in a flow / Zen state is heavily impacted by your surroundings.
Noises, motion, ambiance, and aura all impact your creative ability.
Test new music. Try simple instrumentals without lyrics. Try raising volume, and lowering it. Find a window spot in a café or your apartment/house to garner inspiration.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer here.
Test, test, and test again until you find the right combination that promotes both creativity and focus.
On to You
Finding your Zen is rarely simple in writing, but when you do, words flow from your keys effortlessly.
Use these tips to help you get in the zone and write better content than ever before.