by Doreen Martel

Created on: May 29, 2009   Last Updated: June 02, 2009

An online article can be written in as few as fifteen minutes or can take up to one hour or longer to complete. There are many factors that must be used to determine how quickly you can write a good online article. Let us review some of the variables that are involved:

A) Your typing speed - Clearly this is going to be a significant factor in determining how long an article will take to complete. Someone who types 40 words a minute is going to take twice as long to complete an article as someone who has the ability to type at 80 words per minute. Some people have mastered such programs as Dragon Naturally Speaking which can considerably increase their speed.

B) Interest in Subject - Let's face it, if you have no interest in a subject matter, it's going to be hard to write an article quickly. If you are not interested in gardening a gardening article could be very painful for you to write. This can be applied to nearly anything you write that you are not interested or believe in. Let us assume for a minute you are asked to do a product review - if you have no faith in the product, you are likely to have a very difficult time writing a convincing article.

C) Knowledge of Subject - If you do not have a basic knowledge about the subject you are writing about, it can mean you have to do research first. This means that you could actually wind up spending as much time researching your topic as you do writing about it. Writing about subjects you have significant knowledge in can make your writing go quickly and smoothly and result in fewer false starts.

D) Accuracy - If you are not an accurate typist, writing time will also include proofreading time. This can be very difficult for some people. If you are not accurate, then proofreading could take as long as writing the article in the first place.

Helpful Hints

Here are some helpful hints to reduce your article writing time:

A) Select your topics carefully - Even a freelance writer can have the option of not writing about subjects they are not comfortable with. Advise the person who hired you what types of articles you are not comfortable with.

B) Practice your typing - We all get better with practice. There are hundreds of typing programs available for free or a modest cost that can help you increase your typing speed.

C) Spell/Grammar Check - If you are concerned about accuracy, consider not just your built-in spell check but also invest in a great grammar checker. This modest added expense can enhance your ability to write good, effective articles.

Summary

How much time it takes to write an online article varies from person to person, and also from topic to topic. You can significantly decrease the time it takes you to write a carefully crafted article if you use some of these tips. Whether it takes you thirty minutes or three hours, you will have to decide the value of your work before you decide to write an online article.

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