How to Write a High-Quality SEO Article in Less Than an Hour

I used to believe that the more effort you put in for a more extended period, the better the article or content would be. When you combine this idea with unwavering perfectionism (as in my case), you have a lethal combination.

After thousands of hours as a freelance writer, I discovered how shallow and dangerous this mindset is. It can drain your energy and waste your best hours of concentration, causing you to burn out every few weeks or months.

This notion was disproven when I received my first semi-viral article on Medium. I was attempting to reduce my writing time, and that article took me exactly one hour to write, edit, and publish. I didn’t think it was a good article, but I decided to post it anywhere for the sake of completeness.

It was not only accepted, but it also received much attention. I posted it months ago, and it still gets comments and highlights daily or weekly. I would have probably discarded that article because I didn’t “put enough effort into it,” but there it was, receiving comments about how useful it was.

At that point, I asked myself, “Is the real goal of writing for me to spend hours reading every paragraph 50 times, or is it to be useful?”

I began to fight my perfectionism habits tenaciously to write more and help more people. And for this reason, we will discuss how it is entirely possible to write an excellent, high-quality article in one hour, including everything from writing to publishing. Let’s get started.

First, do some free writing (25 Minutes)

There’s not much to say here. Set a timer for 25 minutes (you can start with more and work your way down from there) and begin writing.

It was easier to put any thought on paper without judging it at first (nor the view itself, nor the way it was written, nor the grammar). I just tried to jot down as many ideas as I could as quickly as possible. And, I must say, it was highly beneficial to my perfectionism.

It was a necessary exercise initially, but you might not be in the same frame of mind as I was, so if you can start with an outline from the start, that’s even better. I applaud you.

However, I believe it is necessary to mention that this was a complex process that did not occur overnight. I didn’t start writing one-hour articles on the first day. It took me not a few weeks, but it was all worth it in the end, and it still is.

Editing is in the second step (20 Minutes)

What do they have to say? “Write fearlessly, and edit mercilessly.” That is also why you should give yourself less time to edit. It’s all too easy to relapse into perfectionism, and the more time you give yourself, the longer you tolerate this behaviour. This is the same concept that underpins Parkinson’s Law: “work expands to fill the time available for completion.”

I began by giving myself 40 minutes and gradually reduced it to 15 to 20 minutes. I realised it was the appropriate amount of time to edit a separate article. Of course, this is only an average figure. It will take longer if I’m writing a long, detailed post that necessitates additional research and data checking. The point is that I always try to set aside a specific amount of time, which works.

Another editing tip I could give is to do it on your phone. I’m not sure what it is, and I’m not sure if it will work for anyone, but it’s worth a shot.

When I edited from my phone, I discovered that I could almost read and scan the article faster, resulting in a more obvious highlight of the missing content and those requiring trimming. To do this, I have to turn off all notifications, or I’ll end up on Instagram in 20 seconds.

Step 3: Publication (10 Minutes)

You’re almost finished. This is the most straightforward part of the procedure. Review the article, give it a quick read, add images, links, and everything else, then hit “send to publication” or publish it on your profile or send it to a client. Whatever it may be.

Then celebrate! You did an excellent job; say it aloud and believe it. Take a break, make yourself some hot tea or coffee, or whatever beverage you prefer, and relax. Allow your mind to wander and your attention to shift away from the topic you just wrote about. A break of 20 to 30 minutes should suffice.

Writing on an empty stomach is a good idea.

I understand that this piece of advice may appear unusual — even crazy — to some people. But that is why I am providing it. You don’t want to hear the same common-sense writing advice over and over, do you?

I’d say I write on an empty stomach 90% of the time. I write (almost) first thing in the morning, immediately following my morning routine. I never eat breakfast and adhere to an intermittent fasting regimen.

Because I work as a freelance writer, the amount of money I make is determined by how much I write and how good the content is. I’m also a part-time student, so I’m driven to write as quickly as possible. And my attention span is critical for this.

I notice a significant difference when I write after eating. I’m feeling heavier, I’m having trouble focusing, and I don’t “feel like it.” It’s normal to feel tired and sleepy during digestion, so your mental abilities will be less sharp.

I recommend that you try this trick at least a few times to see the difference for yourself. You may feel the opposite for the first two or three days because you are too hungry to concentrate on anything, but the benefits will be enormous if you persevere.

One final thought:

You may have noticed that I didn’t quite make it to the one-hour mark (you can count 55 minutes total in the process), and sometimes I give myself even less time to complete the task. It all depends on your level of focus, topic, and how busy your day is.

But, realistically, you should leave some room for errors and distractions. Not too much, or it could be a sign of perfectionism reappearing.

Finally, I understand that you may be sceptical at first and struggle a little, but you’ll be surprised by what you can accomplish if you give yourself a chance.