How to Keep on Track with Your Writing Campaign

This is a guest post by Brandon of Boomajoom.com. 

1. Set Aside Time

Be disciplined is hardly an earth-shattering concept, but it's still the most important thing you can do. Set aside at least a half hour at a time where you either write or sit there staring at the wall. The discipline comes into play when you don't allow yourself to get up or do other things. The boredom comes into play when after a few minutes of staring at the wall you decide you might as well write something.

Small segments of time work best, just as focusing on small segments of writing helps you push out larger pieces. This, I feel, is the main reason we have chapters and paragraphs in books. Trying to write a paragraph is easy. Tying a few paragraphs into a chapter, that's not so hard. Then once you have a few chapters, you find yourself sitting there with a book. Sometimes small steps are all we can afford to focus on.

Photo: Leo Reynolds

2. Keep a Calendar

Similar in type to setting aside time, keeping a calendar ensures that you have enough time to set aside. Further, this will help put you on a regular publishing schedule, which your readers and Google will appreciate. If you're writing because it helps your business, then a calendar will help keep you sane. 

It's important to figure out your goals when writing, but it's pointless to always think about them when putting together individual articles. If you're trying to rank in a competitive market, you will get discouraged trying to find that guaranteed way to rank with each article. Business is about marginal improvements made over a long period of time. Determine your goals, what you need to do to get there, and then forget about it while you work on each step.

3. Write Something Controversial

Write something that will make people cringe, something that you hold a strong opinion about. Generally when we are passionate about a subject, it's easy to write about. We become wrapped up in the argument and lose track of time. Not only will writing something controversial help you publish more, but it will set you apart from the crowd. A lot of people say "write something controversial" as if that statement alone was controversial. Try to pepper your writing with something bold on occasion, like I try to do on my blog.

Photo: kanelstrand

4. Write Something Funny 

People in business are usually a bunch of nervous ninnies. Everything is so impersonal and plastic, it's gross sometimes. While there's definitely a time and place for a serious discussion of a particular issue, I think people need to loosen up. 

For example, I recently wrote an article on my site about the SEO genius that is Charlie Sheen (he's all over page one on Google for "winning"). I also poked fun at the Internet marketing industry since we continue to publish articles that we don't actually follow - write quality content, pay it forward, write something funny, etc. When push comes to shove, hardly anybody is actually doing that. So start.

5. Find a Sponsor

AA is a great program. After 23 minutes of sobriety myself, the program works wonders. In all seriousness, AA introduces a sense of accountability into its members by partnering them with someone they trust who they will depend on for emotional support through the recovery process. While procrastination is not nearly as serious an addiction as alcoholism (and does not interfere with your ability to operate heavy machinery), it's still something far easier to cope with in private than if you have to discuss it with someone. Find a confidant who will hold you accountable when you fail to meet personal deadlines. This will do wonders in keeping you on track in your writing goals.

Have I missed anything? Is the unadultered combination of booze and winning all you need to meet tough writing deadlines? Leave me a comment and let me know your secrets.

This article was written by Brandon, the owner of Boomajoom.com which provides SEO services to San Jose area customers. One such client is Susan Goulding, a Tracy CA realtor. The opinions, however, remain the author's own.