I started facilitating writing sprints ages ago to help clients break up daunting content creation projects. After seeing how productive these sessions can be, I started doing solo sprints and using them for even smaller things like a single blog post.
As a business of one, I know too well that feeling of overwhelm that can accompany a stagnant blog and a writing deadline. The content won’t write itself, and I can’t just assign it to my office mate (he’s furry and wonderful, but not much of a writer, see below).
Writing sprints work for me for a few reasons. It breaks the work down into palatable chunks. Timing each round keeps me from sinking too much into wordsmithing before I even have the idea and flow in place. Depending on the project, rounds might be anywhere from 2-15 minutes. I can take little breaks between rounds if needed. Having a process helps me face the blank page. If I’m not sure what to write, round 1 can always be: come up with ideas for this blog post.
Here’s my template for a solo writing sprint:
Sprint Round 1: Warm up
To get your mind ready to roll, try a quick, creative activity. It can be unrelated to your topic (sketch 5 silly faces), or it can springboard into it. For example, let’s say your topic is leadership: generate as many puns about leadership as you can before the timer goes off.
Sprint Round 2: Start Small
Write potential headlines or sub-heads.
Sprint Round 3: Outline
Don’t worry about full sentences or perfect word choice. Just get the ideas and flow down.
Sprint Round 4: First Draft
Fill in what you can, working toward full sentences. You can use what you’ve already generated, as some of the headline ideas might make a perfect paragraph lead-in.
Sprint Round 5: Wordsmithing
Here’s where the polish comes in. Time to root out repetition and poor grammar. It might make sense to do a round per section or page, depending on the length and density of the piece.
Sprint Round 6: Read Aloud
Underline or highlight anything that sounds awkward. Consider what questions your ideal reader might have.
Sprint Round 7: Edit
One last pass to clean and tighten it up! Address anything you noted in your read aloud.
A good next step is to give yourself some space from what you’ve written. Give it a a day, then check back in for a final review, or ask someone else to review it for you.
A writing sprint for a blog post might be done in one hour. Longer form projects can take place over multiple days. Mix it up and create as many rounds as you need. For groups, you can add in rounds where you swap what you’ve written and edit for one another. You can also add in style-focused rounds like: add in more vivid descriptions of the people or places mentioned, or consider this work through the lens of our established brand tone. If you give it a try, let me know how it goes!
More ideas for developing your writing practice.