These types of articles can be short enough to make your writing life easier, especially if you need inspiration just before a deadline.
1. Lists – Like this one! Sometimes referred to as “listicles,” you need at least three to five items for a decent list.
2. “How To” – Again, this type of article is usually specific, which often means your piece won’t be overlong (“How to Kill Fungus Gnats,” “How to Save $10 a Day”). And, you can make it into a list to reduce the word count.
3. Infographics – Aptly named, interesting information presented as an illustration looks appealing, and suits social media and blog posts, however, these can work well in print articles, too. You can easily convert a “how-to” into this format.
Example: How Does Rent to Own Work? Facts and statistics on a topic also work well within this framework, as do histories and timelines. You don’t need to be a designer, but some sense of design helps, however, you can use an infographic generator instead.
4. Essays/Opinions/Blog Posts – They’re often based on personal experiences, which require little to no research. I usually feature this type of blog post, but this one is different. 🙂
5. Q&As – Question and answer format articles, such as FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) and interviews are good examples of this style, which makes them easy to compile.
Example: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
These are among the easiest types of content to create quickly. Have more suggestions? Feel free to post.
And if you find creating content tough and lack time, read my free ebook, 14 Ways to Write More in Less Time.
