How to write 2,000 words in under an hour - Concise Writing Consultancy (2024)

There is a continual drive at work to complete tasks faster and more efficiently. This includes the many communications we need to write from emails to reports and other documents. For many office workers, this means spending a sizeable proportion of the day at their computer keyboard.

It makes sense that fast and efficient typing would be a required skill. Yet, look around the office and you’ll notice most people will be using the ‘hunt and peck’ approach to typing. Using a small number of fingers, and relying on the mouse rather than keyboard shortcuts, can slow you down enormously.

Here are 3 essential steps to increase your writing efficiency.

1. Learn to touch type

If you think you can type fast enough using 2 fingers it might surprise you to learn that the average speed of a hunt and peck typist is 37 words per minute. When typing with all 10 fingers you can increase your average speed to around 60 words per minute. The fastest touch typists can even reach 100 words per minute, with the fastest hunt and peck typists lagging at 70 words per minute at top speed.

Touchtypingis the ability totype with all 10 fingers withoutthe need to lookat thekeyboard. With touch typing, each finger is given its own section of the keyboard. Hand movement is limited to only what is necessary to press a key, and fingers are kept close to the base position.With regular practice, and by gaining muscle memory, your fingers learn the location of the keyboard. Speed and accuracy increases with practice. Because you are able to read what you write as you type, you are also likely to make fewer errors when you touch type.

With the hunt and peck method, you need to search for the keys and are unable to look at the screen until after you have finished typing. Your fingers are also not likely to be close to where you need them over the keyboard, making it a less efficient as well as less accurate method of typing.

Anyone can learn to touch type. To get started go to: https://www.uow.edu.au/student/learning-co-op/technology-and-software/typing/

2. Use keyboard shortcuts

A keyboard shortcut is a sequence of keystrokes that can be used to perform a command on a computer much more quickly than alternative methods, such as using a mouse.

Using keyboard shortcuts can save you up to 8 days a year, according to research. This claim is calculated on the basis of someone using a keyboard 8 hours a day. It is based on the premise that people lose 2 seconds every time they use the mouse to switch back and forth between windows or commands, instead of using a keyboard shortcut.

TaskShortcut
Open a document.Ctrl+O
Create a new document.Ctrl+N
Save the document.Ctrl+S
Close the document.Ctrl+W
Cut the selected content to the Clipboard.Ctrl+X
Copy the selected content to the Clipboard.Ctrl+C
Paste the contents of the Clipboard.Ctrl+V
Select all document content.Ctrl+A

If you find it difficult to remember the shortcuts, print out a list of the ones you commonly use and post it somewhere clearly visible near your workstation. Soon the shortcuts will become second nature to you.

For more shortcuts go toWindows shortcuts

3. Use a comfortable keyboard

Once you start typing at speed with 10 fingers, you’ll truly appreciate the benefit of a comfortable ergonomic keyboard. With the proper hand positioning as you type, ergonomic keyboards can help you increase your typing speed as well as reduce discomfort while you work.

With fast typing speeds, use of shortcuts and a comfortable keyboard, it is theoretically possible to write 2,000 words in under an hour. This is based on a typing speed of 50 words per minute and allowing for several pauses to think. Realistically, writing a communication from blank page to publishable final draft of 2,000 words will take more than an hour once you factor in research, planning, review, editing and proofreading. But there is no doubt that enhancing your keyboard skills to speed up the time it takes to write your first draft is not only possible but makes good business sense.

Feeling pressured by deadlines? For all your written communication needs, contact Concise Writing Consultancy on 02 9238 6638 today or email patricia.hoyle@concisewriting.com.au

Sources:

https://www.typing.com/blog/hunt-and-peck/

https://usingtechnologybetter.com/want-to-save-time-get-to-know-your-keyboard-shortcuts/

How to write 2,000 words in under an hour - Concise Writing Consultancy (2024)

FAQs

Can you write a 2000 word essay in an hour? ›

This is based on a typing speed of 50 words per minute and allowing for several pauses to think. Realistically, writing a communication from blank page to publishable final draft of 2,000 words will take more than an hour once you factor in research, planning, review, editing and proofreading.

How long should it take to write 2000 words? ›

Writing 2,000 words will take about 50 minutes for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 1.7 hours for handwriting. However, if the content needs to include in-depth research, links, citations, or graphics such as for a blog article or high school essay, the length can grow to 6.7 hours.

How to write a 2000 word essay quickly? ›

Plan your time: Allocate specific time for each essay section (introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion). Outline first: Quickly outline your main points and supporting details to guide your writing. Focus on key ideas: Stick to essential arguments and avoid unnecessary details to meet the word count efficiently.

How long does it take to write a 2000 word literature review? ›

In my own personal experience as a student, once I had done the research for a paper, I could usually write (at the quality I expected) one page per hour. So a 2000 word paper would take me four to five hours to write once I had done the research.

Is it possible to write 2000 words in 2 hours? ›

Do you often find yourself procrastinating and struggling to come up with ideas? If so, you're not alone. Writing a 2000-word article in just two hours might seem impossible, but with the right approach, it can be done.

Can I finish a 2000 word essay in 3 days? ›

Yes, provided you know your subject and have done your research. The actual writing process for such an essay will take from a couple of hours to a day, and then you would still have plenty of time for editing, revision, and adding anything else you felt needed to be said.

How many sources should a 2000 word essay have? ›

In an essay of two thousand words and there are almost fifteen hundred words to write in the body. So in fifteen hundred words, students will write about nearly three or four main points. Thus for every aspect, there are minimum two or three references.

How long should it take a copywriter to write 1000 words? ›

The quick answer is that your typical professional copywriter is often able to research and write a 1000-word article in around one to two hours. However, this writing speed does require some confidence and efficiency.

How long does it take a copywriter to write 1500 words? ›

It can take from 2 to 4 hours to write 1000 words, depending on the writer's speed, how well they know the topic, and how much research needs to be done. For an article of 1000 to 1500 words, this might take 2 to 6 hours.

How should a 2000 word essay be structured? ›

You will always have an introduction, a conclusion and a number of body paragraphs. The number of body paragraphs you have will depend on the word count you have been assigned. For example if you had a 2000 word essay, you may have an introduction and conclusion and four body paragraphs.

Can Chatgpt write a 2000 word essay on Reddit? ›

Whenever I tell it to create something really long, it doesn't create more than 2000 words. But on average, it creates around 1000 words. The workaround I found for it is to create titles and headings for me and then use those individually to create something longer.

What is the minimum for a 2000 word essay? ›

2000 words: this means you need to write 2000 words, plus or minus 10% leeway. This means you need to write a minimum of 1800 words and a maximum of 2200 words. Generally, the more successful students will write more, rather than less, and will end up trying to reduce the word count to meet the limit.

How many paragraphs are 2000 words? ›

How Many Paragraphs Is 2,000 Words? 2,000 words is about 10-20 paragraphs for essays or 20-40 for easier reading (to allow skimming). A paragraph length typically has 100-200 words and 5-6 sentences.

How many paragraphs are in a 2000-word essay? ›

The number of paragraphs in a 2000-word essay can vary depending on the specific requirements and structure of the essay. However, as a general guideline, a 2000-word essay typically consists of around 4-5 paragraphs for the introduction, 4-6 paragraphs for the body, and 1-2 paragraphs for the conclusion.

How long should a conclusion be for a 2000-word essay? ›

The conclusion is usually about 10-15% of your paper (e.g. around 250 words in a 2,000-word essay). What to include in a Conclusion? ✔️ Conclusions bring together all the strands of your essay and offers your final thoughts.

How much of an essay can I write in an hour? ›

You can write a 500-word essay in an hour, but as the length increases, so makes the difficulty. As your essay length grows, the quality will probably decrease. This is because a lot of what makes your writing good is the editing process.

Can you finish a 2000 word essay in 6 hours? ›

Practice is also an important aspect for essay writing. However, 6 Hours are more than enough for a 2000 words essay.

How many words can I write in an hour? ›

Writers' speeds vary … a lot. Some writers would consider 100 words an hour to be a perfectly productive rate. Others would be disappointed by 1,000 words an hour.

Can 2000 words be written in a day? ›

Apparently Hemingway wrote between 500 and 1000 words a day and Stephen King has claimed to write 2000 words a day. Many lesser known or unpublished writers who blog claim word counts anywhere in the range of 500 to 3000 words a day with 1000 being the average.

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