Become a Nonprofit Thought Leader Blogging 30 Minutes a Day

This is Part 3 of a three-Part series on how to generate content quickly - even if you are pressed for time and/or not natural writer.

In Part 1 of this series we talked about the power of documenting over creating. In Part 2 we discussed a formula for creating great content quickly. In Part 3, we're picking up the pace and creating content - in this case a blog post - in just 30 minutes!

This is an ambitious effort, and not my idea! I'm using Scoop.It's ebook How to Blog Consistently in 30 minutes a Day or Less as my guide. This ebook has some great information on how and why to blog and offers a pared down template for creating blogging in 30 minutes or less.

A word from me before we dig into the 30-minute plan. 

If you hope to be a successful freelancer, consultant or causepreneur, it helps to be regarded as an expert or thought leader. I think most people get this. But what they miss is that the best way to do this is by creating regular content that demonstrates their expertise. Blogging is probably the easiest way to accomplish this. But there are other options: video, podcasting, social, email, etc. Pick the one that you feel most comfortable with.

For example, I write a blog. I have a podcast. I use social media. And I publish a weekly email newsletter. But I haven't made the leap to video. I'll get there one day! The important thing is to get started. Focus on one thing. When you've mastered that, move on to something else, etc.

I started with a blog. That's it. Then I jumped on Twitter. Then I added a weekly newsletter. My podcast is my latest project, although not so new as I just recorded my 210th episode!

Okay, here is Scoop.It's roadmap for the 30 minute post. Note that using the Scoop.It service dramatically reduces the time it takes to find relevant content. I tried it. It's good! 

The key part here is Writing an insight, which is budgeted for 15 minutes. To make this post your own, you need to share your perspective. As I often tell people, "If you want to be a thought leader you have to have thoughts." Whatever if you write, add something to the conversation and move the idea forward.

Scoop.It's seven attributes are similar to what Niklas Goeke recommended in Part 2 of the series, but it's even tighter to keep your efforts to thirty minutes or less!

This template is probably the rock-bottom, easiest and quickest way to write a blog post. If you can't do something like this once a day, how about once a week? If you don't have time to write a blog post once a week, you don't want to be a thought leader. Period.

BTW, I produced this post in 30 minutes! I did everything, including the custom image at the top (I use Canva, which is Photoshop for dummies), in just a half-hour. Is it perfect, no. Does it achieve my goal of producing decent content for this web site. I think so!

What do you think? Give this 30-minute system a try and let me know how it goes!