Professional writers have one huge issue to deal with everyday: Deadlines. They need to write faster, but can not sacrifice quality. That's why the pros have adopted many strategies to help speed up the process of writing good articles.

The lack of time should not reflect on the work's quality, as the writer has to be quick as well as he is accurate. Here are some simple article writing shortcuts that can make writing easier for you, saving you time and effort:

- Use keyboard hotkeys or shortcuts: Try not to use your mouse when you're typing, as it could eat up a lot of time when you're already pressed for it. Using your keyboard to copy a whole phrase will take less time than if you use your mouse to do the exact same command. It's quite simple and it doesn't necessary help improve your writing—but when done frequently, the practice of using keyboard shortcuts can cut your writing time significantly.

- Do your research immediately: This is a basic writing tip more than one of the actual article writing shortcuts, or at least it seems like that at first. But doing your research immediately can help you prevent procrastination. Without research, you wouldn't have a clue on how to begin your article. Research will enliven your article, and a thorough research will make the difference between a good article and a bad one. As a writer, you don't want to be scrambling hours before a deadline with not a single note of research on your article assignment.

- Try to do an outline: An outline can be an effective shortcut if you're having a hard time structuring your topic. Say you're writing about the history of basketball in the United States and you're limited to 750 words. That's not a lot of space for a very broad topic, but you wouldn't want to struggle when deciding what to include on your paper. An outline will force you to decide on your angle and what idea or subject to where and where.

- Know your ending: Some writers, like me, do not like to make outlines. If that's describes you as well, you shout at least figure out how you article is going to end before you begin. This is a good technique because, once you know your ending, you will know that everything else needs to lead to that particular end. This is essentially why many writing tips say it's best to start writing in the middle. It's all a matter of filling up the blanks.

- Write what you know: This is among the most basic article writing shortcuts. But would this even work in every case, especially if you're assigned a specific topic? The key here is to find a factor that you use to relate what you know into your topic without sounding unnatural. For example, you could use your knowledge of the Korean War when asked to write about a broad topic like war tactics or soldiers. No one sector of knowledge can exist in a bubble; more often than not, they're connected.

Preparation will always be the best shortcut. You'd be surprised how much of a difference this can make when you're writing that article. Stick with what you know and, when you find your knowledge limited, further expand it. With these strategies, you will build a lot of confidence in being able to finish you articles on time.