7 Tips to Faster Writing LNC Work Product

How would you like to create a report in half the time without losing quality? When you labor over a report and pile up the hours, you are often at risk of having to fight to get paid for all of those hours.

Create an outline for faster writing

What type of report are you creating? Is it

1. Expert witness
2. Screening a medical malpractice case
3. Medical summary
4. Summary of medical research

Having a plan and an outline enables you to tackle procrastination. Your brain may tell you the project is too big, making you want to avoid getting started. Your plan breaks the project down into smaller steps. It keeps you focused so you don’t wander off topic, and makes it easier to do research.

Let your plan percolate

Letting your plan rest for an hour or a day will help your subconscious work on it. You may be taking a walk when you suddenly see an approach to your report. Giving it some distance allows your mind to process and analyze your approach.

Know when you are most productive

Some LNCs love to write in the morning. They find they can accomplish faster writing when they are fresh. Others prefer a quiet house at night when the family is settled.

Turn off distractions

I mean it. Turn off the ringer on your phone and turn it face down. You can so easily get distracted by the internet. You think you will check it for 5 minutes, and before you know it, you will be way down a rabbit hole. You will not have gotten back to your report.

Know your client’s deadlines

The most powerfully written report is of no value if it is late. Your client often has non-negotiable deadlines. Deadlines add stress. Without a deadline, you may procrastinate, and your stress level goes up. Deadlines are dead serious in the legal world.

Focus on how good it will feel

You’ll find your ability to accomplish faster writing ramps up when you think of the rewards. See yourself depositing that check from the attorney in your bank account. Think of your client’s thanks when you get your report in before the deadline.

Break a large report down into pieces that you work on every day

Work on your report even when you don’t feel like it. Tackle the hard parts in phases.

Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration. The rest of us just get up and go to work. Stephen King

If technology ineptness is slowing you down, learn how to type faster. Some LNCs I know use voice recognition software to write faster.

The more you work on cases, the better you get at seeing the heart of the case, outlining your thoughts and writing. You will enjoy the process more, and find it easier.

Pat Iyer has written thousands of LNC reports. In addition, she has edited or written over 800 books, chapters, online courses, articles or case studies.