Do You Outline Your Work?
January 9, 2008 by Deb
Filed under Freelance Writing
Today after writing a piece for Performancing about planning ahead I forgot to mention the importance of outlines. After talking to many of my fellow bloggers and writers, I’m wondering if I’m in the minority?
An outline allows me to organize my thoughts. Many times, I’ll write up the outlines for my some of my blog posts on the weekends, and during the week I’ll expand upon the outlined points. I also write outlines longhand in a notebook if I find myself away from the computer.
Do you outline your blog posts or articles before writing?
I sometimes write in longhand and transcribe it later on. For some reason, if I’m working on something longer than a standard article (a report or an ebook) it feels right to approach it in this way.
This is the first time I’ve commented on your blog (although I read it religiously every day) but I wanted to say that I, too, am passionate about outlining. On a Friday night when I’m exhausted and don’t have the energy to even think about being creative, I can still bang out a few outlines in an hour. Then, the next morning, when I’m fully caffeinated, I can hit the ground running and get to work researching and writing the article. Best time saver ever!
p.s., keep up the good work — love the blog!
I usually create an outline. It’s mainly on my computer; however, if I’m away I’ll write it longhand.
This is completely off topic but my blog is hosted on nodblog and I can not get access today – even the main page is down. Anybody heard why or what?
Depends on the article. Longer pieces might get a rough outline (mostly a list of subheads I plan to use). Shorter articles are rarely outlined unless, for some reason, it’s a complicated topic.
I’m more likely to outline for print articles and less likely to outline for web writing… but that’s probably a product of word count. Web articles are shorter and require fewer subheads (usually).
I always have some type of organizational structure for the piece in my head before I begin.
I forgot to mention: I never outline in longhand. In fact, I never write in longhand. I am a slave to the keyboard.
Ditto to Morgan’s comments, unless it’s a whitepaper or something else of a couple of thousand words or more in length.
I usually will tap my pencil, play with a stress ball, bite my nails, etc., until I get a lede, then I will outline the rest. I find that this allows me to write more efficiently.
While I plan blog topics a few days in advance, I don’t outline entries.
Outlines cramp me. If I write one, I get stuck into that way of presenting the material and can’t maneuver.
What I’ll do when writing something is jot down keyword notes for things I make sure I want to include, just as a list without bullets or numbers after what I’ve written. Those can be organized and reorganized without confusing me too much. If the notes are a bit jumbled with content, I put my notes in square brackets so they’re easy to find, later.
My tendency to get stuck on an outline is currently frustrating me with my novels, too. Trying to find a planning method that works, when I need it… So far, 3X5 cards for each scene seems to work okay, but it doesn’t quite “click” like it’s the MOST effective method for me.
Eh, I already know I’m a bit of a freak.
I do sometimes. I write everything down first and then type it. I’m a wierd one like that.
I find that for me an outline can orginaize my thoughts but also snuff them out. So I start with an outline but if it just stalls me then I drop it and just write.
I do a rough outline of sorts…I create a Word document, list my sub-headings if I know them, and my subtopics if I don’t, then fill in paragraphs.
Occasionally the outline winds up having nothing to do with the final document.
Other times, I start out working on an article outline and part of it seems more suited to be a blog post…so I cut that part out, stick it at the top of my document so I don’t lose it, and keep working.
I’m with Misti here. Shorter works don’t need one and I find they cramp me when I’m working on longer pieces. I suddenly feel as if I’m stuck in a straitjacket if I have an outline that’s too detailed. I tend to keep a loose outline in my head.
I write a brief outline every night on Notepad about what I’m going to write about the next day. I don’t do a complete outline or anything .. more like brainstorm/to do list.
Before computers I was a compulsive organizer. Now I find, however, that I’ll type a bunch of ideas, then rearrange them into a loose outline and start writing. However, I also add more ideas as I go along, so my outline is more fluid than in the old long-hand days. What is more significant is that I rarely compose anything in longhand anymore. If I’m away from my computer, I might jot down notes, but not much more. I find that something changes when you type things. So even in the old typewriter days, I often ended up doing minor editing as I put the words to paper.
I do, however, strictly outline a series of communications. So, for example, if I’m doing three direct mail letters to the same audience, I’m very clear, in advance, what they are each going to say. Likewise, if I were going to have a daily blog, I’m sure I’d have a topical outline for the week/month to give my communications direction.
I’m new to blogging, but as for other works, I usually do a sort of half-way outline. I write ideas in a specific format and if I don’t have an idea – say, for an intro – I type the word “intro” where the intro is supposed to go. Once I have a half-way intro, I go back and fill in the blanks.
Other than that, I carry a notebook with me and scribble out ideas, but I never fully flesh them out until I’m in front of my computer.
I don’t usually “outline” exactly, but I’ll sit down and rough out about 6-8 post ideas at a time. I write out a rough draft in longhand, with arrows pointing where I may want to rearrange, or reword. Then when I’m ready to do my posts it only takes a few minutes to type up a final draft.
Only if I’m having trouble starting, or am worried I’ll forget something crucial. Most of the time I can just hit the keyboard and go.
Although I also do what RLD does and leave blanks–especially for the lede–and come back when I know more about what I’m writing about.
I typically just let my writing flow, unless it’s a lengthy project of 10+ pages.
I’m a fan of outlines for longer posts or projects – otherwise, I ramble way too much!
No outlines here. I get an idea, jot it down (in less than 6 words) and go with the flow. Seems to work!
“Today after writing a piece for Performancing about planning ahead I forgot to mention the importance of outlines.”
How could you forget something if you drew up an outline for it first? Sorry, couldn’t resist
Anyway, outlines for sure. And in longhand. Sometimes instead of outlines I write what I like to call “skeletons” – one or two sentence paragraphs that sound horrible.
I used to be able to write and organize in one step, but now most of my writing needs to be so dense that this is near impossible for me.
But I guess if I were writing in conversational tone then I wouldn’t really need an outline.
I’m also new to writing for anything other then my diary. Been doing that since the early 70’s..
makes me old..however, never thought of outlines.
I’ll give it a try, as I always end of forgetting something and the outline would surely help.
This is my first time on your site. Came from emoms.
Dorothy from grammology
remember to call gram
http://grammology.com
I sometimes jot down a few notes, but never in outline form.
I found this site because I wanted to start making some side money by writing, which people have told me I have a talent for. However, it’s not something I went to school for so my style isn’t refined. I have been a blogger for many years, so my style is more of a free flow/free write type of thing.
I have considered doing an outline, but I think it would depend on the type of piece I am doing. I do not do outlines for the most part, unless I am including interviews. If anything, I will write then return to it a day later and add/edit as I wish. I would resort to an outline as a plan B if I am having trouble putting something in but can’t figure out where.
I outline most of my articles. It helps me think the story through, and to visually see how the information is to be arranged, where each of my sources come into play etc. Some days I even number the main points in the outline. Once the outline is set out, I can let the words flow without worrying about logic/factual issues and that speeds up my writing process considerably. This is especially useful when I’m working on technical articles, or where I have more than 3 three sources.
I don’t outline my blog posts though.
@Saad – I forgot outlines because I didn’t list it on the outline.
I like to outline my articles, longhand, before I query. That way I have more information or at least a sense of direction, in case the editor asks for details.
Blog posts are spontaneous. I try to keep a calendar for my pro-blog, but other blog posts are not outlined.
I used to outline everything I wrote, but for shorter things like blog entries I just sit down and do it. The beauty of the outlining habit is that I think in outline form, meaning I can crank out stuff that’s well organized pretty quickly. Years of habit got me to the point where outlining can be done on the fly like this – but, oh yes, I still do a “virtual outline.”
Everyone should have this habit, IMHO. Especially if you want to write a novel someday.
I have a friend who asserts that all planning, whether lists, keywords, a,b,c stuff, is outlining – just not the formal kind we learned in school.
Most of the writing I do is free flow, especially the blog posts. I want to just let the words go and then edit. Ditto with my fiction writing, although with both I generally have a beginning, middle, and end in mind. With nonfiction articles and my book, I generally have a loose outline or headings structure to what I am doing.
With a nonfiction proposal you are forced to do an extensive outline anyway and after I did that, I jotted down key words or phrases about ideas I wanted to cover in a chapter before I started writing just so my thinking process wasn’t cramped by structure.
ANd like many others here, I now do almost all of my organizing and composing on the computer. It took my husband years to convince me to stop writing everything longhand first and now I am hooked.
Good question, Deb!
I usually think through a piece before writing it, so I guess I outline, just not on paper using bullet points or Roman numerals.
Fiction — yes
Longer non-fiction articles, travel pieces, interviews, yest.
Short articles, web content — no. I can write the piece in the time it takes to write the outline.
Blog posts — I might make a list of topics if I’m on the road, but I don’t pre-blog. When I sit down to write, I write.
I “write in my head” quite a bit, but sometimes it’s detrimental to write it down before I’m ready to actually write it.
I have to have an outline before I start writing or I feel like I spend more time changing my mind about what I want to say than I actually spend saying it.
Sometimes, the outline is shorter and in my head, but the process is still the same. I just prefer to have a roadmap to structure my writing with.
I very rarely do outlines.
If I have a particularly complicated article to write then I may do a brief outline consisting mainly of headers, mostly just to determine a suitable order to follow.
I almost always outline first by hand in a notebook. It seems like when I do that, the writing always comes easier at the computer.