Sometimes, people are hesitant about outlining simply because they’re not sure of what they’re supposed to be doing.  If you’re among them, don’t worry — you can start with any of the several outlining techniques we discuss below.

Traditional Method

The most traditional style of outlining is called the structure-plus, which basically lists down all the items in a sequential form (similar to a textbook’s table of contents, for instance).  If you’re writing an essay, a simple example of this outline style could be a listing of all your major points.  Should you want to get more detailed, you can add various items as sub-elements of each point.

Signposts

This style of outlining is more suited to folks who find themselves resisting the tightly-structured nature of the traditional outline.  Instead of detailed itemization, you simply use the outline to create placeholders –brief notes about what the section could be about without going into its details.  The idea is to have a list of the basics, while giving you room to explore and innovate while you write.

Mind Maps

Visual mind maps can be an excellent outlining tool.  Instead of listing points down, you draw them as bubbles, with their relationships defined using line connections among each other.  I have been partial to this style of outlining over the last few years, as the visual components can really help solidify your thinking on the topic.  Plus, the loose structure allows you to be flexible during drafting as well (e.g. there’s no fixed sequence to follow).

Looking to improve your outline writing?  Here are the things to keep in mind.

1. Always state the purpose at the top of the outline.  Make sure it’s a clear description of what the paper is supposed to do.
2. State who your target readers are.  While it’s usually a bad idea to explicitly say who your audience is on the actual paper, it will be very helpful to have it written down on the outline.  Just like with having the purpose on top, you can use it as a quick reference for lookup while composing the rest of the outline.
3. Think in groups.  The purpose of an outline is to group all the different aspects of the topic that you’re going to tackle, identifying and sequencing them, according to logical and rhetorical patterns.   Additionally, make sure you know how the groups are related.
4. Make each outline entry grammatically parallel.  Using parallel grammar constructions (e.g. all active verbs) will not only make your outline easier to read, it will help strengthen its logic.  That way, you don’t end up confused when you’re reviewing it later for your draft.

If your outline is going to be evaluated (as with some class papers),  it will be useful to follow a standard format to make it easier to read.  Similarly, you want to use a writing quality improvement software to polish up the text of your outline.

Good outlines always demonstrate three characteristics, hitting the right combination of which is usually easier said than done.  These three essential qualities are:

1. Being sufficiently detailed.
2. Having enough information.
3. Being brief enough to make for a quick scan.

Now, why is it so hard?

Remember, your outline is a guidepost for how you’re going to write the piece.    It’s a reference from which you’ll base how your ideas should be organized, how topics should flow and how your argument will be built during the actual drafting stage.  As, such you need enough detail (so as not to have to wonder what the hell the third line in your outline with the label “argument 1″  is supposed to be for) and enough information (so you can look at the outline and quickly remember what you were planning to do with the piece), yet be brief enough in order to put down only what is necessary.

Sticking to this three-pronged formula even becomes more important when you’re using the outline to have professors or advisers give suggestions on your work.  From the outline alone, they should be able to glean a good idea of your intentions for the piece, all while being able to read through them rather quickly.

Additionally, you will want to compare your finished draft with your outline as part of your closing work (along with running the piece through an English proofreading software).  That is, in my opinion, the best way to guarantee that your structure and organization is as good as you planned it to be.

So, you know how to outline. Congratulations, you’ve managed to put the lock down on one of the most important aspects of writing. The next step should proceed after that, right?

Well, hopefully it does. Here are a few tips to make sure you put that outline to good use.

1. Write piece by piece. You’ve already got an outline which lays out how you will present your ideas, so you can let any worries about organization go during drafting. Write whichever part feels easier first to give yourself momentum. Focusing on the parts that are ready to be written allows you to work in a more efficient manner. You can check actual coherence of the resulting piece later on.

2. Be willing to modify. Think of the outline as a map leading you to your destination. It’s accurate to a degree, but be willing to change course if you notice a better path. Think of it like the woman who used a GPS that told her to cross a highway. Just because the software pointed that way doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.

3. Be willing to start over. Sometimes, you realize your outline is just plain wrong. Be willing to start over from scratch, instead of trying to force the whole thing to fit. With major changes, going back is often a more efficient solution than trying to fit in a plethora of changes.

4. Use your outline to cross-check the last draft. After you’ve finished the final revision, don’t run the proofreading software yet. Before giving it the last touches, use the outline as a reference to double-check your organization and structure. Did you do it as planned or did you stray accidentally?

Sometimes, good writing isn’t about natural writing ability or using a perfect writing software. In fact, it could just be about being organized enough to be able to put a decent thought into blocks of words.

If you find yourself sitting with your notes and research, unable to get a headstart on your writing, you may want to take a step back and embrace a little structure. How? By using the old, reliable process of writing outlines, whether manually or with the help of a writing software.

Using outlines, you can:

• organize your notes and research into a logical arrangement on paper
• enforce a structure into your work process
• write down your ideas without needing to be fully-developed
• test potential layouts for your presentation
• speed up your writing by allowing you to begin the actual draft with a clear idea of how you’ll go about it

When faced with a subject you’re not completely familiar with, it can get difficult waiting for your ideas to come together into a clear body of thought that you can commit to paper. You can keep thinking about it until something clicks, of course. However, that invites more uncertainty into your work process than anything. If you outline, on the other hand, you begin testing those ideas on paper, all without having to write up a mountain of text. It lets you categorize, clarify and simplify your research down to short bits that you can then use as a basis for your first draft.

Do you really need a detailed outline before beginning to draft? Many experts recommend it. So do we. Like many things, however, the right path to follow isn’t always as clear cut for everyone.

Some writers find ultra-structured outlines to be very helpful. That’s because everything is sorted out before the drafting process, allowing them to just concentrate on the writing part when the time comes. Whether you’ll thrive in this type of system will depend on many factors. The best way to find out, though, is to try it.

When outlining, get as detailed as possible, using multiple-level lists. Sort out your reasoning and evidence while putting the list together, in such a way that you only need to glance at the outline to know exactly what to write. If you do this right, the path from starting a draft to putting a finishing polish using a proofreader software will run rather fast.

Other writers, however, prefer a less-structured approach. Some simply work best with quick notes, a three-word line, a single-level list or some other type of outline. Your best bet is to try different styles of outlining at least two or three times, before gauging how well it works for you. If it improves your writing process, then all well and good; if not, try something else.

Do you outline?  Some writers I know can’t live without outlining, while some restrict its use to larger, more complex writing tasks.  I belong with the former group, as outlining has proven to be an indispensable task (as much as my English writing software, actually) when it comes to helping me work in a fast and organized manner.

The type of outline you produce will generally depend on many factors, including:

• how long the target piece is
• how much flexibility you require during the writing process
• how much time you can allot to doing the outline

There are only two general types of outlines – a rough one or a formal one.  I personally prefer the “rough” variety, as it requires less effort to put together.  For longer, more complicated pieces, though, it’s tough to get by without going the more formal route.

Rough Outlines

In this type of outline, the goal is to list down major supporting ideas in the order that you want to develop them.  The aim is to have functional guideposts that you can follow while putting the actual piece together, rather than trying to draw them from memory.   Most of the time, they take a format of a bulleted or numbered list.

Formal Outlines

The more formal kind of outlines, on the other hand, tend to offer more detail.  Rather than a guide as to where ideas should be presented, they include actual supporting arguments, allowing them to replace most of your research notes during the writing process.   They tend to look more complex in presentation, often using nested lists to facilitate the amount of details included.

Do you map out an outline before beginning with the writing process?  We have extolled on the virtues of this activity many times in the past.  If you’ve been unconvinced, we’ve compiled here a list of what we believe to be the most relevant benefits of outlining for writers of all shapes and sizes, whether you’re a novice or a seasoned pro.

Structure. Outlines bring an immediate structure to your ideas, well before you start committing them with long, flowing prose.  You see immediate flaws in organization, allowing you to arrange your presentation in a way that will make the subject clear to your reader.

Development. Outlines let you see any gaps in the development of your ideas.  If your piece needs more research to support your main thesis, you will likely notice this when putting the outline together.  Sure beats having written 2,000 words before realizing that.

Plausibility. An outline lets you see if your topic truly makes sense, both in terms of arguments and the specifications of the piece.  Can you really fit it in the required word count?  Is your reasoning sound?  Will you need to elaborate more to complete the picture?  Why wait for the drafting or editing stages to discover these things when an outline will clarify that early in the process.

We’ve always promoted the use of writing tools, but rarely speak of outlining software.  There are a good lot of them, from mind-mapping applications to dedicated instruments especially for writers.  Do pay some time researching them as outlining can prove to be a crucial process to your overall composition.

Whatever kind of writing you’re doing, outlines will serve you well, allowing you to list down the details of the piece before even starting the writing process.  With one all set, you can simply compose the words (and check it later with a good grammar software) without having to worry about the direction that you’re going.

Simplifying Complex Sequences

Outlines help you simplify complex sequence of events and ideas in your piece.  If you’re writing a novel, for instance, an action outline will let you map out the story, long before you even write the first chapter.  Instead of being lost in the thick of events as you compose the material, all you need to do is refer to the outline to see where you are – no guessing and no confusion.  When you’re preparing a report, on the other hand, an outline will let you detail the complex presentation of facts, so that you can best impart it to your reader.

With an outline in place, you can see potential weaknesses in the piece.  Should you add an event to clarify the story twist in the middle?  Will you need to introduce data from other materials so your readers can follow the numbers in your report?  The sequence of presentation becomes very clear with an outline – something that’s very hard to see when you’re writing the actual text.

Cause And Effect

When creating an outline, always think in terms of cause and effect.  This sequence will reinforce the logic of the actual material’s presentation, so you have to give it particular attention.  Whether it involves details that lead up to an event or arguments that flow into a conclusion, your outline is the best place to figure it all out.

Writing isn’t easy.  Even people who do it for a living say so.  Tasked to write something, most people end up spending hours  staring into a blank page, unable to type even a single intelligible word.

If you’re the same way, you can take solace in the fact that writing does get easier over time.  If you develop the right habits that make it less of an exercise in shotgun hunting and into a disciplined activity of organized presentation, you can learn to organize your ideas and write them in a way that makes people take notice.

Focus

The first thing you need is a clear focus for your written piece.  If you’re writing about the health benefits of a bidet, for instance, it doesn’t help to turn your attention to product installation or details of its construction.  Keep your head on the subject and start writing with only that in mind.

Outline

If you find your head a mess of ideas, creating an outline for the piece you’ll be writing will greatly help in completing it.  Think about someone presenting the ideas to you and imagine how you would like it to be structured.

For the bidet example, you may want a short introduction about bidets, leading into their various health benefits and concluding with an emphatic argument about how they may improve one’s life.  You can outline this as such:

• Intro Bidets
• Intro Health Benefits
• Detailed Benefits
  - For senior citizens
  - For preventing infections
  - For the sick
• Closing Health Benefits

Essentially, an outline small chunks your writing task into clear topics.  Instead of one big task ahead of you, you’ll be looking at smaller pieces of copy with no more than a few sentences each.  With a goal less daunting and the help of grammar software to ensure your words shine flawlessly, writing can really be much easier.