As much as you love to write, the process could turn overwhelming and stressful when you are clueless about where to begin.
It is why a writing outline always makes sense, even for the most experienced writer.
The outline refers to the framework that is used to present the main idea of the topic or subject.
It also showcases the arguments that support the main idea.
An outline may seem less important to some writers who think they can organize all the information they need in their heads, but the organization is just one of the handful of things it serves.
The creation of a coherent and legible structure of a written piece brings forth success in the form of piqued interest from the target audience or readers.
Content filled with information but presented in a disorganized and illogical manner will never capture a reader’s fancy.
The outline helps you come up with a coherent structure of your ideas.
It contains nothing but words, phrases, and sentences, but when it is done right, you have a much clearer outlook of what you intend to present to your audience.
Back when I was starting my career as a writer, I never gave an outline of the value it deserves.
I even scraped at the thought of using one. I believed that if I were to organize my knowledge and thoughts ahead of writing content, it could ruin my natural flow.
I thought effective writing meant letting spontaneous ideas come to my mind and incorporating them into my piece as they go.
When I began writing in volumes, the one issue I had to deal with was being more efficient.
This is where I realized the value of content.
I needed to write more every day, and my old routine was not going to cut it.
When I felt that I was writing too much with so little time, that is when I went back to the basics – I embraced an effective outline since then.
Just as what it did to me, the commitment to writing an effective outline will save your career.
It does not only make you efficient and productive, but it also helps in producing premium quality content.
But do not worry if you must go back to square one.
I prepared this article to help you get through the learning process of outlining.
Trust me; it is quick and easy.
The Steps in Creating an Effective Book Outline
Step 1 – Pick a Topic and Figure out a Purpose for the Content
A lot of writers find it challenging to focus on a specific topic for their content piece.
It is a legitimate challenge, even for the most experienced ones.
One item could generate a lot of possibilities, which is why you must find a way to narrow those possibilities down.
The best way to do that is by coming up with a purpose.
Figuring out a purpose will help you come up with a highly specific set of guidelines.
It also the best way to set your limitations.
Picking out a topic and figure out the purpose of your content helps you understand which information is appropriate and which is not.
Step 2 – Build a List of Main Ideas
This step is where brainstorming happens.
The objective is to build a list of ideas that you intend to showcase in the article.
The ideas may be presented in arguments or questions/answers.
Regardless of the topic, you need this list because it is the only way to have an overview of the things that you will tackle in the article.
There is no way to cover everything in one piece. Building the list of main ideas gives you limitations.
Step 3 – Put those Main Ideas in Order
Building a list of main ideas is just one part.
You also need to organize that list.
Putting your ideas in order will guarantee that the article will make sense to your audience.
You can experiment or come up with your way of organizing your list of ideas, but it usually depends on the type of content you want to produce.
If you are unsure of how to organize your main ideas, then you should do some research on the different structures.
You may use a chronological order, cause and effect, general classification, and many others.
Although you might feel like the job of organizing your ideas comes naturally as you write your content, you will have a much better flow if you do it now. It gives you a detailed guide on how your content must be written.
Step 4 – Add Details to Your Main Ideas
Building a list of your ideas and organizing it is not enough to come up with a highly effective outline for your article. You must start adding relevant content to each concept in that list.
This does not have to be an elaborate explanation of the ideas since you will move on to that during the writing process.
The purpose of adding details to your main ideas is to get an understanding of how you should expand each once you proceed in writing the piece.
For example, you must insert in the outline some quotes, personal anecdotes, and facts.
Again, once would think that it is a waste of time since you will go over each idea back when you begin writing.
But what you do not realize is that it will save you a ton of time since you now have the focus you need to develop the article.
It means there no longer are frequent pauses in between chapters or sections.
If you want a free book outline template click HERE
The Pros and Cons of Writing a Book Outline
Writers are divided when it comes to creating a book outline.
The one side believes that writing an outline is a waste of time: you’re either capable of creating something off the top of your head or not.
The argument is that outlines stifle creativity.
The other side believes that every writer, no matter how gifted, must use some pre-writing technique to help with their work.
These techniques can be broad or specific.
Writing a book outline is a more straightforward and useful pre-writing technique available to writers.
Whether you choose to write an outline for your work is a matter of preference.
For every writer, it has something to do with their comfort level – how much structure or no structure they need to get things started.
If you’re hell-bent on ditching an outline altogether, this article isn’t for you.
But if you’re still undecided, we’ll discuss both sides.
The Arguments for Writing a Book Outline
Creative writers who use outlines acknowledge that they produce higher quality work than those who don’t. J.K. Rowling depended on a handwritten outline to get her thoughts together while writing “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.”
Other celebrated authors who are “outliners” themselves include Agatha Christie, William Faulkner, George R.R. Martin and Walt Whitman.
Writing a book outline requires you to look at your work from a birds-eye perspective – the lives of all the characters within it, how they interact with each other, the timeline of events, etc.
It is an invaluable guide for pacing your work and maintaining cohesiveness throughout all its pages.
Many young writers feel like an outline gives them a much better way of organizing everything in their heads.
Many writers say they have an easier time understanding their inspirations after creating a book outline.
It’s like having that big picture in front of you, which you can refer to at any time.
Writing an outline can be the perfect way to put all your ideas together coherently for those who have a vivid imagination.
This is very important if you have a complicated plot with multiple scenes and settings.
Writing your book outline before beginning the process of writing itself can reduce writer’s block.
Before committing them to paper, it allows you to explore your characters, settings, and plotlines thoroughly. It’s like pre-production in film.
The Arguments Against Writing a Book Outline
Some writers consider the process of outlining as taking away from their creativity and spontaneity.
If you choose to write a book outline, it will limit your options and creative choices.
The argument is that limiting yourself with an outline can hurt your work as a whole.
If you end up writing a book outline that doesn’t align with your original inspiration, you most likely will be writing in circles.
Also, if you write an outline for your work, you are essentially choosing how it should turn out.
You may find yourself being too attached to the idea of the story, which could hurt your imagination and creativity later on in the process.
Writing a book outline can be impossible for some writers.
If an author is extremely successful with writing spontaneously, they may not want to alter their creation process.
If they choose to change their way and come up with an outline, it’s likely that their book will be inconsistent and disconnected.
For these types of authors, any pre-writing technique will work against them.
While writing a book outline is helpful, it also takes away from the natural progression of an idea.
If you write your whole outline before putting words on paper, sometimes the magic gets lost in translation.
This can be true when you’re trying to turn your inspirational thoughts into actual sentences and paragraphs, trying to pin down what’s in your head onto paper, which can be difficult.
Sometimes the act of writing an outline over-complicates your process rather than simplifying it.
Creative writers believe that the story itself should reveal itself to them, chapter by chapter.
If you’re one of these types of artists, writing an outline is like committing yourself to a certain path before the journey has even begun.
No matter how great your outline is, it’s impossible to predict every possible outcome.
The firm commitment to an outline means that you’re likely to shy away from any change or diversity whenever one comes up.
This can stifle the development of your writing.
Some people also find it hard to let go of their work when finished, especially if it has grown outside the boundaries of their original outline.
This is not a complaint many authors can make, but it’s worth mentioning.
Writing an outline can be very discouraging if you’ve already written several drafts or are close to completing your work.
The process of outlining requires you to go back over your pages and fix any mistakes, but this can make you lose sight of what inspired you in the first place.
Let Your Writing Style Guide You
There’s no right or wrong when writing a book outline.
It’s a matter of personal preference. If you’re the type of writer who thrives under pressure, then don’t fall into the trap of creating an outline before beginning your work.
If you’re someone who prefers to write by the seat of your pants instead of having to plan everything first, then let your writing style guide you.
But if what’s more important is for you to maintain consistency, pacing and cohesiveness throughout your work, then write yourself an outline.
If you feel like the act of writing an outline will help keep your story on track, then why not give it a try?
But if you feel like it’ll kill your spontaneity, then don’t do it at all.
Write the way you normally would.
The truth is, there are no hard and fast rules, all things considered. Some proponents of writing a book outline did well for themselves, and the same can be said for those who didn’t.
Final Step – Review the Outline
As someone who has written a decent number of articles, you know that writing is quite a repetitive process. The same thing happens when you are writing an effective outline. ‘
The truest and most accomplished of writers will put in the effort to create, review, and then revise an outline, much like how they consistently make changes to an article or any other type of content. It takes patience and perseverance.
While you can skip this step, I strongly advise that you follow it every single time you write an article.
There must be something within that outline that you missed or needs revision.
You cannot possibly figure out if there are mistakes or critical additions/omissions if you do not review your outline.
Further Reading
Joel Mark Harris graduated from the Langara School of Journalism in 2007. Joel is an award-winning journalist, novelist, screenwriter and producer.
He has ghostwritten numerous books in all types of genres including true life crime, business, memoir, and self help. With over 1,000 blog posts to his name, he has helped hundreds of business owners scale their business and increase their visibility. You can email him at info@ghostwritersandco.com
