5 Easy Steps to Create Effective Outlines for Your Writing

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 11 July 2023 6 min read

Everyone has a story to tell, an idea to share, or a message to deliver. But how do you go from a scattered bunch of thoughts to a clear, well-structured piece of writing? The secret is in the outline. Outlining your work is like drawing a roadmap for your ideas—it gives you a clear path to follow, prevents you from straying off topic, and makes the journey of writing a whole lot smoother. And with the right steps, creating effective and easy outlines doesn't have to be hard. Let's dive into the five steps that'll get you there.

Step 1: Identify Your Writing Goal

Before you start jotting down your thoughts, take a moment to clarify your writing goal. Knowing what you want to achieve with your writing will guide your outlining process and help you stay focused on your purpose.

Set a Clear Objective

Start by defining your objective—what's the purpose of your writing? Are you trying to inform, persuade, entertain, or inspire your readers? Be specific. For example, if you're writing a product review, your goal could be to provide honest feedback to help consumers make informed decisions. By setting a clear objective, you create a foundation for your easy outline.

Determine Your Target Audience

Next, think about who you're writing for. Understanding your audience is crucial because it shapes your tone, style, and content. Are your readers experts in your field, or are they beginners? Do they prefer technical jargon or simple language? Knowing who you're addressing will help you produce content that resonates with them.

Decide on the Tone and Style

Finally, decide on the tone and style of your writing. If you're writing for a professional audience, you might choose a formal tone. On the other hand, if you're writing for a younger audience, a casual and conversational tone could work better. Remember, your tone should match your audience's expectations and your writing goal. This decided tone and style will direct your easy outlines.

Step 2: Gather Your Thoughts and Ideas

Now that you know your writing goal, it's time to brainstorm. Gathering your thoughts might seem like a messy process at first, but it's an essential part of creating easy outlines. It's like throwing all your ingredients on the table before you start cooking—it might look chaotic, but it's a necessary first step.

Brainstorming Techniques

There are multiple techniques to brainstorm. Some people prefer the old-school method of jotting down ideas on a piece of paper. Others might find mind maps more effective—starting with a central idea and branching out to related subtopics. If you're a fan of tech tools, you might try software like Evernote or Google Docs to collect and organize your thoughts. The key is to find a method that works for you and stick to it.

Organize Your Ideas

Once you have a bunch of ideas, start organizing them. Group related ideas together. This step might involve some shuffling around and discarding of ideas, but it's an important step in making your easy outline more coherent and structured.

Research for Additional Information

Here's where you fill in the gaps in your knowledge. Research can involve anything from reading related articles, books, and blogs, to interviewing experts in your field. As you gather more information, add it to your outline. Remember, the more quality information you have at your disposal, the easier it will be to write your piece.

Step 3: Structure Your Outline

Once all your ideas are on the table, it's time to bring some order to the chaos. This is the phase where your easy outline begins to take shape. Like building a house, you need a solid foundation and a clear blueprint. Let's dive in, shall we?

Choose Your Outline Format

First thing's first. You need to decide on a format for your outline. Some prefer the traditional Roman numeral system (I, II, III, A, B, C), others might lean towards a simpler bullet point structure. You could even use a flowchart if that's more your style. Choose a format that makes the most sense to you and your project. Remember, this is your roadmap, so it needs to be easy for you to understand and follow.

Define the Main Points

Now, identify the main points or sections of your piece. These could be the key arguments of your essay, the main chapters of your book, or the pivotal scenes of your screenplay. Whatever they are, label them clearly in your outline. This will give you a better view of your writing project as a whole.

Arrange the Points in Logical Order

Next, arrange these main points in a logical order. This could be chronologically, by importance, or by any other criteria that makes sense for your project. This is the step where your easy outline really begins to shine—it's like connecting the dots to reveal the bigger picture. It's always satisfying when everything starts falling into place, isn't it?

Step 4: Write Your Outline

With your structure in place, it's time to fill in the details. Think of this step as creating a skeleton for your writing project. Your outline should be detailed enough to guide your writing, but flexible enough to allow for creativity and spontaneity. Ready to breathe some life into your easy outline?

Start with the Introduction

No surprise here, but every great piece of writing starts with an engaging introduction. In your outline, jot down the purpose of your piece and what you aim to achieve or convey. This will help set the tone and direction for the rest of your writing.

Detail Each Point in Your Outline

Now, it's time to flesh out the main points you identified earlier. For each point, add supporting information, evidence, or anecdotes that help reinforce your argument or narrative. The more detail you add here, the easier it will be when you actually start writing. However, remember to keep it concise and to-the-point. After all, we're creating an easy outline, not writing the whole piece yet!

Conclude Your Outline

Finally, sketch out a conclusion that neatly ties up your main points and reinforces your overall message or argument. The conclusion is your last chance to leave an impression on your reader, so make it count!

Step 5: Review and Refine Your Outline

Creating an outline is not a one-and-done task. It requires reviewing and refining until it serves your writing goal effectively. Now you have a skeleton for your piece, it's time to scrutinize it. Is it robust enough to support your writing? Does it flow naturally? Does it provide clear direction? Let's dive into the details and polish your easy outline to perfection.

Review for Consistency

First off, ensure there's consistency across your outline. Are your points aligned with your writing goal? Do they flow logically from one to the next? Do they all maintain the same tone? If your outline passes this consistency check, you're on the right track.

Check for Clarity and Flow

Next, evaluate the clarity and flow of your outline. Is your main argument or narrative clear? Does each point naturally lead to the next? If your points seem to jump around or your message gets lost, consider rearranging your points or refining your message. Remember, the goal of an easy outline is to make the writing process smoother, not to confuse you!

Make Necessary Improvements

Finally, don't be afraid to make necessary improvements. If a point doesn't serve your purpose, remove it. If a crucial piece of information is missing, add it. The beauty of an outline is its flexibility. It's not set in stone, so feel free to tweak it until it perfectly suits your needs.

Creating easy outlines might seem like an extra step in the writing process, but it's a step that can save you time and stress in the long run. By following these five steps, you'll be well on your way to creating effective outlines that pave the way for fantastic writing. So go ahead, give it a shot—your future self will thank you!

If you enjoyed learning about how to create effective outlines for your writing, you might also be interested in exploring how to create complex illustrations in a similar manner. Check out Juliet Schreckinger's workshop, 'Composing Complex Illustrations using Basic Shapes'. This workshop will teach you how to break down complex illustrations into simple shapes, making it easier for you to create visually stunning artwork to accompany your written pieces.