5 Hacks for Outlining Your Writing
Outlining is more than just a tool for writing essays in school. I remember how annoying it used to be that we had to go through all the steps when writing essays. As it turns out, when it came to actually writing the essays, the outlines were a godsend!
It works similarly for writing books, short stories, or any other type of creative writing. If we have a basic outline or skeleton for our project, a lot of the work is already done when we sit down to write.
An Outline in Writing is:
...a flexible source of organization
Outlines can be constantly changing. They never have to be set in stone. Another way to describe it is a living document. We may start with one idea that morphs into a whole new project as we go along. Don’t fear change when it comes to writing.
...a handy guide
Outlines are nice to fall back on when we’re lost in a sea of thoughts, or maybe a lack thereof. They work to refocus our minds when there are so many other things working to distract us. These guides will keep us on task and keep us moving forward.
...a way to organize our thoughts
It’s easy to lose track of our thoughts, especially if we’re writing them down on random scraps of paper as they come. Having an outline gives us a place to compile all these thoughts and keep them somewhat organized. If we need to go back and reference a certain idea, it makes it that much easier to find what we’re looking for and get back to work!
...NOT an exact template (unless you want it to be)
Outlines are FLEXIBLE, they’re living, working documents. We each choose what we want to include, and no two outlines will look exactly alike. However, some of us enjoy more rigidity when it comes to planning/outlining and there are plenty of templates out there that we can use! Here’s what I use to organize my writing.
...NOT a cut and dry thing that will never change again
When we create an outline, it’s just the base for whatever we’re writing. As we continue to work on our writing project, new or changed ideas come to mind and we may need to adjust our original outlines. That’s okay! In fact, I might even go as far as to say outlines usually do change over the course of a writing project. There’s no rule that we have to stick to our outlines - they are, after all, only guidelines. Make changes as you go, and all will be well.
...NOT a “requirement” to write well
Not everyone needs an outline. They’re not required for quality writing, nor are they always necessary. There are two terms, “pantsing” and “plotting,” that refer to this idea: Everyone is different and not everyone outlines.
To be a ‘pantser’ means that you don’t use outlines, you do everything by the seat of your pants. To be a ‘plotter’ means you utilize outlines and plot out your details before beginning to write. Whatever mode you choose, we’re all capable of writing amazing creative pieces.
5 Hacks for Outlining Your Writing
1. Create a table of contents
We’ve all seen tables of contents in one form or another. It looks a little like this:
Table of Contents
Title
Intro…What is an outline?
Ch. 1… How to write an outline
Ch. 2…Different types of outlines
Ch. 3…Uses for outlines
Works Cited/References/Acknowledgements
It’s a great tool to keep track of how our writing piece will be organized, and to view our work as a whole. It makes life easier so we’re not always flipping back and forth between pages or tabs.
2. Make notes & keep them handy
Keeping a notebook at the ready helps ensure we have a spot to jot down any random writing related thought that pops into our mind. The Notes app on our phone is a great digital option, or the Journey app.
Writing ideas don’t always strike at the most opportune times, so it’s important we write them down when they do come. Otherwise, we’ll be stuck scratching our heads trying to remember the idea once we sit down to write.
If we keep all of our notes together and easily accessible, it will be easier to refer back to them when we’re writing. We won’t have to waste any time scouring our brains, or our writing space, for ideas. Time is precious when it comes to writing, as all writers have felt at one point or another.
3. Visually outline (or storyboard) the timeline & characters
Visual outlines help us envision how our writing will all come together. Most often we call these visuals storyboards. They can be physical or digital, and can include a whole host of things. For example: timelines, character charts, photos, writing schedules, word counts, and breakdowns of each chapter/section. They are a place to figure out if our plans make sense chronologically, if there are any holes, or if we need to head back to the drawing board.
Something we can incorporate into our storyboards, or that can become our storyboard, is a vision board. Vision boards are usually more photo-based, but can also be useful for imagining our writing coming to life. To learn a little more about how to create a vision board for your writing, read this.
4. Start your living document (your outline) & add to it as you go
Creating a living document is easiest to do digitally whether on a computer, tablet, or even phone. Once we have a document, we can just add and/or delete our ideas as they come. You can also use pen and paper to create a document for your writing - a journal of sorts. Just be sure that it’s something that won’t be lost or accidentally toss when you tidy up your writing space!
This is where we decide what type of outline to make. We can choose to follow a template, or come up with our own approach. There’s no right way to create an outline. Some common types of outlines include:
Web diagrams
Tables
Charts
It is up to each of us to decide what best suits our needs and is most useful. You can read more about specific descriptions of many different outlines here - and see some famous writers’ outlines in action!
5. Start writing!
Don’t get so caught up in the details of outlining that you forget to write. Sometimes it’s easier to stay in that pre-writing honeymoon phase, but we’ll never know how well our planning works until we put it to the test! If you’re a little stuck on where to start, read this - it will help.
As we go along, we can always refer back to our outline, changing and rearranging it as needed. Our writing often develops a mind of it’s own and strays from the path of our original outline, and that’s okay. Make new notes, adjust your outline, and keep pushing forward.
Next Steps
Don’t stress too much over creating an outline. Writing is meant to be a form of expression, and what’s most important is that we enjoy ourselves while doing it. Outlining is simply a tool that we can utilize to make the most of our writing. If it’s not something that works for you, no sweat. Do something that does work for you, even if that’s just going with the flow.
What now, though?
Gather all your notes on your current project (if you don’t have a current project, start fresh!). It doesn’t matter if it’s sticky notes or a binder filled with notes, or the messiest Google Doc you’ve ever seen: make sure to gather all of it into one accessible place.
Try out a method or two of outlining to see which one best fits your style. Remember, you don’t have to stick to this outline forever! If you decide along the way it isn’t working out, change it up.
Outline your work as best you can at this point. Remember, this is a living and flexible document and can change as necessary. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just get something written down that you can refer back to when you need.
Get help taking action! If you’re stuck and need help, click here to learn more about how to get writing coaching. Sometimes it’s hard to get the ball rolling and we need a little extra motivation or guidance, and that’s perfectly okay! Help is there if you want or need it.
I challenge you to create an outline for your next or latest writing project.
Did you use an outline template or create your own? How did it go? Was it helpful? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.
Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.