To Outline or Not to Outline …

Some writers swear by outlines and enjoy mapping out the details of their writing projects in advance. Others detest outlines, finding that such an orderly plan impedes their creative process. Personally, I fall somewhere in between; I usually have a sort of outline prepared before I write, but the outline exists mostly in my head and I am always prepared to scrap it if I suddenly have a better idea. I find that a little organization is helpful and keeps me on track, but too much becomes paralyzing and drowns me in details.

Do you need an outline? To help you decide, think about these two questions: What kind of organizer are you? and How complicated is your writing project?

Let’s think about organization first. Do you fit into one of these categories?

1. Meticulous organizer—You organize everything, all the time. Your desk is tidy and you always know where everything is. You like to stick little labels on things.
2. Creative organizer—You organize information easily and “on the fly.” Your desk is messy, but you can always find everything. Labels annoy you.
3. Totally unorganized—You dislike organization generally. Your desk is cluttered with expired coupons and last year’s mail. You suspect labels might help you, but you don’t know where to put them.

Now, how does any of that relate to writing and outlining? Well, the meticulous organizer will feel most comfortable outlining everything they write, from dissertations to shopping lists. If you’re meticulous, you probably already work from some sort of outline.

Creative organizers will use an outline only when necessary, and even then the outline is likely to exist only in the mind, or possibly scrawled in green ink on the palm of the hand. If you’re creative, you consider any outline a temporary map to get you where you need to go.

Unorganized people generally dislike making outlines, and their writing will often suffer for it. If you’re unorganized, consider forcing yourself to outline your thoughts before you write; your readers will thank you.

Our second question was How complicated is your writing project? If you’re writing a short article or story, you may not need an outline. For a novel with a complex plot, a longer article or report, or a long research paper, you’d better plan on creating an outline. Do you need to outline every single little thing? No (unless you are unusually meticulous), but make sure you include your major points and enough supporting information to jar your memory or lead you to the proper source or place in your notes.

So, to determine whether or not you should take the time to create an outline, you must first know both yourself and your work (always good advice). Next month we’ll look at some different ways to create your outline.

Write on!

Tags: outline, outlining