There’s more to writing than just words
That sounds absurd, doesn’t it? I mean, when you’re writing you’re putting words to paper or on screen. Which is true, but that’s what happens towards the end. There’s a lot more going on up front than most people realize. And that’s the subject of this blog post.
For me, the toughest (but most essential) part of the writing process is creating a detailed outline. The outline goes through three stages — a rough skeleton, a more detailed outline (resembling a table of contents), and finally a very detailed outline with notes added to the headings for individual sections. It’s a bit of work, but it actually makes writing easier in the end. And I learn that whenever I, in my infinite (lack of) wisdom, forgo creating the outline.
Another useful function that the detailed outline serves is to map out the structure and flow of what I’m writing. I’m able to see the structure clearly, and can quickly determine whether or not the flow is working or if it’s just going to peter out. If the latter, then I can adjust the outline before writing.
