The Need For An Outline

I’m sure we all remember it. Back in high school, maybe even junior high, during English class we were put through relentless practice hours of creating “outlines” for our reports, stories, etc. But as we’ve gotten older, most of us have moved on from the “traditional” ways of writing and might only “write” on our blogs. And while we are “writing” on our blogs, most of us (even I) do it in a very nontraditional way, a very stressful way.

Sitting down in front of a blank monitor with a blinking cursor is intimidating. Seriously, it is, especially if you don’t have a solid idea of what you’re planning to write about. So, a great way to overcome that challenge is to quickly write out a small outline of what you want your post to be. You don’t need to go overboard by any stretch, but, a quick title, a few bullet points as to the meat of your post, and a conclusion written down before you sit down to type is a huge benefit. Not only does it help you during the writing process, it also keeps you on track and you avoid rambling about unrelated topics in your blog post. It seems like such a silly idea, but it’s one of the better blogging tips I can give. You most likely already do it in your head without realizing it, and it  doesn’t hurt to try it, so give it a shot.

When you get stuck in the middle of your article, just refer back to your outline and you’ll be back on track in a second. It’s extremely helpful.