Writing Information


Dreading the Writing Assignment? Outlines to the Rescue


Writing technical articles is a challenge. There you sit, surrounded by reams of research, notes and interviews. Where do you start?

Remember 5th grade English? You start with an outline.

Outlining has fallen on hard times lately. Mind mapping and brainstorming are much more fashionable. These techniques are great when generating ideas, but once you've got your ideas germinating you've got to outline them. Without an outline, your article will:

  • Be an unstructured mess.

  • Take three times as long to write.

    Don't let this happen to you - outline. If it's been a while since 5th grade - or if your "progressive" school didn't stoop to teach you actual English skills - let me remind you why it's important and how to do it.

    • Outlining keeps you from writing an unstructured mess. Readers, especially American readers, prefer distinct sections in their media. For example, look at American screenplays. Movies invariably have three acts, and anything that doesn't have them is considered an art film. Effective speeches often contain three parts, and readers like three points because the structure makes easier to retain information.

    • Outlining shrinks your writing time by a third to a half. How do you whittle down that pile of research notes and interviews into an article or white paper? You guess it - outline it. By assigning sections to your notes before you start writing, you'll categorize, simplify and clarify. Not bad before you've even written an introduction. For example, let's say you're writing an article about mirroring. You can divide such an article into several different sections depending on what your client wants to get across. Here are some examples of different outlines:

    • 1) Explanation of mirroring 2) Differences between local and remote mirroring, 3) Contrasting mirroring with other forms of replication, or

    • 1) Define mirroring 2) List environments that require mirroring 3) Decision matrix for assigning different mirroring levels.

    Once you've done your research it's simple to assign pieces to different sections. Believe me, it'll light a fire under your writing time.

    Christine Taylor is president of Keyword Copywriting, which helps marketing and PR pros leverage their relationships with technology clients. E-mail her at chris@keywordcopy.com, call her at 760-249-6071, or check out Keyword's Website at www.keywordcopy.com

    About The Author

    Christine writes technical marketing communications for data storage, networking and pharmaceutical clients, including:

    EMC
    Commvault
    Quantum
    StoneFly Networks
    Sybase
    Maranti Networks
    ClariStor
    Fujitsu
    AES
    Obagi Medical Products

    She specializes in trade journal articles, white papers, press kits and online content. She serves as a contributing editor to Computer Technology Review and acts as editor-in-chief for Storage Inc. and Storage Management Solutions.

    Before moving into technical journalism and marketing she served 20 years in the IT trenches, including systems administration at Avery Dennison's Research and Development division.

    chris@keywordcopy.com


    MORE RESOURCES:

    Elmore Leonard's Writing Tips
    Washington Post (blog)
    Love these writing tips from Elmore Leonard and a bunch of other scribblers. Some favorites: Elmore Leonard: 'Never use a verb other than "said" to carry ...
    Elmore Leonard's Writing TipsWashington Post (blog)

    all 2 news articles »


    Reuters

    Democrats Writing Healthcare Bill Behind Closed Doors, Gregg Accuses
    Talk Radio News Service
    By Laurel Brishel Prichard Sens. Judd Gregg (RN.H.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said Thursday that the health reform bill must first become a law before ...
    Democrats Inch Health Care Reform Negotiations ForwardNewsHour
    Gutsy Republican Strategery Combats Democrat Abortion TrickRushLimbaugh.com (subscription)

    all 3,541 news articles »


    Us Magazine

    Kendra Wilkinson Writing Autobiography
    Us Magazine
    --Kendra Wilkinson is reportedly penning an autobiography titled "Sliding Into Home," according to her ex, Hugh Hefner. The Playboy mogul Twittered the news ...

    and more »


    St. Louis Post-Dispatch

    Panera Bread's Calorie Postings: The Writing's On the Wall, Literally
    BNET
    Panera Bread's decision to put calorie information on its menu boards — the first national chain to do so — is an ...
    Panera Bread First Chain to List Calories NationwideFOX 40 News WICZ TV

    all 199 news articles »


    Writing workshop at Waltham Public Library
    Boston Globe
    The Friends of the Waltham Public Library is sponsoring a free writing workshop for writers and non-writers of all ages on March 13, from 10 am to 2 pm at ...
    NA library to hold tween writing workshopsNorthJersey.com

    all 2 news articles »


    Medina: Woman hospitalized after writing to President about health care
    WKYC-TV
    MEDINA -- When Natoma Canfield wrote an email letter to President Obama last December about the need for health care reform she had no idea how quickly her ...

    and more »


    Brees: I'm writing a book
    WWL
    "I never thought this would happen, but I am writing a book. A great opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many." That's all the information ...

    and more »


    New York Times

    Remember Me: Movie Review
    ScreenCrave.com
    With some of the best writing I have heard on screen in a long time the film still didn't succeed as much as it should have. ...
    Robert Pattinson want to be a singerInternational Business Times Australia
    Pattinson to sink teeth into music careerHerald Sun

    all 631 news articles »


    How Fox's new comedy, 'Sons of Tucson,' was created
    Los Angeles Times (blog)
    In 2002, Dewey, 31, and Bratman, 34, both writers and actors in college, decided to try their hand at scripted writing and created a two-man show, "Natalie! ...

    and more »


    UT columnists, writers honored by AP Sports Editors
    San Diego Union Tribune
    Canepa and Sullivan both placed in the Top 10 for column writing, based on a package of five columns each. Schrotenboer and Zeigler each placed in the Top ...
    Times sportswriter Nate Ulrich wins APSE writing award for second straight yearnwitimes.com
    • Nine papers win Triple Crown in APSE contest 3/10/2010, 8:42 pm CSTal.com
    Herald-Journal sports department earns five national awardsSpartanburg Herald Journal
    Denver Post -Gary Post Tribune
    all 18 news articles »

    Google News

  • home | site map
    © 2008 ReV Brown and LaMesa Gifts