| Writing technical articles is a challenge. There you sit, | | | | because the structure makes easier to retain |
| surrounded by reams of research, notes and | | | | information. |
| interviews. Where do you start? | | | | - Outlining shrinks your writing time by a third to a |
| Remember 5th grade English? You start with an | | | | half. How do you whittle down that pile of research |
| outline. | | | | notes and interviews into an article or white paper? |
| Outlining has fallen on hard times lately. Mind mapping | | | | You guess it - outline it. By assigning sections to your |
| and brainstorming are much more fashionable. These | | | | notes before you start writing, you'll categorize, |
| techniques are great when generating ideas, but once | | | | simplify and clarify. Not bad before you've even |
| you've got your ideas germinating you've got to | | | | written an introduction. For example, let's say you're |
| outline them. Without an outline, your article will: | | | | writing an article about mirroring. You can divide such |
| 1. Be an unstructured mess. | | | | an article into several different sections depending on |
| 2. Take three times as long to write. | | | | what your client wants to get across. Here are some |
| Don't let this happen to you - outline. If it's been a | | | | examples of different outlines: |
| while since 5th grade - or if your "progressive" school | | | | 1. - 1) Explanation of mirroring 2) Differences |
| didn't stoop to teach you actual English skills - let me | | | | between local and remote mirroring, 3) Contrasting |
| remind you why it's important and how to do it. | | | | mirroring with other forms of replication, or |
| - Outlining keeps you from writing an unstructured | | | | 2. - 1) Define mirroring 2) List environments that |
| mess. Readers, especially American readers, prefer | | | | require mirroring 3) Decision matrix for assigning |
| distinct sections in their media. For example, look at | | | | different mirroring levels. |
| American screenplays. Movies invariably have three | | | | Once you've done your research it's simple to assign |
| acts, and anything that doesn't have them is | | | | pieces to different sections. Believe me, it'll light a fire |
| considered an art film. Effective speeches often | | | | under your writing time. |
| contain three parts, and readers like three points | | | | |