Comments on: How to… Create and Use an Effective Outline

By: Barb

Barb — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:01:32 +0000

Me too!

By: Kari Scare

Kari Scare — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:55:41 +0000

Love the topic "renewing of the mind." Have read lots about it before, but I am always looking for new stuff to read about it. I'm glad to have connected with you!

By: Barb

Barb — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:51:58 +0000

I feel the same way, Kari. That's why I'm blogging about the renewing of the mind.

By: Kari Scare

Kari Scare — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:47:59 +0000

Barb, thank you so much for sharing this. I just got a feeling I haven't had in a long time, one I used to get every so often while I was teaching. I am so happy that outlining clicked with you and will help you with planning. That is what I use it for the most. Just helps me think more clearly. Love it when someone finds a tool to make their lives simpler and especially when they make it their own. Keep me posted!

By: Barb

Barb — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:35:44 +0000

Kari, I just made a rough outline for a Bible study I'm going to write based on the ideas in my blog. I sat down to start writing it today, and then I thought, "Wait a minute, I need to plan it first." Thank you – your post was very timely for me! I can already see after one planning session how much easier it will be to write it. I'm thinking I'll plan for several more days before I actually start writing it, maybe even a couple of weeks.

By: Kari Scare

Kari Scare — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:53:41 +0000

I completely agree. I can move with the Spirit when I have an outline. It's amazing how I say something during a teaching or speach or whatever that I hadn't planned on saying but that fits perfectly. Outlines allow for that sort of flexibility. Can also easily take points out if time run shorts. Very useful.

By: Loren Pinilis

Loren Pinilis — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:14:43 +0000

For some reason, it's easier for me to think of speeches and presentations in "chunks" and that's where outlines come in handy. Memorizing a stream of data is tough, but just stringing together a few chunks of points is a very different mindset for me. It allows you to recover better and also to be more flexible.

By: Kari Scare

Kari Scare — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:08:34 +0000

I don't outline for every single blog post, but I do for many of them. I do jot down a lot of notes that are rough outlines that I then use to write posts, but I also do a lot of freewriting to get ideas flowing. I definitely always use outlines when I prepare to teach or give a presentation or talk. The combination of freewritng, notes and outlines really help me to find my focus for blog posts. Oh yeah, I also use outlining to plan out blog post series. This helps me not overlap too much with what I want to discuss but to still keep them connected. If you prefer pictures, you can use a web, which is just an outline but in more of a graphic format. My youngest son likes these. I'll talk about those in next Wednesday's post. I also have an idea book that I use a lot, which is related to all of the above. I may do a blog post on that in couple of weeks to bring these topics together.

By: Barb

Barb — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:54:42 +0000

Hmm, I think I need to outline – I never do this and I bet it would make writing easier! Do you write outlines for blog posts as well? Also, I thought your comment on writing an outline as opposed to typing it was interesting. I'll have to try this. I think another thing I need to do is get a clear idea of the point I want to get across. Usually, I start writing with a fuzzy idea of what I want to say and how I want to say it – I'm guessing it would work much better to have a clear idea before I start writing!