Remember back in junior high? The teacher gave us an assignment to write a books report. Seems simple enough until she explained that this book report would be done in parts. First we’d have to create an outline, then a rough draft. Finally, we would hand in our report and give an oral presentation.
What are all these things? Outline? Rough Draft? How come we couldn’t just write our report and hand it in?
It seems that our teachers had a plan. They wanted to teach us a method for writing well. And so we learned how to outline. We learned how to write a rough draft and polish it for the final report.
And we used these tools in high school and college. Why? Because it was the most effective way to write? Of course not. It was what the teacher required.
As we move out of the classroom and into the working world, did the habits we learned stick with us? Probably not. Do we take the extra time to outline and draft when simultaneously faced with deadlines and other job pressures? I doubt it.
This is probably the best time to use those trusty tools from our school days. Writing well could have a tremendous impact on your work or job.
If you work as a freelance writer, as many of us do, it is critical to stay organized and use your time well. Little did we know it back then, but our 5th grade teacher may just have given is just what we need to write faster and earn more money from our effort. Thanks, Mrs. Benson.
When faced with your next assignment, try writing an outline first. An outline helps you prepare your idea. Consider it a roadmap for your story. A good outline will make writing your faster and easier. It will keep you focused and on task. You won’t have to worry about getting too far from your main ideas when you have a well organized outline.
To start, write a working title at the top of your page. This title should reflect the focus of your article. It’s just a working title, so don’t spend a lot of time on it. You can go back and change it once you’ve written your article.
What are all these things? Outline? Rough Draft? How come we couldn’t just write our report and hand it in?
It seems that our teachers had a plan. They wanted to teach us a method for writing well. And so we learned how to outline. We learned how to write a rough draft and polish it for the final report.
And we used these tools in high school and college. Why? Because it was the most effective way to write? Of course not. It was what the teacher required.
As we move out of the classroom and into the working world, did the habits we learned stick with us? Probably not. Do we take the extra time to outline and draft when simultaneously faced with deadlines and other job pressures? I doubt it.
This is probably the best time to use those trusty tools from our school days. Writing well could have a tremendous impact on your work or job.
If you work as a freelance writer, as many of us do, it is critical to stay organized and use your time well. Little did we know it back then, but our 5th grade teacher may just have given is just what we need to write faster and earn more money from our effort. Thanks, Mrs. Benson.
When faced with your next assignment, try writing an outline first. An outline helps you prepare your idea. Consider it a roadmap for your story. A good outline will make writing your faster and easier. It will keep you focused and on task. You won’t have to worry about getting too far from your main ideas when you have a well organized outline.
To start, write a working title at the top of your page. This title should reflect the focus of your article. It’s just a working title, so don’t spend a lot of time on it. You can go back and change it once you’ve written your article.
Comments
Ebony
(Guest)
(Guest)
09/09/2006
Hi, yeah this was helpful and all, but i know how to do it.What i want help with is a book report.I've already done my rough draft,but whats next??I would like it if you could post this and tell me what to do.Thanks.
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