Why writers should think like builders

We like Lance. He’s a builder, a gifted craftsman and one heck of a nice guy. Many of us at The Writing Company have hired Lance for one project or another.

One reason we trust Lance with our homes: He plans ahead. Like any good carpenter, he measures twice and cuts once. And he maps out a project in advance, so he’s sure the window he frames up now will look right after the appliances go in.

We’re not as good with a hammer, but we share Lance’s reverence for planning. Our tool of choice: an outline.

We do some of our most intense work in the outline stage. We focus on which information to include and which to leave out (the latter is often the hardest part). Then we organize the information, considering questions like: What does the reader need to know first? What might confuse them? What information will engage them?

Planning ahead helps Lance avoid mistakes, do good work and stay on budget. Thoughtful outlines do the same for us.

Reach out if you want to talk about outlines or help us figure out how to use a speed square. We’d love to hear from you.