- Reverse outlining technique reveals what’s really on the page (not just in your head).
- Outline provides high-level view of manuscript, allowing us to diagnose problems: What points are missing and which are overly repetitive? Which are poorly supported by evidence and which require more background?
- Record these observations in a set of well-organized notes and save for later improvements. (We are only storing observations, not attempting edits.)
Resources (read/watch/listen)
Activities
1. Make a reverse outline
- Getting out of your own head is critical to see all the gaps, leaps, or stumbles in your current draft.
- Create a reverse outline of your manuscript (1 sentence/paragraph) and save as a separate document. Include section/sub-section structure of document.
- Number every paragraph in original manuscript and in reverse outline (allows us to reorganize while still finding original paragraph).
- Include figures with 1 sentence summary in correct location in reverse outline document
- Highlight the ‘topic sentence’ (often the 1st sentence but not always) in each paragraph that best captures the overview sentence.
- Note cases where 1 sentence seems insufficient (take a stab at writing 2 topic sentences)
2. Remix your reverse outline
- Split trouble paragraphs that require 2 topic sentences and update reverse outline.
- Read over reverse outline and analyze for logical order or manuscript. There are countless possibilities for structure and ordering of a manuscript. The rough draft is just one and likely far from optimal. It was created in the trenches (during the drafting process), and now our reverse outline should give a whole new perspective.
- Create new restructured reverse outline document (save as separate doc). Crafting a new document flow is a puzzle requiring a playful/experimental attitude. Create one (or two) alternatives that seem more logical given this 10,000 foot perspective of your manuscript.
- Reorder paragraph topics. Consider major changes to sections and sub-sections. The aim here is potentially transformative alteration of your manuscript.
- If you can’t see any changes, walk away and come back later when feeling more relaxed or creative.