3 Article Outline Essentials

Most writers I talk with who experience "writer's block" do not get bogged down by the content of the article, rather they are stopped by the outline proper. Without an outline, there can be no article. You can write effectively by remembering three essentials; I will share with you how your success or failure in article writing depends on mastering these essentials.

So, what are the essentials? You already know them: your topic sentence, the body of your article, and your conclusion. A fourth essential, your title, can and should be derived from your topic sentence. Thus, if you have a title it is your topic sentence and vice versa.

The problem many writers have is really with the second essential, the body of the article. Too often this is what holds up the outline, and ultimately the article, from being successfully completed. What is the answer for you? Bullets. That's right, think of three or four generalized points and make them the highlights of your body. For example, if you are writing a product review on the Chrysler 300M your bullets could be:

1. The car's unique style.
2. The car's performance.
3. Chrysler's success with the model.
4. Special price offers for the car.

Take each "bullet" and expand the thought further by naming at least 3 related thoughts. For example, with bullet #1 you could mention that the car is boxy, with big wheels, and possesses a solid grill.

Bullet #2 could speak about the car's engine, speed, fuel performance, and interior.

Bullet #3 could stress how the 300M has successfully pulled up Chrysler's sales, you could compare it with its chief competitors, and you might want to make mention how it compares with its "twin," the Dodge Magnum.

Finally, bullet #4 might cover any specials Chrysler is running on the car, financing and leasing options, and warranty information.

Once you have the bullets in place and have identified the related thoughts associated with each bullet, it is time for you to write. In this sample case [the review of Chrysler's 300M] you will probably come up with four solid paragraphs containing an average of six sentences each.

Oh, did I mention the conclusion? Perhaps you will want to leave the conclusion out of the article until the body is done. Yes, this flies into the face of what your English Composition teacher taught you in high school, but it can be a fun thing to do. Why? As you write your body you will see that you can "move" in a variety of ways as you make your point. Once you are satisfied with your point, then write the conclusion [or summation] based on the body.

Most articles of 500-600 words can be written and written well with as little as three bullets. Longer articles require additional bullets or, at the very least, you will need to expound further on points that you have made.

You do not need to be held hostage by your outline, or lack thereof. Create a simple outline that can be expanded as you master the bullets which comprise the body of your article. In no time you will be writing strong, persuasive, and interesting articles and your writer's block will be nothing but a dim memory.

(c)2005; Matthew C. Keegan, LLC

Matt Keegan is The Article Writer who writes on a variety of subjects. In addition, Matt designs websites and manages web communities. To view his portfolio, please visit http://www.thearticlewriter.com

spotless home service Lake Forest ..
In The News:

A Columbia University breach exposed names, Social Security numbers and academic records of nearly 869,000 people, with notifications beginning in August.
Rental car drivers use AI-powered apps like Proofr to protect themselves from unfair damage fees as major companies deploy automated inspection tools.
Fox News' AI newsletter brings you the latest on technology advancements around artificial intelligence.
OnTrac data breach between April 13-15, 2025, exposed personal information of over 40,000 people including Social Security numbers and medical records.
A woman named Wika announces her engagement to an AI chatbot sparking worldwide debate about virtual relationships and technology.
The notorious people search site National Public Data relaunches despite a previous breach affecting 3 billion individuals, raising fresh privacy concerns.
Revolutionary TRAUMAGEL gel controls life-threatening bleeding from gunshot wounds and traumatic injuries, helping first responders prevent prehospital deaths.
Protect your home network by enabling proper encryption, creating strong passwords, checking connected devices and using VPN and antivirus software.
The Navy's solar-powered Skydweller drone flew nonstop for 73 hours in Mississippi, proving renewable energy can power long-endurance military missions.
Moving and downsizing expose seniors to identity theft and scams as data brokers collect real estate records and personal information to sell to criminals.
ShengShu's Vidar technology revolutionizes humanoid robot training by using AI-generated synthetic video, reducing required training data from hours to just 20 minutes.
Apple's older Mac computers face security risks without regular updates, but 10 essential tips including FileVault encryption and strong passwords can keep aging Macs protected.
Self-driving trucks from PlusAI could reshape freight transportation by 2027, addressing driver shortages and reducing logistics costs for businesses.
Solar farms are turning to sheep instead of mowers to cut grass under solar panels, lowering costs, reducing emissions and creating new income for farmers.
Fraudsters posing as local officials are making fake calls about missed jury duty, demanding payments in a rising scheme that exploits fear of arrest.
Honeywell Aerospace engineers developed a "surface alert system" that gives pilots two aural warnings when they are 15 and 30 seconds away from a collision on the runway.
Anonymous researcher has scraped public Spotify accounts of politicians and celebrities, highlighting major privacy risks in default platform settings.
AI chatbot toys marketed as screen-free playmates could undermine children's empathy and critical thinking skills, according to pediatric specialists.
TransUnion confirms a major data breach affecting 4.4 million U.S. consumers after hackers exploited third-party Salesforce apps to steal personal info.
Scammers use fake DocuSign emails claiming Apple Pay charges to steal personal information using fraudulent phone numbers and fake receipts.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Farmers Insurance confirms data breach affecting over 1.1 million customers nationwide, exposing customer info including addresses.
The iconic Mary Kay pink Cadillac goes electric with the Cadillac Optiq, available only to the company's top 1% of sales force performers.
Cybercriminals abuse trusted Intel driver to gain kernel access and shut down Windows Defender, enabling undetected malware deployment since July 2025.
Using email aliases for online shopping and subscriptions can protect your privacy by preventing companies from linking your activity across websites.

How to Use Free Articles to Explode Your Internet Business!

In this article I will show you how to use... Read More

Smart Writing and Layout Styles for the Web

If you write web content, it may be a mystery... Read More

Why You Need an Article-Marketing Strategy before Posting a Single Article Online II

This is Part 2 of a 2 part article -... Read More

How to Write Inspirational Articles for Newsletters

Inspirational articles were once limited to self-help and religious publications,... Read More

One Space or Two?

One of my subscribers writes 'I can't hold my tongue... Read More

The Secret To Promoting Sites With Articles

Publishing articles on the Internet is a tremendous way to... Read More

3 Article Outline Essentials

Most writers I talk with who experience "writer's block" do... Read More

Article Marketing: Capture the Other Half of Your Target Market

Heard about article marketing but not sure why you'd need... Read More

Article Marketing 101: The Perfect Author Resource Box

If you want to really make your article "SELL" then... Read More

What is a Ghostwriter and How Can I Find One to Hire?

A ghostwriter, as one may think is not a writer... Read More

How to Cash in on the Huge Online Demand for Writers

Currently many online writers and would-be online writers, feel very... Read More

Why Internet Marketing Free Articles Traffic Can Earn You More Sales Than Pay-Per-Click Leads

To be successful at any affiliate marketing program, you not... Read More

Promote Your Home Business with Keyword Rich Articles

Do you wonder what easy, cheap, and fast way you... Read More

Advertising that Wont Cost You a Dime is to Write Articles

Search Engines are constantly on the "look out" for freshly... Read More

Writing for the Internet - How to Market Yourself on the Web

Writing articles for online newsletters and websites can be a... Read More

You Are Losing Customers By Not Doing This

Not doing what, you ask.Writing and submitting articles.Writing articles is... Read More

Article Writing For Fame And Fortune

How would you like to have your name and web... Read More

Are You Submitting Your Articles?

Last month, I began promoting Jason Potash's "Article Announcer." I... Read More

Ambition versus Dedication

All writers aspire to recognition, but are we dedicated? Ambition... Read More

Publishing: Changing realities (I)

When you frequently post articles on ezines, you might be... Read More

Ten Essential Tips For Submitting Articles

Submitting well planned articles on-line will increase traffic and can... Read More

Do Free Articles Work?

Take a look around the Web and you'll find thousands... Read More

Building Your Site With Other Peoples Content--Part 2

Earlier, I published part 1 of this series, which contained... Read More

Article Writing - Positive Author Questions To Ask Yourself

Article writing can be such an intimate act as you're... Read More

Your Resourcebox Giving You Profits?

Rule number one - You must write ezine articles and... Read More

weekly home cleaning Mundelein ..