Stop writing that long op-ed draft and read this instead

I’ve heard people claim it’s best to compose a long op-ed draft first—beyond whatever word count you’ve been given—and cut it down later.

You can keep doing that if you like. But I think it’s a huge waste of time. Even worse, if you write long, you’ll often find yourself staring at a distended mess that begets a mediocre opinion article.

Mercifully, there’s a much more efficient way to write an op-ed draft: Start with an outline.

Now, I know a lot of people out there are loyal to their own writing process. If it’s working for you, great. But if you’re having trouble placing an op-ed, or you just feel like you can do it better than you have been, I’ve put together some reasons and suggestions for outlining before you write.

It prevents you from writing too much

Say you’re limited to 1,000 words for your piece. If you have an outline, then at any point during the drafting process, you can check your word count and compare it to the point you’re at in your outline. If you’ve written 500 words and you haven’t even finished your intro, it’s an obvious sign that if your draft was candy, it would be Fruit by the Foot.

At this point, you have two options. One is to shift into reverse and rewrite your intro. The other is to keep going, extend your allotted word count to account for what you’ve already written and pare it back later. No matter what you do, you’re keeping your article to a reasonable length, which means less editing and rewriting later on.

Apple’s Pages and Google Docs have a useful tool to assist with this: A word counter that sits at the bottom of the screen and updates in real time. (I’m not sure if Microsoft Word has this.) I coincidentally discovered this while writing this article, and am going to keep using it going forward. 

It keeps your thoughts organized

I find it extremely difficult to write if my mind is cluttered. I assume it’s the same for most people. 

When I know that all my ideas are in place, my mind feels freer and my body feels less tense. As a result, the words flow much more naturally. 

Outlines allow you to adjust your op-ed plan on the spot. This happens nearly every time I write; the process of typing something out tends to jar new ideas loose and clarify existing ones. All you have to do is incorporate those changes into your outline (we’re talking big structural changes, not minor tweaks), and keep working. 

I altered my outline multiple times as I composed this draft. For instance, I initially planned to have my first supporting point be about why writing long was a bad idea because it pisses editors off. But as I started writing, I realized that it didn’t really apply to this piece, because I’m discussing a situation where someone writes long, but then chops it down to an acceptable length before submitting to a publication. Once I removed that section, I also cut it from my outline, which helped me maintain a projection of how long my draft would be.

I keep my outline on one side of the screen while I’m drafting. I think of it like the weightlifting belt of writing; I feel more supported and confident when I’m wearing it.

It saves you a ton of time

Full disclosure: I didn’t use an outline for the last Op-Education article I wrote, and that one took way longer than this one did.

But I didn’t use an outline this time just so I practice what I preach. I used it because it saves me so much time. 

Here’s what it looked like:

Having a clear sense of where I’m going reduces any friction I might be feeling about taking on a writing project. That enables me to finish drafting as quickly as possible, so I can go back to doing whatever else I want to do. 

Many people don’t write—even if they have great ideas—because the prospect of doing it is so daunting. That’s a shame. 

By breaking down writing into short pieces, you can eliminate much of the anxiety associated with it. You don’t need to put pressure on yourself to come up with an incredible, creative idea, or to write in beautiful prose. All you have to do is accomplish the next simple task.

It keeps you focused

One of the biggest mistakes people make in writing an op-ed is trying to make too many big points. Remember, you don’t have many words to work with. In the commentary world, you’ve succeeded if the reader remembers one uncomplicated and powerful point.

By outlining your piece ahead of time, you force yourself to think critically about what you’re going to say. Your article is built around your thesis, and there should only be one thesis. (There can be larger themes that you touch on, but they shouldn’t be confused with your thesis.) If you’re writing something that doesn’t in some way relate back to your central argument, it has no business being there. 

If you ever start to feel that you might be straying, glance over at your outline. If what you’re writing doesn’t square with what’s there, then you know you’re off course.

It produces a better article

Let’s finish with the most compelling reason for an outline: Using one results in a better article overall.

If your mind is less cluttered, you’re going to naturally come up with more original ideas. The first article I wrote for Op-Education argues that an original idea is the single-most important factor in the success of your op-ed. 

Stress is a creativity killer. When we’re stressed, our bodies tense up and we get more concerned with survival than with engaging the more playful parts of our mind. Outlining reduces the stress in the op-ed process, and lets you more seamlessly tap into your creative potential.

And as I explained above, having a more focused argument makes for a much better read. It’s also more appealing to the editor who will be evaluating your article, since they’ll have an easier time understanding what it’s about and making a determination. When I was editing Fortune’s commentary section, I was more inclined to accept a submission if it was easy to quickly grasp the argument.

Making Writing Fun™️

Back in high school, I remember hating outlines. They were usually given at the start of a writing project and felt like a box I had to check, standing in the way of me finishing my assignment.

But I also recall constantly feeling anxious about my writing assignments. So maybe my hatred of outlines wasn’t doing much for me.

Now that I prepare my articles ahead of time, I actually—gasp!—enjoy writing them. 

I can’t guarantee you will too. But if the notion of drafting an op-ed makes you gag, and your writing process is a time-consuming and stress-inducing dumpster fire, you might want to try an outline the next time you sit down to write.