From the fourth grade on, I had teachers forcing me to make notecards and outlines for papers and I really hated it. Honestly, I just like to dive right into a piece. I will read the paper over, over and over again, adding or taking things out, moving things around, and so on. My papers usually turn out just as structured and well put together as anyone elses, so I never saw a problem with this method.
Perhaps it would be less time consuming to outline what I want first, but it's always possible to come across more research that one finds interesting, or to decide that something isn't as relelvant as one had thought, in which case that outline seems like a waste of time after all.
I do some research before I start writing, but sometimes like continue to look at new things as I go along. This too makes the outlines and notecards seem like a waste of time. I think it's better to just start with one idea and start writing and researching and see where it takes you.
I never liked outlines or notecards, either.
ReplyDeleteJust diving in is a perfectly legitimate strategy - provided that, at some point, you organize your thoughts.