Structure before writing.
WHY OUTLINE FIRST
An outline is quick to produce and quick to fix. A finished article is neither.
Correcting the structure at the outline stage saves rewriting later.
HOW TO ASK
"Produce an outline for an article on X, for [reader], covering [points]. Use descriptive headings. For each section, state in one line what it will cover."
WHAT A GOOD OUTLINE HAS
Headings that say what the section covers, not clever ones Logical progression The main point early Nothing repeated
WHAT TO DO WITH IT
Edit it yourself. Remove sections that say nothing. Add what is missing.
Reorder so the most useful part is not buried.
THEN ASK FOR ONE SECTION AT A TIME
Giving the model the outline plus the specific section produces better results than generating the whole thing.
REVISING AS YOU GO
If a section reveals the structure is wrong, change the outline before continuing.
THE COMMON MISTAKE
Accepting the first outline. It is a starting point, not a plan.
