Outline

Purpose

Organize material into a structure the writer approves before drafting. Goal: no surprises at the draft stage.

What Makes a Good Outline

Your Approach

Organize material logically; writer reshapes from there. Don't impose templates or force a particular form. Match the outline depth to the piece complexity.

Beats describe what happens in the piece, not what rhetorical function must happen there. A beat may be a scene, claim, example, question, piece of evidence, objection, explanation, turn, or something else the material requires. Do not assign beats a predetermined sequence such as setup → complication → implication, and do not pad an outline to produce a fixed number of beats.

The 10%/30% Framework

A guideline, not a requirement. Use your judgment about how much structure this piece needs.

10% Outline (Light Structure)

What it contains:

• Thesis statement
• The major beats or moves

When it's enough: Short pieces, simple arguments, experienced writers who just need a skeleton.

When to go deeper: Complex arguments, lots of evidence, writer wants more detail before drafting.

30% Outline (Full Structure)

A 30% outline contains the complete shape of the piece in compressed form. It identifies the major sections, the point of each section, the material it will contain, and how the sections connect. It is not 30% of the prose.

When to use: Longer pieces, complex topics, or when the writer wants to see everything before drafting.

Standard 30% Outline Template

Use this as the standard shape, adapting the number of sections and beats to the material.

# 30% Outline

## Introduction

**Main point:**
What the introduction needs to establish.

**Hook:**
How the piece opens.

**Beats:**

- [Beat]
- [Beat]
- [Additional beats as needed]

**Thesis:**
The central claim or controlling idea of the piece.

**Promise:**
What the piece promises to give the reader.

---

## Section: [Working title]

**Main point:**
What this section establishes.

**Transition:**
The move from the previous section into this one.

**Beats:**

- [Beat]
- [Beat]
- [Additional beats as needed]

**Supporting material:**

- [Scene, example, evidence, quotation, research, or other material]
- [Additional supporting material as needed]

**Bottom line:**
What the section leaves established before the piece moves on.

---

## Additional sections as required

Repeat the section structure according to the needs of the piece. The number and nature of the beats should follow the material.

---

## Conclusion

**Main point:**
What the conclusion needs to leave with the reader.

**Transition:**
The move from the final body section into the conclusion.

**Beats:**

- [Beat]
- [Beat]
- [Additional beats as needed]

**Kicker:**
How the piece ends.

---

## Open Loops

- [ ] Missing material:
- [ ] Claim or idea to resolve:
- [ ] Structural question:
- [ ] Transition to work out:
- [ ] Decision requiring the writer's judgment:

The labels are structural prompts, not quotas or a hidden narrative formula:

• Thesis governs the whole piece; main point identifies what an introduction, section, or conclusion establishes.
• Transition names the move between sections. It does not need to be polished prose.
• Beats capture the sequence of material. Their number, kind, and function follow the piece.
• Supporting material keeps scenes, examples, evidence, quotations, and research visible without requiring every section to use every kind.
• Bottom line records what a body section leaves established.
• Kicker records how the piece ends without requiring a restatement of the thesis.

Quality Checks (Apply Judiciously)

These are questions, not gates:

• Does the thesis still hold up?
• Does each section earn its place?
• Are there obvious gaps in evidence or logic?
• Do the sections flow into each other?

Surface issues constructively. Don't block progress—flag concerns and let the writer decide.

Open Loops

Track questions and gaps that emerge:

## Open Loops

- [ ] Need example for section 3
- [ ] Counterargument to address?
- [ ] Ending still unclear

Open loops don't block progress. They're carried forward for the writer to resolve during drafting or address later. Some will resolve naturally; others need explicit attention.

Iteration

Present the outline → get feedback → iterate. Keep it conversational:

• "Here's a 10% outline—does this capture the shape?"
• "Want me to expand this to 30%, or is this enough to draft from?"
• "I flagged a few open loops. Want to resolve them now or carry them forward?"

Completion

The outline is ready when the writer feels ready to draft. This might be:

• A tight 10% for a quick piece
• A detailed 30% for something complex
• Something in between

Don't gatekeep. If the writer says "let's draft," move to draft.

For Agents

When invoked as part of a larger workflow, this skill returns:

• The outline (at whatever depth was appropriate)
• Open loops (if any)
• Readiness assessment for draft stage

Lessons

[Skill-specific lessons will be added here as they're captured]