When I write anything longer than about a paragraph, I always start with an outline. I used to hate outlines; I'd just bust out a 10-15 page paper and write up

When I write anything longer than about a paragraph, I always start with an outline. I used to hate outlines; I'd just bust out a 10-15 page paper and write up the outline afterward (who didn't do that?). Now though, for a 1000-1500 word piece, I spend at least an hour outlining it. Even the outline itself goes through a few drafts before I start trying to add complete paragraphs. I'd rather have a solid grasp on the ideas I want to communicate than on the specific turns of phrase I'll communicate them with. Turns of phrase are a dime-a-dozen. A clearly communicated idea is much harder to find. A lot of that has come from practice, but I also owe a lot to PG's essays on rapid iteration from mush to presentable product.