Interesting -- I wouldn't have thought of that. However, I usually use an approach that isn't all that different: Initially, just make some notes explainig wha

Interesting -- I wouldn't have thought of that. However, I usually use an approach that isn't all that different: Initially, just make some notes explainig what the document you write should contain. I use org-mode style nested bullet point for this. This is also nice because you'll have to start with defining "goals" for your text: What should it explain? Which points are most important? Are there "gotchas" you should keep in mind? After that, I start expanding on those bullet points. Also, there will be a couple of iterations of "refactoring" until I'm sure what the best way to structure the text will be. Having written down the basic goals first -- and thus having a more complete overview in mind -- helps with that, too.