The longer a writing task is, the greater the need to organize ideas around a central theme. When writing a nonfiction book, outlines can provide the structural framework needed to support the theme. It provides a road map that lists your main topics and supporting information in a workable flow. Without an outline, ideas and information lack the structure necessary to present theme issues in a clear and concise format. This format can take on any form or sequence that provides the writer with a solid understanding of how to compose his book.
Half of the battle in developing a theme is identifying a solid idea or concept on which to write. The information gathered during this process may end up being usable material for your outline and book. Narrowing your topic to a manageable scope that allows for an in-depth presentation of your idea requires a structured and organized approach. Information gathered during research, and ideas that surface as a result of new information, can all work within the makings of your outline. Theme development then becomes a part of the outlining process.
When completed, an outline will provide a thorough overview of what needs to go inside the book. The theme serves as the trunk of a tree, while theme ideas or topics become the branches from which supporting information and research can grow. The structure serves as a visual portrayal that shows which topic ideas are well developed, which are not and how topic ideas interconnect with one another. Topic ideas will serve as the chapters for the book, while subheadings can be derived from supporting information. As all material will be based on the underlying theme, a unified structure will start to emerge.
The benefits of drafting an outline for a nonfiction book lie in the sense of direction provided by a well laid out plan. It's not uncommon to run into topic ideas that turn into dead ends when writing a book without an outline. A lot of time is saved, and frustration avoided, when these dead ends are spotted before whole chapters have been written about them. A completed outline also allows the writer to "experience" the theme in its entirety, which allows the actual writing of the book to flow. This works to increase productivity, lessen frustration levels and make the writing process more enjoyable.
Mind-mapping is one of many methods used within the outlining of a nonfiction book. It's a less formal technique that involves using connecting circles of related theme and topic ideas. This method allows for a more flexible thought process that shows interconnections more clearly. Mind-mapping can be laid out in levels, or clusters, that develop the overall theme, theme and chapter relationships, as well as specific chapters, and subtopics. New ideas can be inserted freely, without the disruption encountered when adding ideas to a more linear outline structure. Being able to layout related pieces of information in a visual format provides a way to see a flow emerge within the theme. Keeping corresponding file folders for each cluster makes it easier to access specific materials when needed.