How to create article outlines with AI

What is an article outline?

They are countless types of articles. You might be writing a how-to article for a DIY publication, a listicle for a beauty mag, or world-changing investigative journalism for a wide-reaching monthly. Whatever kind of article you’re writing, outlining gives you the bare-bones structure. Many writers start with an outline and follow it like a roadmap for writing. Some writers also end with an outline to check that the flow of ideas is logical, clear, and effective for readers. However you employ it, an article outline provides a pulled-back, all-at-once view of your article, which is a powerful, essential perspective for strong writing.

Achieve the extraordinary with

Copilot in Microsoft 365

Seamlessly tackle your to-dos and track budgets, projects, and calendars with AI-powered features in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more.

Try now for free

Make an article outline with AI

Save time and widen your thinking by turning to generative AI for article outlining at the drafting and editing stages. AI tools offer fresh ideas, varied structures, research possibilities, writing analysis, and more. Here’s what you’ll need to make an article outline with AI as well as AI prompts to get it done:

Article must-haves

To get the most out of AI tools, provide detail on the following in your AI article outlining prompt:

• Article type: Is this an op-ed, a travel piece, or something else? Be specific about the type of article you’re writing.
• Subject: What exactly is your article about? The more specific the better.
• Audience: Who is this article for? Think about the specific readers who will get the most from your article so you can anticipate their needs along the way.
• Publication: Where do you intend to publish this piece? There are many differences between an article outline for a local newspaper vs. an industry magazine, for instance. Get specific.
• Length: How long do you want the article to be? More length may mean more depth.
• Goal: What do you hope to achieve with this article? What’s the why behind the words?

With these details, you’re ready to outline.

AI prompt to draft an article outline

Try a prompt like this to generate an AI article outline:

• I’m writing a [type of article] on [subject] for [audience]. It should be [length], and I plan to publish it in [publication type]. Create an article outline with the key ideas that I might include in a captivating order. The goal of the article is [goal], so make sure the outline clearly serves that purpose. Include a strong hook, provide possible data points in each section, and suggest a resonating ending.

Even if you’re happy with the outline the AI tool delivers, try asking for a few other options to choose the very best approach.

AI prompt to check article draft

After you’ve written your article, try outlining again to check for flow of ideas and effective structure. Use a prompt like this for AI reverse outlining:

• Please analyze this article [attach or paste article] and provide an outline of the key points. Also, answer these questions:
  • What is the primary subject of this article?
  • Who is the audience?
  • What is the goal of this article?
  • Where could this article be published?
  • Does this article flow well?
  • Does the structure work well?

AI article outlining is one of countless ways AI supports your creative and professional work. Learn more—from brainstorming to writing a book—in the Everyday AI hub.