The human brain loves order.

It likes patterns, consistency, and predictability.

When we encounter new information, our minds search for structure, allowing us to quickly process, retain, and relate to the content.

Writing without structure feels chaotic, leaving readers lost and overwhelmed.

Ways to Add Structure to Your Writing

Here are the most popularly used structures by writers.

1 — Categorical or topical

For example: breaking down a broader topic into categories or subtopics, like categorizing wildlife into mammals, birds, reptiles, etc.

2 — Cause & effect

For example: discussing an event and its consequences like ‘Because I forgot my umbrella in my minivan, I ended up drenched in the rain.’

3 — Chronological order

For example: detailing events as they happen in time, such as describing your day from when you wake up to go to bed.

4 — Compare & contrast

For example: highlighting similarities and differences. Think about comparing apples to oranges — they’re both fruits but taste so different, right?

5 — Order of importance

For example: starting from the most to the least important points, or vice versa, like listing out your tasks, from ‘feeding my puppy’ (highest priority) to ‘organizing my bookshelf by colour’ (maybe later).

6 — Problem & solution

For example: identifying a problem and then proposing a solution, such as ‘Oh, no, my puppy accidentally peed on the carpet!’ and then ‘Let’s clean it up with paper towel and odor removal spray!’

7 — Sequential or process

For example: a step-by-step guide such as assembly instructions for an IKEA furniture or a vegan pumpkin pie recipe.

8 — Spatial or descriptive

For example: organizing your words by location or appearance, like describing a house starting from the entrance all the way up to the attic.

Key Takeaways

Decide which structure is best suited for a particular piece of content. For instance, in this article, I used alphabetical order (which is another way to add structure) to add order to the bulletpointed list above.

You can also blend multiple structures within a single article.

By structuring our articles, we give our readers a map that guides them from the opening to the last line, ensuring that our message is understood easily.