Barside
Download
Barside/Templates/Template · Writing

Template · Writing

Free blog post outline template with a publish checklist

Write better posts faster: decide who it is for and what it promises, outline the sections, gather points and sources, and check five things before you publish.

TemplateUpdated 3 min read

Draft post · Oct 5

Working title:

Who it is for:

Main search phrase:

The promise

What the reader can do after reading, in one sentence.

Outline

  1. Hook: the problem, in the reader's words

  2. Section 1

  3. Section 2

  4. Section 3

  5. Wrap-up and next step

Points and examples

Sources

Call to action

Before publishing

  • Headline says what the reader gets

  • First paragraph answers the question

  • Images have alt text

  • Links work

  • Read it aloud once

Open in Barside Download Barside

Free. Barside asks before it adds the template, then makes a new note from it. Needs Barside 1.50 or newer.

Most writing time is lost to blank pages and rewrites. A short outline answers the hard questions first, so the draft almost writes itself.

Who it is for

It is for bloggers, marketers, founders and anyone who writes articles: company blogs, newsletters, school essays and documentation. Plan which posts to write when in the content calendar.

What is in the blog post outline template

  • Working title, Who it is for and Main search phrase: three lines.
  • The promise: what the reader can do after reading.
  • Outline: a hook, three sections and a wrap-up.
  • Points and examples, Sources and Call to action.
  • Before publishing: a checklist for headline, opening, images, links and a read-aloud.

An example

Ben plans a post for people new to budgeting. The working title is "A budget you will actually keep"; the promise is that readers set up a simple budget in 20 minutes. His outline has a hook, three sections and a wrap-up with a link to a budget template. He fills in points and sources, drafts in one sitting, and ticks the five checks before publishing.

How to use the blog post outline template

  1. Choose Open in Barside above. Barside opens and asks before it adds anything.
  2. Pick the workspace for the note, and leave Keep it in my templates ticked to use the template again.
  3. Choose Create note. A new note called "Draft post · Oct 5" opens, ready to fill in.
  4. Next time, start one from New note from a template, or let Barside make it on a schedule as a repeating note.

No Barside yet? It is free for Windows, Linux and Mac: download Barside, then choose Open in Barside again.

How to write a post people finish

  • Answer the reader's question in the first paragraph.
  • Use one example per section.
  • Cut every sentence that does not help the promise.
  • Read it aloud once. Clumsy sentences show up at once.

Make it yours

  • Ask the assistant to suggest sections or tighten a draft, with the AI you connect; rewrites wait for your approval.
  • Add your own style rules to the checklist.
  • Keep each post's outline linked from the content calendar.

FAQ

Questions and answers

Can the AI write the post for me?

If you connect your own AI account, the assistant can draft and rewrite in the note, and rewrites wait for your approval. Your own ideas and examples are what make a post worth reading.

Is the blog post outline template free?

Yes. The template and Barside are both free. Barside Plus is optional and adds cloud backup and sync between computers; templates do not need it.

Does the template work offline?

Adding it needs the internet once, so Barside can fetch it from barside.space. After that, the template and every note made from it live on your computer and work offline.

Can I use it on a Mac?

Yes: Barside for Mac is out. Barside also runs on Windows and Linux. The template page works in any browser, so you can preview it anywhere.

Keep reading

TemplateFree content calendar template with a publishing boardA free content calendar template: a board from idea to published, a table with channel, status, date and owner, and a chart. Open it in Barside.TemplatesCaptureTemplateFree book notes template: summary, ideas and quotesA free book notes template: the book in three sentences, key ideas, quotes, how you will use them and related notes. Open it in Barside for every book you read.TemplatesCaptureTemplateFree brainstorming template with an idea boardA free brainstorming template: one clear question, ground rules, an idea board to sort ideas, the top three to try and next steps. Open it in Barside.TemplatesTogetherFeature guideAn AI assistant for your computer and notes that asks before it actsAn AI assistant for your computer and notes: it writes, edits and organizes notes, can research the web and works in your apps. Undo reverts it.IntelligenceFeature guideNote templates and repeating notes that make themselvesUse note templates and repeating notes: start from six ready-made templates or your own, and get a journal or weekly review made on schedule. Free.OrganizeMethodProgressive summarization: distill your notes in layers, one pass at a timeProgressive summarization explained: Tiago Forte's layers, from bold to highlight to summary, when to add them, common mistakes, and how to do it in Barside.MethodsOrganizeCapture