Brainstorming Methods

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Author:
Erica Armstrong

There are many ways to stimulate your creative juices, and to get the ideas flowing. Most authors have their favourites which are usually tried and tested and work for them.

Maybe the best known is brainstorming. Brainstorming is a powerful technique which can create new ideas and solve problems. It can be done in a group, with a partner, or alone. When used in a group setting, it motivates and develops a team spirit. It often involves group members in bigger management issues and allows the team to work together. When used as part of a team, a flip-chart, allowing all participants to see what is happening, and what is being produced, is essential. On a one to one basis, or alone, it not required. But writing everything down is essential.

There are a few simple rules when brainstorming. Firstly, judgement and criticism are suspended during the session. Secondly, there are no right or wrong answers, there are no good or bad ideas. Reviewing the ideas generated comes later. Often the wilder, and stranger the idea, the better. Many times great ideas can come from what initially appears strange or irrelevant.

Another concept to bear in mind when brainstorming ideas for your writing, is that quantity and not quality is the most important thing at this stage. Combining ideas is another option, see where one idea leads, then combine it with another.

Key to brainstorming is writing ideas down. Don’t just call out ideas, make someone responsible for collecting every single idea mentioned. It is easy to forget what is said, and no writer wants to lose a gem of inspiration for a new book or article. Also, sometimes actually seeing ideas written down, will spur you on to other ideas.

If you work alone, or are self-employed, you may wish to brainstorm alone. Maybe our colleagues do not like brainstorming sessions, or it is too time consuming to arrange a group session, or perhaps you work in a critical organisation, and get better inspiration from brainstorming with your partner. Often, brainstorming alone, or with a trusted partner, is more successful than in a group, but the essentials remain the same. There should be no criticism or judgement, and it is absolutely essential to write everything down. The time for reviewing suggestions will come later.

In using a structured approach to formulate new ideas, you will be at a huge advantage over others who do not think they can be creative alone. Actually, it is possible to be even more creative by yourself than in a group, especially if the group is badly organised.

Another tip for creating ideas is by Random Word Selection. A dictionary, newspaper or magazine can be used for the source. By selecting a word at random, you are almost guaranteed to come at a problem or idea from a different, and unusual angle.

It is important to stop yourself thinking that this is silly. Concrete results will soon change your mind.

To illustrate this technique, let’s work through an example. Say the random word generated is “globe”. Article ideas springing from this could be travel related, perhaps on the modes of travel, or the health aspects of travel. Another random word could be “balloon”. Initial ideas could be the rubber balloons are made from or maybe the different types of gasses it is possible to fill balloons with. Or perhaps the uses of balloons, possibly for travel, advertising or leisure.

There are many brainstorming techniques which will provide you with an endless string of marketable and valuable ideas, and if you are lucky, perhaps the million dollar idea will be in amongst them.

For more writers’ tips click here.

Erica at Textwriters.Net.

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Brainpower... Top Ten Brainstorming Techniques for Business Success We experience creativity every time a fresh idea pops into our minds. We recognize creative imagination in everything from a pastel painting to a business plan. By trying these ten tips, you will discover some amazing creative abilities that may surprise you. 1. Substitute someone else's perspective for yours. How would a teacher, lawyer, actor, artist, explorer, journalist, psychologist, engineer, homemaker, child, or accountant approach your idea or subject? Don't know? Ask them! 2. Look at your idea through the eyes of a critic. For each idea, make a list of all criticisms that may arise. Try to develop as many solutions as possible for overcoming obstacles or repairing weaknesses in your idea. 3. Connect your idea to other worlds or fields. Look at the worlds of Politics, Art, Science & Medicine, Hollywood, The Ice Age, Astronomy, Astrology, Ballet, Animation, The Army, Asia, Teaching, Music, Europe, and the like. Can you make an analogy, and what ideas can you draw upon from these fields and worlds? 4. Magnify your idea. What can you do to enlarge, expedite, extend, strengthen, exaggerate, dramatize, or improve your idea? 5. Simplify your idea. Can you condense, trim down, compact, minimize, or narrow your idea? 6. Change your idea. Modify the name, color, sound, shape, form, function, smell, taste, and properties of your idea. 7. Make your idea meet the needs and wants of the masses. Does your idea meet the basic needs and wants of more comfort, money, food, shelter, time, space, convenience, attractiveness, health, and beauty? If not, alter your idea to meet one if not all of these needs and wants. 8. Add more value. What will add more value? Add extra features, durability, safety, thickness, accuracy, guarantees, uses, and freebies. ...