Got ideas for a story but can’t work out all the logistics? Need some input and new ideas for a work in progress? It’s time for a brainstorming session.
Brainstorming is a technique used in many professions and one which is extremely helpful for writers. There are several ways to brainstorm and it is an activity you can share with others or undertake on your own.
This is an activity that can work well for writers. If you have writers’ block or you are stuck at a particular place in your novel or you are just looking for new ideas to spark your creativity, bringing a diverse group of writers together can bring about some interesting results. Listening to the viewpoints and ideas of other writers and learning from them can open your mind to finding solutions for your writing problems.
Brainstorming involves getting together in a room and asking participants to throw out ideas for solving a particular plot problem or a crafting a story project. Participants are usually invited to the session based on their expertise and their involvement with the subject under discussion – in this instance, other writers. Sometimes, outside expertise is brought in to freshen the idea pool – mentors, for example.
One person is sometimes appointed to record all the suggestions on a white board or everyone may use stickie notes which can be placed on poster board or even the wall.
If you are not one for group activities, go ahead and brainstorm on your own. Tape a couple of large sheets of blank paper on the wall and use stickie notes to record the ideas that come to you while brainstorming. Then stick the notes onto the sheets of paper and sort through them to find possible solutions.
Here are a few of the tried and true brainstorming techniques you can try out in a group or on your own.
SCAMPER: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify/Distort, Put to Other Purposes, Eliminate, Rearrange/Reverse. Using this technique, you take a scene or plot situation and examine it by asking yourself the following questions:
Can I substitute an element of the plot for another and what happens if I do?
Can I combine two elements of my plot problem in order to find a solution or to improve the story line?
What elements of my plot can I adapt to solve the problem?
What can I modify/distort to achieve a solution and what will the consequences be?
What elements can put to other purposes in another part of my story? How does that affect the plot outcome?
How can I eliminate the story elements that are hampering my plot line, thereby preventing its resolution?
What will happen if I rearrange/reverse the situation? Does this help me to find a solution?
The SCAMPER brainstorming technique can help you see your work through new eyes and generates suggestions for improvement.
Escapism is another good brainstorming technique. Take the situation which is giving you problems and drop it in the most ludicrous solution you can imagine. Then look hard at the new situation and see if any of it is feasible. What benefits can you derive from having your main character kidnapped by aliens in the middle of downtown Montreal? Work through the craziness to find solutions for moving your work forward.
Random Word is another technique that requires you to pick a word at random (letting the dictionary fall open, covering your eyes and pointing to a word is a fun way to do this). Use that word within the context of the writing problem you are brainstorming about. The random word will create new images, feelings, complications, etc., and this can help you see your work differently.
Role Playing is a fun technique. Give the character involved in your problem scene another profession or life situation and then brainstorm to see how that affects the outcome of the problematic scene. Turn your serial killer into a pet groomer for the day and brainstorm what changes that can make in your plot.
Wishful Thinking is making your dreams come true. Determine your ideal writing solution and work backwards to find out how you can reach that destination. It will help you take your story where you want it to go. But be careful what you wish for!
Do you use brainstorming? What’s your favorite technique?
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