Brainstorming
Welcome to the first in this series about my writing process. The key to writing is having a plan. Through this series I hope to guide you through my creative process, moving from conception to execution.
It is important to do some planning beforehand so when you sit down to create, you have your map and compass to help you chart the uncharted seas of the imagination.
I’ve developed my writing process over the years and had it refined through two Nanowrimos (both of which I won). I further refined it this year to produce 15 short stories. So, I can say with some certainty that this works… for me at least. You’ll have to find your own process, but this basic outline is a place to start. Let’s dive in!
Abstract art is always a great way to generate ideas.
Rae, Kevin, Beethoven’s 9th, Digital, 2020
How I Conjure Ideas
Brainstorming for many people involves staring at a blank piece of paper and wishing they were washing dishes or folding laundry instead. It would probably be less painful anyway.
When brainstorming it is best to start with some bits of inspiration to help get the process going. Brainstorming is an additive process, and like a clam transforming a grain of sand into a pearl, you need something small to start with. So this brings me to the first two parts of the process: Idea Cultivation and Idea Refinement.
Idea Cultivation
Idea Cultivation is where you capture any and all ideas down in a single location for future use. There is no weeding out of ideas yet, that comes later. This part is all about getting used to collecting ideas for things.
I have a single note in my phone where I put story ideas, play titles, character names, fun sounding words, colors or images I find striking, and more. Think of this area as your idea garden where you plant the seeds of future art to come.
These “idea seeds” can then serve as the basis of the next action, Idea Refinement.
Idea Refinement
Idea Refinement is where you take a single idea seed* and expand on it to see if you have an idea you feel is worth pursuing. In order to expand on it I recommend doing a kind of calm, unfocused activity. Such activity primes the brain to think associatively instead of linearly. Right now we need the editor part of your brain to shut up and just let the ideas bubble up.
I love the following activities:
Daydream. I find I do my best daydreaming listening to classical music or movie soundtracks and going for walks. The motion my body makes helps still my mind and open it up to the scenes that are painted by the music.
Sketching. Abstract, figure drawing, anything that requires just enough attention by your logical mind so that your associative mind can kick in and begin turning an idea into a pearl.
Exercise. The body is a powerful distractor for the logical mind. Engage the body and you gain the benefit of a healthy body and a more relaxed state of mind.
Dancing. Really, any joy-inspiring thing can help you refine an idea. Get loose and let yourself go.
How do I know an idea is any good?
If you are stuck in perfection here, it is because you are trying to defend yourself from failure. Perfectionism doesn’t make good art. In fact, it makes no art.
Waiting for the perfect idea, or turning an idea over and over and over until it miraculously becomes perfect simply saves you from the vulnerability of putting your art out there. Embrace good enough at this stage.
Trust yourself. Go for it.
What am I looking for in an idea?
You are looking for emotional hooks. What about the idea sparks an emotional response from you? Is it a particular scene you want to write, or an image, or atmosphere?
The more an idea has these emotional hooks the more I know it is an idea worth pursuing. Why? Because these emotional hooks are what you want to then create to engage your audience. They point to something that pricks at the Universal Human Experience that you’re reaching for.
That’s it for today's article on my writing process. Next week, we’ll focus on how to refine an idea into a logline, a short, one-sentence description of your work.
I’d love to hear from you about your own ideation process. Let me know in the comments below.