I am a big believer in brainstorming as a warmup to writing.
I encourage people to spend five to ten minutes brainstorming before they write. It gives them time to probe their memory and collect their thoughts before launching into a particular story.
But do you have to brainstorm each and every time you write? Watch the video above and find out.
Then, tell us about your experience with brainstorming. Are you an always, sometimes or never brainstormer? If you do brainstorm, what method do you use? How does brainstorming impact your writing?
Brainstorming or no brainstorming, remember, the only way to do this wrong is to not do it at all!
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Until next time, happy writing!
Although I’m only a sometimes brainstormer, I do find that by doing so, using the cluster method, I tend to pull out more details of my story.
Oops, should have read my text before sending it along
I’ve been using ‘mind mapping’ a brain storming technique that uses both the left and right hemispheres of the brain for most of my life to identify or solve a variety of issues, possibilities p, etc. it is now my ‘go to’ for brain storming when writing.
Thank you Patricia for these weekly vlogs. I love seeing and hearing you as you share your writing tips and expertise. I feel as if I am back in class with you
I brainstorm sometimes.Other times, I may be writing from a prompt or writing a particular story or topic that’s on my heart already.
Brainstorming helps to bring up the details.
As you know, Patricia, I wrote my entire memoir without brainstorming. But then I did not know much about writing a book. I had a story in me that needed to come out. I still do not use much if brainstorming when I write, however I find using this technique useful when I do.