How to Brainstorm

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Brainstorming is one of the more common types of informal invention. It should be used when writers encounter writers' block or when they are not sure what to write about. Brainstorming can also be used to guide writers in a certain direction if they already have a topic or idea that they wish to explore. This exercise helps writers to gather their thoughts and ideas before they begin a paper or other document. The end result of brainstorming should be lists of words that are somehow related in the writer's mind. These lists may be helpful in the preliminary writing process. Here are some guidelines for this type of invention:

Steps

1. Set a timer for 5 to 10 minutes.
   
2. Write a topic word or a thought that you would like to explore, such as education or government at the top of your paper, and then continue writing words or phrases in list form down the page until your time has run out.
   
3. Never stop writing. Even if you have to write down an idea that's completely stupid and wouldn't work, it's better than stopping. Your pen should never stop.
   
4. Assume that no word that you write is self-explanatory, so continue to focus on one topic word until you feel like you cannot describe it in any further detail, or in other words, a deeper look at an individual or minute part of a larger whole.
   
5. If you get stuck, look back at your lists to see if any terms need more explanation.
   
6. This is also an uncensored practice, so no corrections are allowed during the brainstorming process.
   
7. When you are finished brainstorming, re-organize your terms into lists that make sense for your paper topic.
   
8. If you have enough to start your paper or document, then begin working on your rough draft. If you do not have enough ideas, try another informal invention technique such as freewriting or mapping.
   
9. Grab a dictionary, and find random words, either with your eyes closed as you stab a page, or the first interesting word that grabs your attention when flicking through. write them down, then write down the first couple of things that come to your mind for each word.and go from there.
   

Warnings

• Brainstorming is not guaranteed to break the toughest writers' block, but it should give you an idea of where you are going with your writing process.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Freewrite
  
• How to Make a Mind Map
  
• How to Exercise an Open Mind
  
• How to Meditate
  
• How to Write Fiction
  
• How to Clean a Book
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Brainstorm. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.