Planning for a brainstorming session sounds difficult but it really just means choosing a method and time to brainstorms. Brainstorming is the result of setting up a few criteria. The first thing you need to do when planning a brainstorming session is to determine what you want to get out of the brainstorming session. Are you trying to solve a problem? Are you trying to come up with a topic for your blog? Or are you trying to come up with an idea for a story? The answer to this question will determine how you do your brainstorming. That’s the next step.
Once you are clear on what you want from the brainstorming session, it’s time to determine what method you will use to brainstorm. If you are trying to solve a problem, you might want to consider running scenarios on paper that work out the problem and possible outcomes. If you are looking for an idea for your blog, simply sitting down and writing down nouns and verbs or just any word that comes to mind. That method will also give you some ideas for stories. There are writing exercises that you could try or just sit down and free write. Once you choose your method, you need to determine when, where, and how long you will brainstorm.
Where to brainstorm ideas is pretty much anywhere you feel comfortable. When to brainstorm should be when you have time to devote solely to the brainstorming session. How long you brainstorm should be at least ten to fifteen minutes. I usually set a timer for a length of time and do my brainstorming. I often set a timer for fifteen minutes and free write for that time, sometimes with my eyes closed so that I just let the words flow out of my unconscious mind, down my arms, to my fingers and out onto the screen. If you choose the blind free writing method, you may or may not solve your problem, but you will get at least one idea on how to solve your problems or what to write about.
Basically, you just determine the answer to these questions: What do you want? How can you get it? Where will you get it? When will you get it and how long will you take to get it? Once you have answers to the questions, you are ready to brainstorm for your answers.
Planning you brainstorming session will lead you to success. All you have to do is determine what you want from your session, decide the best way to get what you want, then decide on where you want to run your session, when to do it, and how long you want it to last. It may seem daunting, but a little planning can go a long way to getting you whatever it is that you want, be it a blog, a short story, a novel or just solve a problem.
I am not one who is comfortable talking about myself but here goes. I enjoy writing, family history, and reading. I decided to do this blog because I wanted to try something new. I decided to make it a weekly blog because I wasn't sure that I could keep up with a daily one, and monthly seemed like I was writing a magazine. I think I did ok with my choices. You'll notice that there are not a lot of graphics on my site. That's because there are graphics plastered everywhere on the Internet and those sites sometimes take forever to load. This blog is a place where you can kick back, relax and be ready to be amused. At least I hope I willbamuse you. This blog is on a variety of subjects from my ficitional cat agency, the FFL, which is monthly, to instructional blogs to editorials, which are my opinions only. I admit that I don't know everything and could be wrong -- I frequently am. Now, stop reading about me and read what I have to say!
Check out my novel, The Accidental Colony — It's the story of a group of scientists fighting for survival.
FCIS: The Tricolor Killer is now available on Smashwords
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