Brainstorming That Works

A Guide for Writers Who Want Better Ideas

Writers love to argue about process — and brainstorming is one of those tools that gets both praise and pushback. In a previous post, I wanted to share reasons mentioned by those who don’t support brainstorming as a pre-writing idea, so I explored why brainstorming doesn’t always work

But here’s the truth: for some writers, brainstorming can be a powerful way to unlock creativity — if it’s used intentionally. Not only do I recommend it to some writers, but I’ve used this method myself.

So, let’s take a closer look at how to brainstorm effectively, and how to make it work for your writing style.

What brainstorming can do for writers

At its best, brainstorming gives you permission to explore, a bank of ideas to draw from and momentum to move forward. Let me elaborate:

Permission to play without pressure. The whole idea behind brainstorming is to write down your thoughts without judging yourself. You can bring that childlike freedom to toss anything out there as possibilities. There are no right or wrong answers. So, we give ourselves permission to be silly and to think outside of the box.