Generally as a rule I have little trouble in
plotting out stories or coming up with ideas for blogs. However, sometimes I do
experience the complete blank page horror…and trust me for a writer a dearth of
ideas or thoughts is worse than any nightmare you might conjure. Or at least it
is for me. Immediately I start to panic (I know it can’t be that bad right?)
Trust me, my biggest fear when it comes to writing is that the ideas and
enthusiasm dry up and vanish.
When I do hit this wall I used to flip out (well, I
still do but not like before) and now I take a deep breath, close my eyes and
focus and then I get on the phone with my best friend who is also a writer or I
hope on Facebook and reach out to my other writers friends and I brainstorm
with them. NEVER, EVER underestimate the power of a good brainstorming
session.
But there are a few rules I follow when I do the
brainstorming thing…since I’ve been burned in the past by people I thought I
could trust—only to learn the hard way they weren’t terribly trustworthy.
First, make sure that the people you talk to about
your idea are people you can fully trust and are people that understand where
you come from creatively. Two, make sure you’re open to ideas. The whole point
of brainstorming is to come up with an idea that is true to your voice and
writing style. Three, when you are done writing that story or blog, make sure
you give credit where credit is due. A thank you in the acknowledgements is
always a nice touch.
Brainstorming is a very useful tool for a writer and
one that I think everyone should attempt to use, you never know what direction
your story could go, or what kind of amazing journey you could end up taking
that you normally wouldn’t consider.
2 comments:
I have a great brainstorming pal . . . a couple actually. I just wish I had more time to write and that I could think about the books in order they need to be written {sigh}
I think brainstorming is really a tool writers don't always use to it's full potential. As for not being able to write...I'd go bonkers! Writing is how I vent in many ways :)
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