Tips for Brainstorming.

 Talking About Brainstorming

There are so many ways to brainstorm that I couldn't possibly list all of them, but maybe you only utilize a couple of ways and could use another method to break you out of your current slump. Or you have no real way and need one. Or you already do everything but nothing's working so you need to know that at least there are other people out there who are trying the same things.

On to the bullet points, yay!

• Just write the whole story in shorthand. Like, this happens and then this happens and then this other thing comes along to mess stuff up and then BOOM and then taking a nap.
• draw a map. Start with this kid in a cave and draw where he goes from there. Draw the sidequests and the distractions and whatnot. Draw semi-scary monsters and cool weapons.

•  walking around your house explain your vague idea to the bookshelves and carpets and when they definitely don't question how neatly everything is wrapped up, figure out how to ruffle some feathers.

•  Read Grimm's fairy tales, realize how messed up they are, go and write a new version of a thousand furs without a dad marrying his daughter.

• Recall a conversation you had with a friend. Get super deep about it and maybe it took place on another planet in a different context and then there was pretty much anything you can think of taking place next.

• Hold onto the remnants of a dream and write it down. Maybe it's a ridiculous premise, but you gotta start somewhere. 

• WRITE FAN FICTION. like, seriously. 

• Borrow a setting and invent some characters. 

• Borrow some characters and invent a setting.

•  Borrow a disaster and stick your alter ego right in the middle of it.

• Watch a movie, pause at random points to rewrite dialogue, then write a new setting around it so it sounds completely different. 

• Dress up and do funny accents. 

• Play mad libs. 

• Try a text-based role-playing site.
  I loved Hexrpg.com for years. It definitely inspired my writing.

• Create an extremely detailed character sheet that is just too good not to do anything with. Then do something with it. 

• Write a super crappy screenplay.

• Act out scenes of stuff you think sounds good. Scrap what doesn't, keep what does.

• Clean your room. I don't get how this works, but it does. light some scented candles. Pretend you're magicking the fire. The pretend sky is the limit from there.

• CRY. It's healthy. Your feelings have to go. somewhere. Just have a good cry and then move on.

• Take a walk. It becomes an adventure. Find the little adventures in the most mundane activities. also there's a whole community of snarky supporters here to pat you on the head and hit you with a frying pan, depending on what you need. We got you, babe.

• Take a nap if you need one. It's fine. 

• Ask someone to give you a story prompt. "How did Salt and Pepper meet?" Explain in great detail exactly how that fantastical story went down.

• Collab with your friends/siblings in creating alternate reality versions of themselves.
  Stick them in a video game.
  Trap then in a dystopia.

• Overindulge in Mongolian culture or Mayan mythology or the language of flowers. 

• Re-read a favorite book. 

• Write a fourth wall breaking conversation with yourself about how you're having trouble writing. Talk to and with your characters. Maybe post in on Tumblr for the masses enjoy.

One of my favorite brainstorming advices I've received and used is to write a journal entry or letter as if you are one of your characters. Address it to another character to developer both and their relation, or about things in the word or the characters life. It helps build what the world, setting, and story is objectively and through the eyes of someone living in your setting. I journal a lot, personally, so writing these entries is also a really comfortable and familiar format. It also doesn't have to be anything that is ever seen by readers, friends, or family. It's just for you and your characters to be free flowing and messy with thoughts and feelings, which is how journal entries and a lot of letter feel. Even if it's a formal letter, that could help give insight on how a character might approach a formal task. Basically, I think this is an incredibly useful and versatile tool for brainstorming and could easily be mixed with a plethora of other methods and styles.