Brainstorming 

Brainstorming is a very important step in writing. Think of it as starting a car engine in the winter. Cars usually perform better when they have had a chance to warm up. Your brain is no different. If you give it a chance to play and experiment, then oftentimes plenty of ideas begin to surface. When there are plenty of ideas to consider, it is easier to find something to write about.

How do you get those ideas? Many writers develop a technique that works for them in most situations. The type of brainstorming technique that you use will depend on the type of writing that you are asked to do. Not one technique is any better than another because some ideas simply work better for different styles of writers.  

Simple Brainstorming Techniques:

• Freewriting

Writing aimlessly and randomly can sometimes work to get the ideas flowing. This means that you “freewrite” about anything that is related to your topic. No attention is paid to grammar, spelling, organization or mechanics. This style of brainstorming can work for some people because it frees their mind and allows for a completely new look at a topic.

For example, let’s say you are supposed to write a paper or essay on weather patterns affecting hurricanes. Even though you may have listened to lectures or read information on this topic, you still might be stumped. Instead, try freewriting and see if something surfaces. Some writers refer to this technique as “writing into your topic.”

Freewriting example:

I’m not really sure that I know enough about hurricanes or their weather patterns. All I really know is that when hurricanes hit they are nasty. People lose their lives, homes are destroyed and millions of dollars are lost. So, where should I begin this essay anyway? I’m not really sure, but if Global Warming is real, then we’re in for some big hurricanes because the weather patterns will change permanently and people along hurricane routes will be in trouble…

• Lists

Some writers find writing lists to be extremely helpful. They simply put their assignment topic at the top of the page and write words or phrases in a column format. In order for this method to work, writers must write anything that comes to mind without editing out any ideas. Creative lists often start to show signs of how ideas are interconnected and ultimately, what is most important to the writer.

Example of a Creative List on the topic of Animal Testing

• Webs/Mapping

Probably the most widely used method of brainstorming is webbing. Writers who favor this type of brainstorming usually enjoy seeing how their ideas are linked together. To do this, start by writing a main idea in a large center circle. As different ideas come to mind, add to the web with additional circles. Keep in mind that ideas may come randomly, so don’t be afraid to add more circles as needed to expand your web. This method is especially favorable to visual learners who often like to see how chunking different ideas combine to make a whole.

• Cubing

Cubing is an effective method to think about your topic analytically. Instead of generating the first thing that comes to mind, you are asking questions about your topic under specific categories. Consider six questions to ask with regard to your topic.

Example: Environmental Effects of Global Warming

1. Describe your topic in three sentences.

My topic is about the environmental effects of global warming. Global warming is the way in which the earth’s atmosphere is changing and affecting our world climate. As a result of this change, our entire environment is changing.

2. Compare your topic to another one. Focus on the similarities and differences.

Global warming can be compared to the Ice Age. The Ice Age was also a time when the earth’s environment changed completely and forced some species to die out and others to change permanently.

3. Associate your topic with something similar in your life.

Global warming is kind of like sitting out in the sun too long and getting sunburned. Only instead of your skin getting hot, the earth gets hot. Evaporation, dehydration and extreme fatigue settle in causing permanent damage.

4. Analyze your topic by breaking it down into separate parts.

Global warming can be divided into separate issues. They are how the sun affects our atmosphere; how carbon dioxide emissions ruin the atmosphere; and how a change in the atmospheric conditions affects weather patterns across the world.

5. Apply your topic to something or someone that you already know.

Global warming is close to me because my relatives were living in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit. They lost their home and had to live in the Houston Dome for awhile. It was really hard on them. This showed me how Global Warming is not just glaciers melting, but affecting people too.

6. Argue for and against your topic.

Global warming is a worldwide environmental topic where every country will be affected. It is important that every nation be a part of the Kyoto Protocol. Despite what skeptics say, global warming is a disaster in the making and we all need to open our eyes and accept the responsibility of reducing carbon dioxide release.