Material for A Good Writing Text

Brainstorming

 What do you do before you write?
You brainstorm about the idea or topic you are writing about. Everybody brainstorms before writing about something, even famous authors like J.K. Rowling, Beverly Cleary, and Judy Blume. Brainstorming is a way to think up ideas for a story or a book. Write down everything that comes to mind.
Brainstorming is a method students can use to generate ideas for writing a paper. In the process of brainstorming you should suspend any concerns about staying organized. The goal is to pour your thoughts onto paper without worrying about whether they make sense or how they fit together.
Because students have different learning styles, some students will be uncomfortable with the disorganized frenzy of spilling thoughts onto paper. For instance, left brained students and sequential thinking students may not benefit from the process if it becomes too cluttered.
There are more organized ways to brainstorm, however. For this reason, we’ll explore a few ways to get the same results. Find the one that feels most comfortable to you.

Steps

1. Set your timer.

It can be any time that you feel would put your brainstorming sessions to their full potential. One suggestion would be a topic word or a thought that you would like to explore at the top of your paper. Maybe use words such as 'education' or 'government.' Continue writing words or phrases in list form down the page until your time has run out.

2. Never stop writing.

Even if you have to write down an idea that's completely stupid and wouldn't work, it's better than stopping and interrupting the creative flow. Keep working, and if you can't think of anything, continue to write "I don't know, I don't know" in a continuous loop. This will get so boring that your idle brain will come up with something.

3. Assume that no word is self-explanatory.

Continue to focus on one topic word until you cannot describe it with any further detail. In other words, take a deeper look at an individual or minute part of a larger whole.

4. As your thoughts slow or become stagnant, begin to review your lists periodically.

Previous terms may need further explanation, or may bring forth new ideas to the surface.

5. When you are finished brainstorming, re-organize your words and phrases into sequential categories.
6. If you have a sufficient collection of good ideas, begin to work on the rough draft.

If more ideas are needed, try other informal invention techniques such as freewriting or mapping.

7. Utilizing a dictionary, search for random words.

Close your eyes and place your finger on the page or choose the most attractive word as you scan through the pages. Write these words down as well as any other thoughts that may be in relation to these words.

Tips

• While brainstorming, it can be helpful to listen to classical music or jazz, or any songs without lyrics.
• A few extra writing utensils along with a thick pad of paper ensures for an adequate supply of materials to continue the flow of your work without interruption.
• Brainstorming is an uncensored practice. Try not to make any corrections during the brainstorming process.
• Keep going, even if you come across a good idea near the beginning of the brain storm session; as other ideas that are just as good - or even better - may come along.
• Don't immediately dismiss an idea. Continue to write and see where your thoughts take you.
• Save your brainstorming papers, as you never know when you may need them.
• Brainstorming can be difficult during your first few sessions, but don't give up! If it doesn't work, try again.
• Try, as illustrated above, using sticky notes. Every time you think of something -ANYTHING!- write it down and stick it up. It could come back around to be useful.
• Don't be afraid to go crazy with your thoughts.
• Try brainstorming with a friend. They might have different ideas and your collaboration could end up with the perfect result!

 Warnings

• Brainstorming is not guaranteed to break the toughest writers' block, but it should give you a mental warm-up and an idea of where you are going with your writing process.
• Brainstorming can be very frustrating at times, so remember to take a break every so often.