15 minutes worth of brainstorming?
Jan. 27th, 2011 10:27 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
Okay, I'm behind. But over at http://www.writingexcuses.com/ Brandon Sanderson, Howard Tayler, and Dan Wells are putting out a weekly series about writing called Writing Excuses. It's audio, not text, but I tried the first one today (it was put up Feb. 10) and it was pretty good!
So, my summary of some points (not a complete transcript) from http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/10/
Brainstorming? This started with Howard taking a bath in Pepsi, but . . .
And you can find out about Howard's Pepsi habit, too. Now there's a sticky image. :-)
So, my summary of some points (not a complete transcript) from http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/10/
Brainstorming? This started with Howard taking a bath in Pepsi, but . . .
- Write those ideas down when they come by - otherwise they will sneak away again.
- Take some time to think about when you get ideas, then encourage them
- Try some tools such as wikidpad (link on the site), or multiple files, or maybe outline mode. Use what works for you, but . . .
- Watch out for runaway organization (aka worldbuilder's disease). Keep the focus on specific characters and conflicts, not on writing your own encyclopedia of background.
- Need to balance between always improvising and spending forever preparing.
- It's ideas that have simmered for years, and suddenly they will stick together, with the right chemistry. Often something small will catalyze this.
- Mix one mundane idea and one extraordinary notion, and sometimes you get wonder
And you can find out about Howard's Pepsi habit, too. Now there's a sticky image. :-)