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Brainstorming (breaking writer's block) tips
11 years ago
I was stuck for two days trying to think up a story to do that wasn't in one of the two universe I've been using all last and the first part of this year. I had a sense of having "done everything" which, after ten years writing in the macrophile community, wasn't too hard a conclusion to draw.
While it's not the worst case of writer's block I or anyone else ever had, it did feel pretty paralyzing. Fortunately, I have been told multiple times that the best cure for writer's block is to write something, anything, even an excuse letter as to why you can't write (that's worked in the past too believe it or not).
So I decided to sit down and make out a list of all the words/phrases I had learned to associate with the macro genre from all that I'd written or read. In the end, I came up with the following:
• Destroyer
• Protector
• Neutral
• Violent
• Gentle
• Predator
• Guardian
• Alien
• Weapon
• Mutant
• Magic
• Deity
• Mythological
• Mercenary
• Oppressed
• Oppressor
• Wizard
• Normal but surrounded by small
• Unaware
• Empowered
• Aloof
• Sociopathic
• Empathic
• Wild
After doing this for a few minutes I started getting scenarios in my head which I then listed out as follows. I wrote a series of blurbs containing a premise, followed by a quick conflict/resolution:
1.Warrior from giant race takes her father’s place as a weapon of conquest working for smaller beings. Has to earn gold to pay off larger tribe’s tribute threatening her own.
2.Vengeful spirit possesses/uses regular people as vessels to attack logging company. Protagonist has to reign in superpowered alter ego and stop someone who’s fully embraced it.
3.Small creatures used as war gaming toys by regular-sized one. One piece slips off the table, bonds
with person who doesn’t play the game. Has to teach them how to play so as to win his friends from cruel owner.
4.Space pirates use shrink rays to capture entire colonies for ransom/easy looting/playthings. Crew member enlists help of captive to overthrow captain of the ship.
5.Zombie apocalypse with giants. One retains free will.
6.Giants embark on annual “harvest” of planets to prevent them from growing too advanced. One gets stranded, befriends local who hides her from vengeful populace, begins to question purpose of the harvest.
7.Fury biker goddess wipes out biker bar’s evil gang bangers. Takes a “pretender”—good person—with her as a companion/plaything.
Finally, once I'd listed the ideas I went back and surveyed myself on how much interest I had in each of the above blurbs ranging from interested to very interested (I liked them all, so it never went lower) and labeling them as such.
1. Somewhat interested
2. Interested
3. Very Interested
4. Very Interested
5. Somewhat Interested.
6. Very interested.
7. Very interested.
Obviously I didn't separate one out from the others, but it did narrow down the clutter considerably allowing me to decide that #7 was the one I wanted to do. #7, by the way, wasn't added to the list until the following morning, which I was fine with because the whole point of brainstorming is to throw stuff out without a commitment.
In conclusion, it was a very fun exercise and a great way for me to clear my head. While everyone has their own unique style of writing, I would encourage others to try something like this at least once if they get writer's block as the best way to overcome the inability to write is to write.
TL;DR had writer's block, made a bunch of lists for stories and then ranked them by how much I wanted to write each story out.
While it's not the worst case of writer's block I or anyone else ever had, it did feel pretty paralyzing. Fortunately, I have been told multiple times that the best cure for writer's block is to write something, anything, even an excuse letter as to why you can't write (that's worked in the past too believe it or not).
So I decided to sit down and make out a list of all the words/phrases I had learned to associate with the macro genre from all that I'd written or read. In the end, I came up with the following:
• Destroyer
• Protector
• Neutral
• Violent
• Gentle
• Predator
• Guardian
• Alien
• Weapon
• Mutant
• Magic
• Deity
• Mythological
• Mercenary
• Oppressed
• Oppressor
• Wizard
• Normal but surrounded by small
• Unaware
• Empowered
• Aloof
• Sociopathic
• Empathic
• Wild
After doing this for a few minutes I started getting scenarios in my head which I then listed out as follows. I wrote a series of blurbs containing a premise, followed by a quick conflict/resolution:
1.Warrior from giant race takes her father’s place as a weapon of conquest working for smaller beings. Has to earn gold to pay off larger tribe’s tribute threatening her own.
2.Vengeful spirit possesses/uses regular people as vessels to attack logging company. Protagonist has to reign in superpowered alter ego and stop someone who’s fully embraced it.
3.Small creatures used as war gaming toys by regular-sized one. One piece slips off the table, bonds
with person who doesn’t play the game. Has to teach them how to play so as to win his friends from cruel owner.
4.Space pirates use shrink rays to capture entire colonies for ransom/easy looting/playthings. Crew member enlists help of captive to overthrow captain of the ship.
5.Zombie apocalypse with giants. One retains free will.
6.Giants embark on annual “harvest” of planets to prevent them from growing too advanced. One gets stranded, befriends local who hides her from vengeful populace, begins to question purpose of the harvest.
7.Fury biker goddess wipes out biker bar’s evil gang bangers. Takes a “pretender”—good person—with her as a companion/plaything.
Finally, once I'd listed the ideas I went back and surveyed myself on how much interest I had in each of the above blurbs ranging from interested to very interested (I liked them all, so it never went lower) and labeling them as such.
1. Somewhat interested
2. Interested
3. Very Interested
4. Very Interested
5. Somewhat Interested.
6. Very interested.
7. Very interested.
Obviously I didn't separate one out from the others, but it did narrow down the clutter considerably allowing me to decide that #7 was the one I wanted to do. #7, by the way, wasn't added to the list until the following morning, which I was fine with because the whole point of brainstorming is to throw stuff out without a commitment.
In conclusion, it was a very fun exercise and a great way for me to clear my head. While everyone has their own unique style of writing, I would encourage others to try something like this at least once if they get writer's block as the best way to overcome the inability to write is to write.
TL;DR had writer's block, made a bunch of lists for stories and then ranked them by how much I wanted to write each story out.
Listing out what you want to write seems like a pretty interesting idea, but it also requires you to come up with more than one thing that you think is worth tackling. Still, better than doing what I do and spreading yourself thin. It sounds like a good way to nip writer's block in the bud regardless, and certainly a great way to get the gears kicking. You're also right that writing for its own sake is one of the best cures for the same reason. I may well give this a shot sometime--that is, when I'm at a lack for things I already ought to get done.