New writers:
If you find yourself feeling like your head is going to explode from all the details about your new project idea swirling around in it, this option may help.
I teach it to my clients under the label “Brain Board,” but feel free to call it whatever you like!
A brain board is just a dumping ground for all your ideas related to a particular project. You can create one with paper and ink, using a Google Doc, or writing on a blackboard.
In this new document, all you’ll do is empty your mind of everything related to your new book idea. Names, dates, scenes, settings, new tech, animal familiars, snippets of dialogue, etc. No detail is too large or too small. There’s no such thing wrong. EVERYTHING goes onto the brain board!
Once you’ve run out of steam and stopped writing, you may find that you feel a bit better. Instead of trying to hold all of that information in your mind, you’ve gotten it outside of yourself and cleared the way for other ideas (related to the project or not!) to arise.
If you’ve ever completed a brainstorm at work or school, this is essentially the same thing. The major difference is that you’re doing it by yourself and you will be recording and holding onto what you write.
So, when you’re finished, be sure to save the brain board somewhere you can easily find it again, but that it’s not likely to get lost or destroyed. As new ideas come to you related to that particular book project, add them to the brain board. When you’re ready to start outlining or writing the manuscript, you’ll have a great resource to use so that you don’t drop ideas that could be helpful for making the manuscript stronger.
Please remember that this is a document that you don’t have to share with anyone. So don’t worry about spelling, grammar, handwriting, or organization. Just get the ideas out of your head and onto the page / screen.
Happy brainstorming!
