Confession: I’ve spent the last month more stuck on a novel then I’ve ever been before.
As a result, I’ve spent the past month brainstorming with author friends to try and find solutions–plus I’ve brainstormed with two writer friends on their books. While I reflected on these different conversations, all with kind, experienced and talented friends, I thought about which conversations were more productive than others and why. During this time, a friend also told me about a recent writing retreat she attended and challenges they experienced in group brainstorming. And that lead me to ask a question:
Why don’t we talk more about effective group brainstorming?
In all my years of studying writing, attending conferences, listening to podcasts, and reading craft books, I’ve never heard novelists discuss best practices for group brainstorming. But there is one group of creatives who discuss this A LOT: TV writers. Especially American TV writers, who often work in writers rooms, then make awesome podcasts about their experiences that Aussie fangirls can spend many hours listening to.
You know another group that discusses brainstorming? Corporate project teams. Probably not the creative bunch you envisioned, right? But large businesses have to find ways for the good ideas to make it to the top of the bureaucracy—and that means creating safe spaces that draw ideas from people at all levels in the business. In my day job as a training designer for a regional bank, I’ve seen this in action. Pixar also employed similar techniques to drive innovations in their movies, as Ed Catmull describes in his book Creativity, Inc.
And as authors, we know that the ‘solitary writer’ is a stereotype that borders on myth. We discuss our plots, problems and ideas with friends, agents, editors and more. Group think is often a part of our process. So I think it deserves some love.
That’s why I’ve put this little tip sheet together. This is the best I’ve got so far, combining all I’ve learned from recent experience, what I’ve learned from soooo many hours of TV podcasts, and from my day job in the corporate world.
These questions are designed to stop us focusing on what story WE think is awesome, and hone in on what the author in question thinks is awesome. We all love different things about stories, and tend to suggest the ideas we ourselves want to write. But our focus here should be on supplying our author friend with the kinds of ideas THEY will find most useful—which means we need to understand better what they’re looking for.
So for now, here’s what I’ve got: Five Must-Ask Questions to Brainstorm Books with Others
Ask the author in the hotseat:
1. What do you want from this session?
Do they need help with a certain character? Do they want to strengthen their ending? Fix a plot hole? Are they interested in your ideas, or do they just need a sounding board? Before you launch into how you think this story should go, establish expectations up front.
2. What makes you interested in this story?
There’s a key element or two in every story that drives the author’s interest in that book. While we all know we will kill some darlings in the writing and editing process, removing these extra-special golden nuggets would entirely extinguish the author’s interest in their own work. Take the time to find out their non-negotiables so you can focus your energy on enhancing the parts they love and shifting around the movable puzzle pieces.
3. What are some comparable novels, why, and what interests you about them?
Your author might say they’re writing a ‘murder mystery’, but you need better detail on the style they’re interested. Will this murder case be heavy on suspense? Mystery? Action? Is there a romantic element? Family drama? A common theme, even if the genres are different? Get a better picture of what you’re aiming for.
4. Which element do you want to work on first? We’ll brainstorm 10 ideas for it.
This is an important step. We all know our first idea is almost never the best one. But when brainstorming, if we just throw up a ‘what if this happened?’, then it usually falls on the author to respond. This can be problematic for several reasons.
- If they say, ‘Yeah, that could work’ – then you devote energy expanding that idea, rather than pushing your brain to think of more, probably better ideas.
- If they say, ‘I don’t think that works’, this MASSIVELY DRAINS BRAIN JUICE. First, they have to spend brain power deciding why they don’t like the idea. Then, find a way to politely tell you that while showing their gratitude for your time. Then, they often feel the need to justify why the idea won’t work. But we need that precious brain power for more ideas. So instead, save the brain juice and ask:
5. Which of these 10 ideas stand out to you most, and why?
If you brainstorm 10 up front, then it’s easier to identify which of the ideas interest the author most. This sheds even better light on what kinds of suggestions are most likely to hit the mark.
The conversation generally flows from there. Once you’ve got some options for one issue, you can do the 10 ideas thing for another plot point or character. And that’s it! Got ideas? Suggestions? Success/failure stories? Love to hear them. Let’s improve this thing. Jessica@jessicakatewriting.com.
Recent Comments