Brainstorming

While at the ACFW Conference, I attended Rachel Hauck's workshops on brainstorming, and learned so much. For me, brainstorming is very difficult because I am such a perfectionist. I have an easier time writing seat-of-the-pants because it feels like less pressure. When I write an outline beforehand, I feel nervous and almost panicky as the editing side of my brain and the creative side try to work together at once. I'm actually even in the process of doing this right now, and it's making me crazy! Can you relate?

Today I want to share several things Rachel said that stood out to me because they're so helpful in overcoming these problems.

1) Brainstorming in groups can be a great exercise. I'd never thought about this before! Sure, I've talked to my husband, mom, friends, etc. about my books, but I've never sat down to chat strictly for the purpose of brainstorming. Rachel recommended even considering finding a brainstorming buddy, like a critique partner, who can know your story inside and out and really help you craft the essential elements of it. If you meet in person, have someone keep track of time so you can be sure you get to everyone's projects.

2) Keep asking "why." On the plane flight home from ACFW, I practiced this... and boy, it really works! Brainstorming often feels overwhelming to me because I'll just have snipbits of ideas I'm trying to piece together into something coherent. Asking"why" helps deepen these snipbits and connect them. For instance, maybe all you know about a character is that she's scared of stairs. Well, why? Maybe because when she was a kid, she tripped and fell down them. Why does that matter? Maybe she cracked her two front teeth and the other kids made fun of her. Why does that matter? Maybe she still has self-confidence issues today. That's a really quirky example for the sake of illustration, but it really is amazing how your brain will fill in the specifics if you keep digging deeper.

3) Turn off your inner editor. This is the thing I most struggle with when brainstorming. Every time I come up with an idea, part of me says, "That doesn't work with the rest of your story," or "That's ridiculous. No one will believe that." But I loved that Rachel said during her workshop. Imagine if Tolkein had sat down to write Lord of the Rings and thought to himself, "I think I'll invent a place called Middle Earth and invent a fictional language for its inhabitants... no, on second thought, that would never work." How often do we stifle brilliant ideas because they are only in the beginning stages? Rachel said you should never give up an idea until you've considered it from every angle. You may find a way to make it work.

What do you think? Do you enjoy brainstorming? What tricks do you have to make the process effective?

Staying Organized

Lest you read the title of today's blog post and think I actually am organized, let me begin my saying I often choose blog topics according to what I am learning at the time, and organization is definitely something I'm still in the process of learning. Moment of transparency: sometimes it is so difficult to just sit down and write! Why is that? Do you ever feel that way? I get everything set up and ready to go... candle burning, Peppermint Patties in hand... all the writing essentials... and then I end up watching Everybody Loves Raymond.

But God always equips us with the tools and the resources necessary for our calling. He never expects us to produce something that's out of our capacity to achieve. That's the thing about grace. But the thing about faith is, it always pushes us farther than we knew we could go. Which can, at times, be scary.

So how can we take charge of our time and resources, even our ideas, to use these things in the most productive manner? Some of you lead super busy momma lives, struggling to find any free time; and others of you are like me--depending on the semester you may have so much free "writing" time that you find yourself always getting distracted in a season that's supposed to be uber-productive.

I think these concepts also apply not just to time, but also to ideas. Something that frustrates me about the first draft of a project is that I don't have all my ideas in place yet. So I hope these concepts help you in that arena as well.

• Get time where you can. Even if it's only fifteen minutes here or there between washing dishes or folding laundry, those fifteen minutes add up.

• Make the most of your thoughts throughout the day. Brainstorm and daydream about your characters, as well as their emotional responses, in the Chick Fil A drive through line so that by the time you get back to your laptop, you waste no time before fleshing these ideas out.

• Keep things (ideas, chapters, writing, books, resources, laptop) easily accessible and keep yourself from distractions.

• As best you can, dedicate a writing "time" like a regular office job would dictate. Organize your time and protect it. Be sure others respect it as they would a more formal job because it is, indeed, a "real" job.

• When it comes down to it, relax. You are not going to be completely organized all the time, and that is okay. You have to think about what is really important in life, and be satisfied with productivity. You are not going to be able to achieve all things at all times. So are you going to choose to always feel inadequate, or are you going to be proud of what you have accomplished?

Do you ever struggle with organization, whether it's time, mental organization, or something else? What helps you stay organized?

That Lightbulb Moment

I'm having a hard time concentrating. That's because there's a lovely-smelling soy candle burning beside me that transports my mind to Hawaii, and because there's a little icon on Cara Putman's face looking at me from the "recently downloaded" file folder at the bottom of my screen. Speaking of Cara Putman, her newest novel, A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island, released this week, and if you haven't already done so, you should splurge and go buy yourself a copy. The setting is fabulous, and Cara's a great writer. A review will be forthcoming once I finish the story!

Isn't the cartoon at the right hilarious? I was looking for the perfect brainstorming clip art, and let's just say it found me. Something about the largeness of this guy's head gives me the giggles.

Today I thought I'd ask your input on something I've been struggling with all afternoon. Brainstorming! In the past, I've always been blessed to have about seven book ideas in cue mentally at all times, so I've never really had to fish for a new concept. But I'm trying to push myself and branch out a bit, and let's just say, coming up with something from scratch is hard! Have you all experienced this? Here are some pointers I've found either work well for me, or I've heard work well for other people:

1) Don't try so hard. This is a big thing for me. When I'm fretting over finding a perfect idea, my creativity takes a hike. If I casually think about stories while, say, I'm driving or taking a walk (or buying unnecessary shoes), it seems that the ideas flow so much easier.

2) Look to news stories for inspiration. I haven't tried this one myself, but in a workshop I once attended, James Scott Bell explained that he got the inspiration behind the opening scene of one of his books (I think it was Try Dying) from a real news story that he found very moving.

3) If you know the setting or target audience, familiarize yourself with it. If you're going to write YA, check out YA websites. If you're writing historical, try to visit historical sites near your town that might jog your creativity.

4) When all else fails, just sit down and write. Doesn't matter if it's good. Doesn't matter if you use those exact sentences. If you write long enough, you'll likely stumble into something great, and you'll also have already coached yourself to write past the doldrums.

5) Talk through your ideas with a critique partner, a good friend, or a chatty Starbucks barista. Sometimes working through something verbally is the best way to get things flowing in your mind.

I want to hear from you! How do you get ideas for your books, and how to you go beyond writer's block on those days when your creativity seems to be stuck?