Why it Matters
Think of brainstorming like packing for a trip. You wouldn’t just jump in the car without knowing where you’re going or what you’ll need—writing works the same way. Brainstorming helps you gather your ideas, figure out your direction, and make sure you’re ready to write with purpose.
This part of the process is your chance to explore. You might scribble down a bunch of random thoughts, ask yourself questions, or make messy lists—and that’s the point! You’re not trying to write a perfect sentence yet. You’re giving your brain the freedom to think without pressure.
When you take time to brainstorm, you’re more likely to come up with something interesting to say. You’ll also waste less time later trying to figure out what to write, because you’ve already done the heavy lifting.
Don’t skip it. Even five minutes of solid brainstorming can be the difference between feeling stuck and feeling confident when it’s time to start your draft.
Quick Tips!
Time Yourself When Free-Writing: Set a timer and just write! Don’t stop to fix anything—just let your thoughts flow. The time limit helps you stay focused and can bring out creative ideas.
Keep Mind Maps Simple: If your topic has a lot going on, try sticking to 3–5 main ideas in your mind map. That way, it stays clear and easy to follow.
Ask “So What?”: When picking your focus, ask yourself: So what? This helps you figure out why your idea matters and whether it’s strong enough to build on.
Techniques for Generating Ideas
There’s no one right way to brainstorm—different methods work better for different people. Try a few of these and see what fits you best:
Free-Writing
Set a timer for 5–10 minutes and write whatever comes to mind about your topic. Don’t worry about grammar, spelling, or if it makes sense. Just let your thoughts flow. This can help surprising or creative ideas come out that you didn’t even know you had.
Mind Mapping
Write your main topic in the middle of a page, then draw lines out to connect ideas, questions, or related thoughts. It’s like building a map of everything that connects to your topic. Seeing your ideas this way can help you find patterns or new directions.
Create a List
Make a list of anything that pops into your head about the topic—words, ideas, phrases, whatever. Once you have a good list, look for ideas that go together or stand out. This can help you find different angles or points to explore in your writing.
Choosing a Focus
After brainstorming a bunch of ideas, it’s time to pick one clear direction for your writing. This will help you stay on track and make your work more focused and organized.
Find What Fits the Assignment
Go back to the prompt or question you were given. Which of your ideas actually answer it? Cross out anything that doesn’t connect well or feels off-topic.
Pick Something That Interests You
If you get to choose your topic, go with something you care about or find interesting. When you’re into the topic, writing feels easier—and your work usually turns out bette
Make Sure It’s the Right Size
Your topic shouldn’t be too big or too small. For example, “climate change” is huge and hard to cover in one paper. But “how climate change affects coastal cities” is a more focused and manageable idea.
Organizing Your Thoughts
Now that you’ve picked a focus, it’s time to sort through your ideas. This will help you build a strong starting point for your outline or first draft.
Group Similar Ideas
Look at what you came up with during brainstorming. Start putting related ideas together. For example, if you’re writing about a character from a book, you might group ideas into things like “personality,” “important actions,” and “relationships with others.”
Think in Sections
Each group of ideas could turn into a paragraph or section in your paper. Try giving each group a quick heading—this makes it easier to see how your writing might flow from one part to the next.
Choose What Matters Most
You don’t need to use every single idea. Pick the ones that fit best with your focus and the assignment. If there’s a word count or time limit, stick with the strongest points.