Brainstorming
Sometimes a book comes to me fully formed. In some sort of flash I see the entire thing--beginning, middle, end. It's as if the main character walks into my bedroom, sits in the big chair in the corner and says, "Now Orloff, let's have a little chat because here's what I'm thinking." I listen, stare at the ceiling, and eventually nod. "Yup. I think that'll work."
Other times? I have the hook, the main character, but beyond that . . . nothin'.
And it's not that nothing comes to me. It's just not the RIGHT thing that comes to me. Ideas float in. I toss them out.
Sometimes, fortunately, I will hear a song, or see something, or dream something and it starts to gel a bit more.
Lately, I've been doing some brainstorming. My best friend Pammie sent me some thoughts on a recent idea I had. Someone else shared coffee with me yesterday and tossed out some WILD ideas. No filter. Just out there. And you know . . . something about the wild ideas . . . seemed right. Not perfectly gelled, mind you. But . . . something.
Brainstorming plot with writer friends is like that. I think of it as being on a road, and coming to a fork in the road and you can't decide which direction to go. And then someone shows up with an all-terrain vehicle and says, "Forget the damn road and just go off into the wilderness." Brainstorming takes me out of MY brain's pathways and jostles me a bit. One friend even recommended a song to listen to.
And ultimately . . . ultimately, I had a moment where I asked myself, "What do you intend to say with this novel? What is drawing you to it?"--that theme thing again.
Thanks to brainstorming, I think I know.
Someone recently saw me talking to myself and asked if I did that when I was nervous. I told him, "Nope. It's just something I do. I think it's because I'm a writer." Hell, sometimes, I just brainstorm with me, myself, and I. Anyone else brainstorm? Alone? With a friend?
23 comments:
I have to brainstorm alone.
My writer friends don't think far enough outside the box for my style. I don't want to write the same as everyone else, I want 'different'. Not light years away different, right hand turn different.--does that make sense? See my problem? I don't even make sense to me! :-)
My family thinks I'm nuts. Shoot, even my 8-yo thinks I'm crazy--and I'M WRITING MIDDLE GRADE STORIES! Aarrgghh!!
Yeah, I work alone. Sometimes I have to let a problem gel for a few months before I can work on it.
But there is always something to write.
magolla:
I brainstorm alone. But I have three, maybe four friends, I will toss things out to.
I think the BIG difference, for me, is these trusted people don't say, "Write the book THIS way." There is nothing that bigs me more than someone coming in and tromping all over my book and telling me how they would write it. It's MY book. You go write YOUR book. Hence . . . one person I used to let beta read, I never EVER will again. However, these three or four will say, "What do you think about . . . " or "I know this sounds out there, but what if you . . . " To me, that's brainstorming . . . not telling me HOW to write MY story. I don't know if that's clear, but I guess that's the distinction for me.
E
I have one good friend that I brainstorm with, and we always joke that she tells me what DOESN'T happen. She throws out idea after idea, all of which, I reject, and then she walks away feeling like it wasn't helpful at all, but it WAS because it got me thinking in directions I hadn't gone before. And sometimes I'll use just one tiny piece she mentioned because I love it and I want her to know how much I appreciate picking her brain :)
Nice post. It must be nice having your characters sit down and tell you the whole story. Mine are way too miserly for that, doling out what little bits they feel necessary at their own slow pace :)
Usually ideas come to me while walking or showering. I have no idea why those 2 particular things, but they do.
If pressed, I might formally brainstorm, sit down and say, Okay, now I need ideas. Start writing them down. You just have to remember to throw out the crap.
Linus Pauling, who won the Nobel twice, said once that the way to have brilliant ideas is to have lots of ideas and throw out the bad ones.
I'm in construction. I get a lot of time in my truck where I can talk out dialog and think through stuff. I do get the occasional strange looks from the cars nearby, but they usually don't laugh too loud.
I get to toss ideas at my wife. She is usually reading a book, so I never get an answer, but I still feel like I am having a conversation.
I guess I am like the rest.
My writing group has two "Plot Parties" a year. You sign up for a time slot, then when it's your time you give your premise or idea and then sit there with pen and paper and write like mad, cause about 40 writer people start brainstorming on your idea for 20 minutes. OMG -- these are amazing events!!!
I often brainstorm with my screenwriter son -- he's always good for the sagging middle or twist.
I talk to myself too. Part of being a writer I guess.
Brainstorming is good, but I think sometimes a good premise can shoot off in too many crazy directions if you're not careful. I watched Knowing with Nicholas Cage the other night, and it struck me that way.
Celeste:
That is really funny (her perception). And you're right. I think by rejecting ideas, it helps you hone in on what you DO want in your book.
E
Eric:
I am usually fortunate that way. I am not sure why, but they generally come to me fully formed. The PLOT may not. But the characters do.
E
Mark:
I like Linus Pauling's view of it. I usually have a TON of ideas. And then I weed through and throw out the crappy one.
E
Allen:
I've given up talking to family members.
E
I miss brainstorming with real live people! My husband is getting better about it, but there's nothing like sitting across from one or four people and just throwing ideas out there.
I've recently started brainstorming a bit with one writer friend via email, and it's really helping a lot. I LOVE the idea of the ATV that finds its own road.
Beth:
That sounds FAB!
E
Jude:
I think after a brainstorming session it's fairly easy to impose some discipline and toss out what doesn't work.
E
Oh, I also talk to myself a lot. I once shared an office with a woman who was the same way, so we established a rule that if we were addressing each other we'd say our name first so we knew to tune in. :P
Melanie:
Leave it to me to go off-road altogether. ;-)
E
Thoughts:
Okay. I think I get it....
Everytime I come here (I read every post as soon as I see that you have a new one up) I feel as though I'm.....gosh, I dunno. It's really hard to put into words. It's like I feel as though it's wrong to read your words and not leave some sort of comment, dialogue, in response to all the wonderful words you have to share as an expert writer. My heart does this funny number as soon as I hit "x".
But I realized today, that I don't have to leave a part of me just to show that I get you on every level. I can just come here for my "morning cup o' tea" and enjoy silently all the whimsical musings you have to share.
I think also that I get this sort of (and forgive me, I'm a wench, quite aware) jealous feeling come over me, because there are days I wish I was one of the lucky ones, there with you, brainstorming, chatting, suggesting songs for you to listen to, movies to watch, movie lines to improvise for shady characters that walk into the room like they do in Wonder Boys.
You're a really special gal Erica. I hope you know that.
Awww . . . Realm . . . you made me misty-eyed. Thanks, Chicka. You know I think you are awesomely wonderful, too.
xo
E
P.S. Missed ya. Popped by your blog a couple of times lately to see what's been up in your corner of the universe.
My friends and family think I'm a total nutcase. They see me driving and talking to myself or my parents will here me up in my room pacing around and interviewing characters or saying crazy things like "Hollow-Bbeing composed of negative feelings and energy combine with PK energy and brought to life by a mutation in human genes." Nobody knows what that means until they read the book. My parents are always asking me "So who's your new best friend? You've been talking to them a lot lately." This recieves a grunt and a glare from me. And then I go up to my room and think some more.
My closest friend Mia thinks I'm completely off by bonker when I say my characters are always speaking to me. Her reaction: "So...is that like having MPD or something?"
JT:
I'm always asking WHY of my characters. Why, why, why!!??!?!?!?!
E
I usually brainstorm by myself. I talk though the plot and even certain scenes with my characters. Fortunately my kids are used to it. I also brainstorm with my hubby. He is awesome when it comes to finding holes in plots or providing strategies with battles or time travel etc..
It has actually taken me a while to get used to receiving help. Until recently, I felt that it would no longer be 'my' work. Now I know better. :)
Hi JLC:
I think so much depends on who is giving the advice, and a lot more importantly . . . how.
E
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