One popular method used to aid creativity is brainstorming. This usually involves a group of people, but what if you are working remotely from the office or you are a freelance? Don’t worry, it’s perfectly possible to use solitary brainstorming techniques. This is a great way to generate lot of ideas, from which you can then select the best for whatever project you are working on. Here is our recommended method:
Start by arming yourself with a notebook and pen, or use a tape recorder. Don’t think you will remember everything you thought of during your brainstorming session later – you won’t!
Make yourself comfortable before you begin. Find a quiet room, free of distractions. Some people do, however, find they can work better with their favourite music playing in the background. Choose what works best for you.
Set aside at least half an hour for your solo brainstorming session. Relax and start slowly. Because you are working on your own, you may find it takes longer for the ideas to begin to flow. Don’t worry about this. Stay calm but focused, and the ideas will come. Once they begin, let them continue as long as possible. If that takes you over the time you originally allocated for the session, so be it.
It’s a good idea to set a theme for each session, especially if you are trying to generate ideas for a current project. For example, if you’re a copywriter planning an ad for fitness equipment, think of anything that could even remotely relate to that topic: exercise, weight loss, health, bodybuilding, muscle groups, and so on. Allow your ideas to branch off one another. For example, thinking about ideas related to health might lead to nutrition, and then on to diet. Try not to wander too far away from your theme, though.
Don’t worry if it seems you’re writing down wild and crazy things. Save sorting out your notes for later, and never stop the idea flow to judge or critique your ideas.
Take a break between the brainstorming session and the evaluation of your notes. Set your notebook or tape recorder aside for a few hours or (ideally) a day or two. Don’t worry if at first glance many of your ideas seem ridiculous. Go through them all objectively, testing each one against the requirements in your brief. Even if there isn’t anything you can use as it stands, often you will find that with just a little adaptation some of the things you came up with can be turned into great ideas for your project.
Brainstorming is really just a way to engage the creative, intuitive side of your brain, which is often suppressed by the rational, analytical side. It’s a powerful technique, and even if you are sceptical we recommend giving it a fair trial the next time you are struggling for ideas.
For more about generating ideas or taking up Copywriting as a career visit https://www.writersbureau.com/courses/copy-writing/
