Feeling uninspired for your next story idea?
All writers come to that point in their process when it seems like no new ideas will ever come. You stare at the blank page and just… nothing. It’s incredibly frustrating to feel like your creativity has run dry.
The good news is this:
Effective brainstorming techniques will break you out of that rut and get ideas flowing again. In fact, you can start most of these for free today.
In This Guide
- Why It’s Important To Find Brainstorming Techniques That Work
- The Mind Mapping Method
- Freewriting For Breakthrough Story Ideas
- AI Story Generators To Help With Creativity
- The “What If” Technique
- Character-First Brainstorming
Why Authors Need Better Brainstorming Techniques
Ideation is hard.
Brainstorming new story ideas takes time and energy that most of us struggle to find. In fact, according to a recent study, 47% of people listed time as the top barrier to being more creative. It makes sense, after all. You have to give your full attention to brainstorming or it won’t be effective.
The problem with freestyle ideation is that it can often feel like a waste of time.
You sit down and put your full focus into thinking of ideas, only to come away empty-handed after 30 minutes. This is where more effective brainstorming techniques can help. A well-defined ideation process will actually make creativity easier. The structure gives you guardrails so you can focus on the task at hand without getting distracted or veering off track.
And here’s the interesting part…
The right brainstorming method could literally double the number of story ideas you come up with in half the time. Instead of aimlessly trying to force creativity for hours, you might have 10 strong concepts in 30 minutes.
Let’s take a look at some brainstorming techniques you can start using today.
Mind Mapping: Your Visual Brainstorming Tool
What if you could see how your ideas relate to one another?
Mind mapping is a powerful brainstorming technique to help you visualize the relationships between various aspects of your story. The idea is simple: start with your main idea in the center of the page and draw branches to related concepts, characters, settings or themes. From those branches, keep adding more branches to get even more specific.
The beauty of mind mapping is that you’ll start to see connections you might miss if you were just taking linear notes. Suddenly that random detail from your villain’s backstory might connect with your protagonist’s childhood. Or perhaps two seemingly unrelated plot points end up tying together perfectly.
Mind mapping can be done with:
- Pen and paper (good old-fashioned but works great)
- Digital mind mapping tools like MindMeister or Coggle
- Whiteboards for group brainstorming
- Post-it notes all over a wall
The main rule is just let the ideas flow without judgment. Don’t censor yourself at this stage, just get everything out visually.
Freewriting: Unleash Your Creative Chaos
Trust me, this one is simple but powerful.
Set a timer for 10-15 minutes and write non-stop. Don’t stop to edit, second-guess yourself or censor. Just keep your hand moving and write whatever comes to mind about your story, characters or world. Sentence fragments, tangents, plot holes – it doesn’t matter. Just write.
The secret here is that this approach lets your subconscious take over. Your inner critic gets muted so your brain can explore ideas without judgment or self-doubt. Some of your best ideas will be hiding under all that mental baggage. Freewriting cuts through it.
Here’s how to make the most of freewriting:
- Set a specific time limit (10-15 minutes is ideal)
- Pick a starting place (character, setting, conflict)
- Write continuously without stopping or editing
- Don’t delete or cross out anything
- Review and reflect after the timer is up
You might be surprised at the gold you find buried in your freewriting chaos. That one line you thought was stupid might be the book’s hook.
AI Story Generators: Your Creative Co-Pilot
Yep, technology can help in this process.
AI Story Generator tools are great for busting through creative blocks and exploring story directions you might never have considered on your own. An ai story generator like these work by taking your input and then suggesting plot points, character traits or narrative directions based on what it “learns” from thousands of stories.
But here’s the caveat…
AI isn’t meant to replace you as the creative author – it’s meant to support you. Think of it like brainstorming with a co-writer who never tires and always has new suggestions. Ultimately the creative decisions are still yours.
The key to using AI story generators is to:
- Start with a basic premise or genre
- Input parameters (characters, settings, themes)
- Let the AI spit out multiple suggestions
- Pick the ideas that resonate with you
- Combine with your own creativity and intuition
- Refine and personalize everything
Many writers were skeptical about AI at first but are finding they’re incredible for getting past writer’s block. In fact, according to industry data, 45% of creators are already using AI tools to brainstorm ideas. Expect that number to only grow as more writers discover how helpful these can be.
The “What If” Technique
Let’s be honest, “what if” is way more fun.
“What if” is a tried-and-true brainstorming technique for generating plot twists and out-of-the-box story angles. The method is simple: take a basic situation and start throwing “what if” questions at it to see where it leads.
Start with a straightforward scenario. A girl gets home after a long day at school, for example. Then start asking “what if” questions like:
- What if the opposite happened?
- What if the setting was completely different?
- What if the protagonist was the opposite personality?
- What if this took place 100 years earlier (or later)?
- What if the villain was actually the hero?
Each “what if” opens a new potential story direction. You might start with a simple romance and end with a sci-fi adventure comedy. The key is letting your mind wander without dismissing too quickly.
This technique is especially powerful when you’re stuck with a story that feels too clichéd or generic. A few “what if” questions can help you find the unique angle or plot twist that makes your story sing.
Character-First Brainstorming
I’ve got a trick that’s especially good for character-driven novels…
Start with the character instead of the plot. Flesh out a detailed character profile then let their goals, desires and conflicts inspire your story ideas. Once you have a firm grasp on who this character is, plot directions will come more easily based on what they would do in certain situations.
Try this exercise:
Create a character by answering these questions in depth:
- What do they want more than anything?
- What’s their biggest fear?
- What secret are they hiding?
- What would they never do (and why)?
- What happened in their past that shaped them?
Now that you know this character’s inner world, start brainstorming situations that would test them. Put them in situations where they must face their fears, pursue their desires or reveal their secrets.
Starting with the character first can lead to more authentic and compelling stories because the plot flows naturally from who the character is. You’re not trying to force a character into a plot, you’re discovering the story this character’s life is telling.
Wrapping Up Your Brainstorming Session
Don’t wait for inspiration, use proven techniques instead.
Effective brainstorming is about having a set of methods you can fall back on whenever you need to generate new ideas. Whether you’re a fan of the visual technique of mind mapping, the creative catharsis of freewriting or the high-tech help of AI story generators, there’s a process that will work for you.
The important thing is to actually use the methods. Don’t just read about them here, pick one and give it a try this week. Set aside 30 minutes and commit. You might be amazed how many good ideas you get.
And don’t forget…
No idea that comes from a brainstorming session has to be perfect. The first step is quantity, then quality. Get the ideas out of your head and on the page, then you can refine and sort through later to find the gems.
Start implementing these brainstorming techniques today and watch your creativity soar.
