3 answers
Alaya
Student
Baldwin, New York
1
Question
Asked
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What are some great ways to brainstorm?
Write all your thoughts down organized non one paper
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3 answers
Armando de Jesús Herrera
Sr. Project Engineer
33
Answers
Roswell, Georgia
Updated
Armando de Jesús’s Answer
Hi Alaya,
Great question! Brainstorming is a powerful way to generate ideas, and there are several effective techniques you can try:
1. Mind Mapping: Start with a central idea and branch out with related concepts. This helps visualize connections and sparks creativity.
2. Free Writing: Set a timer for 5–10 minutes and write down every idea that comes to mind without judging or editing.
3. SCAMPER Technique: Ask questions like "what can I substitute, combine, adapt, modify, put to another use, eliminate, or reverse?"
4. Group Brainstorming: Collaborate with others and build on each other’s ideas.
5. Reverse Thinking: Instead of asking “How can I solve this?” ask “How could I make this problem worse?”
Then flip those answers into positive solutions.
In my personal case, after writing down ideas on paper, I often use tools like Microsoft Visio or Canva to organize them visually. This visual approach helped me see gaps, prioritize tasks, and communicate ideas clearly to my team. It’s amazing how turning written notes into diagrams can make your brainstorming more actionable and professional.
Great question! Brainstorming is a powerful way to generate ideas, and there are several effective techniques you can try:
1. Mind Mapping: Start with a central idea and branch out with related concepts. This helps visualize connections and sparks creativity.
2. Free Writing: Set a timer for 5–10 minutes and write down every idea that comes to mind without judging or editing.
3. SCAMPER Technique: Ask questions like "what can I substitute, combine, adapt, modify, put to another use, eliminate, or reverse?"
4. Group Brainstorming: Collaborate with others and build on each other’s ideas.
5. Reverse Thinking: Instead of asking “How can I solve this?” ask “How could I make this problem worse?”
Then flip those answers into positive solutions.
In my personal case, after writing down ideas on paper, I often use tools like Microsoft Visio or Canva to organize them visually. This visual approach helped me see gaps, prioritize tasks, and communicate ideas clearly to my team. It’s amazing how turning written notes into diagrams can make your brainstorming more actionable and professional.
Michelle M.
Actress
3276
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Alaya !
Since your tags indicate that you are an acting student, you will first have to be more specific about what it is you're "brainstorming" about. Being an actor means being very detailed oriented.
If you are trying to create a biography for your/a character in a show that you are doing, that is part of character development which you would learn in an acting class. Your first step is to read the entire script and draw on what the script says about your character as well as what others in the script say about your character and where your character fits in in the story. Based on that, you can come up with some background as to where the character was born and raised, what the character wants and what they are willing to do to get it.
Through an acting class, you will also learn various exercises that focus on how to express the character. It's not so much "brainstorming", rather getting the feel of the character, what feels right in regards to the way you express the character.
Your tag mentions Film, also, so if it's that you are planning to write a film to act in, I would say write down things that are important to you, remember to be specific, and write the film (short film, student film, independent film) about something that is close to your heart with a message that you feel strongly about. Once you get to college, you will learn the ways that actors and film professionals come up with exciting projects. As you gain life experience and learn your craft, creativity will seem to blossom.
No one can tell someone how to think. Use your innate skill to set short term goals for a long term acting or film project. There are specific techniques and procedures for Acting and Film and this can be learned through classes in high school, college or in your community. You may want to connect with Professional Youth Theatre in Long Beach, New York which offers musical theatre training for youth and teens aged 5 to 17. That is if you are in the Baldwin on Long Island. If you are in the Baldwin in Upstate New York in Chemung County, you can connect with your school to see if you can be referred for acting classes in the community.
So remember that inspiration is specific to your aim. Do return here with more questions expressing exactly what your planning to do and what you need ideas for. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
Since your tags indicate that you are an acting student, you will first have to be more specific about what it is you're "brainstorming" about. Being an actor means being very detailed oriented.
If you are trying to create a biography for your/a character in a show that you are doing, that is part of character development which you would learn in an acting class. Your first step is to read the entire script and draw on what the script says about your character as well as what others in the script say about your character and where your character fits in in the story. Based on that, you can come up with some background as to where the character was born and raised, what the character wants and what they are willing to do to get it.
Through an acting class, you will also learn various exercises that focus on how to express the character. It's not so much "brainstorming", rather getting the feel of the character, what feels right in regards to the way you express the character.
Your tag mentions Film, also, so if it's that you are planning to write a film to act in, I would say write down things that are important to you, remember to be specific, and write the film (short film, student film, independent film) about something that is close to your heart with a message that you feel strongly about. Once you get to college, you will learn the ways that actors and film professionals come up with exciting projects. As you gain life experience and learn your craft, creativity will seem to blossom.
No one can tell someone how to think. Use your innate skill to set short term goals for a long term acting or film project. There are specific techniques and procedures for Acting and Film and this can be learned through classes in high school, college or in your community. You may want to connect with Professional Youth Theatre in Long Beach, New York which offers musical theatre training for youth and teens aged 5 to 17. That is if you are in the Baldwin on Long Island. If you are in the Baldwin in Upstate New York in Chemung County, you can connect with your school to see if you can be referred for acting classes in the community.
So remember that inspiration is specific to your aim. Do return here with more questions expressing exactly what your planning to do and what you need ideas for. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
Jerrold Ridenour
Director/Writer
2
Answers
Hesperia, California
Updated
Jerrold’s Answer
A great way to brainstorm is with the classic bubble approach.
Your basic idea goes in the center and around you build threads of similar ideas in groupings.
Eventually you have something resembling a molecule with threads between the word clouds you have jotted down.
*The key to this step is triggering your ideas. Try to create an avalanche of thoughts and capture them.
Once you have drained the idea pool take the first pass at collated them. You may have already started a grouping that is your stories start, the heroes journey so to speak. So organize them in to a collated fashion, or rift more and play with a non-linear format. This may seem vague but try it a few times or maybe with an existing idea and use this to break it down and re-format it.
Most important remember it is word PLAY, so have fun!
Your basic idea goes in the center and around you build threads of similar ideas in groupings.
Eventually you have something resembling a molecule with threads between the word clouds you have jotted down.
*The key to this step is triggering your ideas. Try to create an avalanche of thoughts and capture them.
Once you have drained the idea pool take the first pass at collated them. You may have already started a grouping that is your stories start, the heroes journey so to speak. So organize them in to a collated fashion, or rift more and play with a non-linear format. This may seem vague but try it a few times or maybe with an existing idea and use this to break it down and re-format it.
Most important remember it is word PLAY, so have fun!