Brainstorming Tools

Brainstorming is a group or individual creativity technique by which efforts are made to find a conclusion for a specific problem by gathering a list of ideas spontaneously contributed.

Whether you choose to do your brainstorming alone or with a group, there are several tools that can increase the number of ideas:

·         The Stepladder Technique – This improves the contribution of quieter group members by introducing one person at a time.

·         Brainwriting – This is a written approach that you can use to encourage all individuals to generate and develop ideas.

·         Brain-netting – An electronic method of brainstorming, this uses a document stored on a central server, or on a Cloud-based system.

·         Crawford's Slip Writing Approach – You can use this approach to get plenty of ideas from all participants, and to get a view of each idea's popularity.

·         Reverse Brainstorming – This is used to improve a product or service.

·         Starbursting – Starbursting helps you develop questions that you need to ask to evaluate a proposal.

·         Charette Procedure – This helps you brainstorm with large groups of people. (Conventional brainstorming becomes increasingly ineffective when more than 10 or 12 people are involved.)

·         Round-Robin Brainstorming – You can use this approach to get people to contribute ideas without being influenced by others.

·         Rolestorming – This technique encourages group members to take on other people's identities while brainstorming, thereby reducing their inhibitions.

The best approach to brainstorming combines individual and group brainstorming. During the brainstorming process, there should be no criticism of ideas, and creativity should be encouraged.

Recording the session can eliminate the need to slow down to write. Afterwards you can review the information at your leisure. However, when the brainstorming session ends, you may have a lot of ideas. Although it might seem hard to sort through these ideas to find the best ones, analyzing them is an important next step, and you can use several tools to do this.

Use Affinity Diagrams to organize ideas and find common themes. Grid Analysis and Paired Comparison Analysis will help you choose between different options. You can also use the Six Thinking Hats technique to look at ideas from different perspectives; and Nominal Group Technique and Multi-Voting can help you choose between options as a team, particularly where the differences between options are quite subjective.

When managed well, brainstorming can help you generate radical solutions to problems. Brainstorming can also encourage people to commit to solutions, because they have provided input and played a role in developing them.

When you’re brainstorming a new idea, do you enlist the help of others? What techniques work for you?

Asimov

I have not always enjoyed science fiction books. A Wrinkle in Time is the only one I can remember reading at a young age. However, several novels in the last four years have brought me back to the genre. Stephanie Meyer’s The Host was the first one I picked up in years. Enjoying this book only led to my search for others and the origins of scifi itself.

One of the biggest names in scif is Issac Asimov.

He was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. In his lifetime (1920 – 1992) he wrote over 500 books that enlightened, entertained, and spanned the realm of human knowledge.

Isaac Asimov was recognized by the 111th Congress on March 9, 2010 in House Resolution 1055, "supporting the designation of National Robotics Week as an annual event". The following passage appears in the text of the bill:

"Whereas the second week in April each year is designated as 'National Robotics Week', recognizing the accomplishments of Isaac Asimov, who immigrated to America, taught science, wrote science books for children and adults, first used the term robotics, developed the Three Laws of Robotics, and died in April, 1992: Now, therefore, be it resolved..."

Asimov’s “Three Laws of Robotics” are defined as:

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

Today, Asimovs Magazine continues his love for all things Science Fiction by publishing stories in which “the characters cope with presents that are removed from our own to varying degrees, the dilemmas they face are never removed from the joys and terrors of the human condition…”

Are you a Scifi Fan? What are your favorites?

Happy Easter!

I'll be taking this week off from blogging in order to focus on a few projects. I'll be back on Monday, April 1st for the "A to Z blogging challenge." To learn more, please click the logo to the right.

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter. Happy Writing!

Rivet Your Readers With Deep Point of View

Rivet Your Readers With Deep Point of View is a valuable tool for those studying point of view. The novella begins with POV basics and continues by covering what many professionals are calling “Deep Point of View.”

She asserts and uses examples to prove that if you write in DPOV you will eliminate any “show, don’t tell” problems you may be experiencing.

A professor recently told me it’s easy for writers to identify POV and even “show, don’t tell” issues in anothers writing, but it’s often difficult for those same writers to define or explain to others. This book helps with these problems.

For such a short work Nelson covers a lot, exercises included. I found this to be a very useful guide for only a few dollars.

Top Ten Movie Countdown

March 18, 2013 is the Alex J. Cavanaugh "Top Ten Movie Countdown Blogfest". There are more than 150 participants.  Click here if you would like to add your own blog to this challenge or if you would like to view other posts in this theme.

I have chosen to share my top ten favorite movies based on books.


10)

9)

8)

 7)

 6)

 5)

 

 

4) 

 

 3)

 2)

 

 

1) 

 

What are your favorite movies based on books?

When and Where to Publish Short Stories

Writers often ask “how and where do I publish my work?” If you are asking yourself the same question there are many ways to do this. You can enter writing competitions, submit to magazines and anthologies, or self-publish.

You should ask yourself two questions before trying to publish.

1)      Is your work complete? Even when writing from real life your story needs to have a beginning, middle and end. There also needs to be some conflict either between two characters, in a character’s own mind, or pit your character against natural elements. The problem should present itself at the start of the story and be resolved by the conclusion. Without this, your work will read as an anecdote – interesting, perhaps, but not usually suitable for publication as a story.

2)      What genre does the story fit into? If you’ve written a science fiction piece you’ll have little luck submitting it to a magazine for nonfiction. And your sweet story about your newborn is unlikely to please the readers of a dystopian anthology. Be sure you know your audience and research possible publications.

Once you are ready to seek publication, the next choice you make will be where to publish your work. Either you need to find someone else, like a magazine editor, who likes your story and wants to publish it, or you need to self-publish. You will most likely reach a wider audience with the first method, but the latter option gives you total control over when and where your work appears. So, how do you decide the right choice for you?

1)      Enter Writing Competitions – In addition to cash prizes and perks such as meeting agents or editors, many contests offer the chance for publication, even if you are not the big winner. Try keeping up with contest news by joining a writer or critique group, watching local bookstore news, buying books like Writer’s Market or subscribing to magazines such as Writer’s Digest which provide contest listings in each publication. You can also subscribe to newsletters such as http://www.fundsforwriters.com/ which sends you biweekly opportunities.

2)      Find publications on the shelves and online which accept short stories - There are hundreds if not thousands of magazines, e-zines and websites where short stories are published, and some pay professional rates. One good place to start is the magazine shelves of your local haunts. What publications are you drawn to? Do they match the style in which you write? If you write science fiction, fantasy, horror or literary fiction, you’re unlikely to find magazines devoted to these on the shelves unless you are in a chain bookstore. Try searching online for small magazines which people subscribe to by mail-order: you may be able to order a back issue cheaply or free. Or look for e-zines which you can submit work to online.

3)      Use a search database to find the right publication – Anyone can use a search engine to look up publications based on genre, but a more effective and thorough search source is available for writers: www.duotrope .com  This database is an established, award-winning writers' resource. Whether your creative leanings are literary or genre, factual or poetic, these listings cover the entire spectrum. Simply specify your work by genre, sub-genre, length, pay grade, or any other number of identifiers you want included in the search and within seconds the database compiles a list of all publications available matching your request. You then have direct access to that publications site, submission guidelines, reviews by both readers and fellow writers and much more information. For seven years this service was free, but now charges a small subscription fee. However, you can still obtain a free trial period.

4)      Self-publish - You can publish your work for free on a website. One easy way is to set up a blog (try www.blogger.com) and post a new short story every week. There are lots of easy ways to create a full website too – try Google Page Creator . You don’t need to be very “technical” and you certainly don’t need to be able to programme or understand terms like “HTML” and “FTP”. If you are fairly web-savvy, though, you might choose to pay for a domain name and professional web hosting. I’d recommend this if you’re serious about your writing as it means you can use your site as a professional-looking showcase for your work. The other option is to publish printed and electronic device versions of your stories, to circulate around friends and family – and perhaps more widely. There are many options available now such as Lulu, createspace, and smashwords that take you step-by-step through the process of uploading your work and choosing the format of your book. You can design a high-quality glossy-covered paperback. Just be sure to research and compare cost options to find the service best for you.

What about you? Are you a short story writer? What do you struggle with? What have you learned?

7 Writing Opportunities

DIANA WOODS MEMORIAL AWARD IN CREATIVE NONFICTION http://lunchticket.org/the-diana-woods-memorial-award/ NO ENTRY FEE. Creative nonfiction authors are invited to submit an essay of up to 5,000 words on the subject of their choice to be considered for the Diana Woods Memorial (DWM) Award in creative nonfiction. Winners will receive $250 and their work will be featured in the next issue of Lunch Ticket. Each award recipient must submit a 100-word biography, current photo, and send a brief note of thanks to the Woods family. All submissions for the award will be considered for publication in Lunch Ticket. Deadline end of March.

Chicken Soup for the Soul - Messages from Heaven: Love Never Dies http://www.chickensoup.com/form.asp?cid=possible_books We have heard many terrific stories about your own after-death communication experiences since our first Messages from Heaven book came out. It was a national bestseller so we have decided to make another edition, with the theme "Love Never Dies." If you have a story about receiving a sign or communicating with a loved one after his or her death, we would love to consider it. The deadline date for story and poem submissions is March 31, 2013.

BLACK LILAC KITTY "GRACIE" CONTEST http://www.blacklilackitty.com/feature.html NO ENTRY FEE. This contest is for adults age 18 and older and only accepts fiction. Any genre, however, erotica/porn will NOT be considered. The story must include a cat. The story must include a Rottweiler. The Rottweiler cannot be a "mean" dog. The cat and Rottweiler can belong to the same person or have different owners. Somewhere in the story must be the phrase "it was a dark and stormy night." The word count must be at least 2,000 words and no more than 7,000 words. Due April 1, 2013.

MGSA CONSTANTINIDES MEMORIAL TRANSLATION PRIZE COMPETITION http://www.mgsa.org/Prizes/Constant.html NO ENTRY FEE. For original, new translations into English of a literary work published in Modern Greek. A prize of $500 will be awarded for a piece of Modern Greek literature (poetry, prose, theatre) translated into English. We welcome work by scholars of Modern Greek and other fields and languages as well as creative writers, students, and anyone knowledgeable of Greek and English engaged in the work of translation. The winner will be formally announced and congratulated at the MGSA 2013 Symposium of November 14-16, 2013 at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. The MGSA Executive Director will mail the $500 award to the winner. Submissions are due April 15, 2013. (Thanks www.erikadreifus.com)

LOOKING@DEMOCRACY CONTEST FOR CREATIVE MEDIA http://lookingatdemocracy.org/ NO ENTRY FEE. Tired of partisan bickering? Feel your voice is left out of our democracy? Have a great idea about how we can all work together? Deadline April 30, 2013. Create and send us short digital media content that either: (a) Tells a story about why government is important to our lives, or (b) Tells how we might together strengthen American democracy. Your submission can come in many formats such as short videos, audio stories, animation, music videos, public service announcements, infographics, graphic art, even Facebook and iPhone apps. They all just need to be digital then Looking@Democracy is the national
competition for you! Prizes range from $5,000 to $25,000.

TAPESTRY OF BRONZE ODES TO OLYMPIANS SPRING CONTEST http://www.tapestryofbronze.com/OdeForm.html The Tapestry of Bronze is sponsoring a series of traditional poetry contests to celebrate Greek and Roman mythology and the Olympian gods. The subject of the current contest is Hephaestus (also known as Vulcan), the God of the Forge. The deadline is April 30, 2013. Limit 30 lines. MAKE SURE your poem is about Hephaestus / Vulcan. The first prize winner in each age group will receive $50 (US). Categories are over 18 and under 18. No entry fee.

The First Line - http://www.thefirstline.com/ Summer: “I started collecting secrets when I was just six years old.” Due date: May 1, 2013