One of a writer’s best tools is brainstorming.

But how exactly do you brainstorm effectively? Here are some tips:

When to brainstorm: whenever anything happens or whenever your character has any type of choice. You can also brainstorm when you have no idea what’s going to happen next – or when you have too many ideas and need to narrow them down.

How to brainstorm:

• State your objectives – this can be as simple as “How would my character react to what just happened?” or as complex as “What’s going to happen in this story?”
• Number a paper from 1-100 and start writing ideas. It starts getting hard somewhere around 50, and your creativity will really kick in then.
• Freewrite. Set a time limit and write down whatever comes to mind during that time, even if that thought is “This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever done.” Freewriting gets you into the habit of writing and stimulates your creativity.
• Report. Answer the five journalistic questions: Who? What? When? Where? and How? This is another way to state your objectives, focusing in on the specifics you need to complete the story.

Writing is a creative process. Most of the time, it’s just you and your brain, clicking away at that story. It’s not always easy to connect with that creativity, though. Here are some techniques to help you get back in touch with your creative side.

• Focus on the process. If you’re a “pantser,” try making an outline. If you normally start at the beginning and work straight through, try working on one scene that’s caught your interest, even if it’s near the end of the story. Shake things up by thinking about how you work instead of just working.
• Brainstorm. One of the best techniques to number your paper 1-100 and start jotting down ideas. You’ll have to start really working once you get somewhere around 50 – that’s where the creativity kicks in. Don’t give up — and don’t edit the ideas for silliness. Sometimes the silliest notions end up being your best ideas.
• Freewrite. This is where you set a time limit – usually 15-20 minutes – and just write. Don’t edit, don’t worry about spelling or grammar, and don’t worry if it makes sense. In freewriting, if you have a thought like “This is silly,” then you write “I’m thinking this is silly,” and keep writing. Freewriting gets your creative juices flowing and gets you into the habit of writing.
• Change your tools. If you must write in Microsoft Word on an iPad, try using a pencil and a notebook. Get your laptop and write in bed instead of using your desktop. Sometimes you get so hung up on using just the right pen or paper that you lose touch with your creativity. Change stimulates creativity.
• Make some crap. Give yourself permission to create lousy work. Perfectionism is one of creativity’s worst enemies.
• Set smaller goals. Instead of finishing that chapter, just work on one scene. Get five lines of dialogue down instead of the whole argument. Sometimes you’re just overwhelming yourself by setting goals that are too large.
• Fake it. Pretend you know exactly what you’re doing and just dive into your project. Remember that old saying: “Fake it until you make it.” Once you give up your fear of failing, your creativity can come up with some remarkable results. Just start writing and see where you end up.
• Constrain yourself. Try some new rules. Write only in ten-word sentences, or use no adjectives at all, or even write in all capital letters. Forcing yourself to come up with new ways to accomplish your task stimulates your creativity.
• Do the opposite. Try going at it ass-backwards instead. If you’re trying to show your character as a sweet, lovable guy, try letting him be a braggart instead. Write that scene as a dialogue instead of a description. Use the opposite of the word you thought you’d use and see what happens.
• Copy someone else. If all else fails, try jump-starting your creativity by copying an author you admire. You can take this literally and copy out the first chapter of your favorite novel, or you can write in the style of that author, or even use your own characters in a favorite scene. It’s only plagiarism if you try to claim it as your own!

What are your favorite creativity-boosting techniques?