How to Brainstorm Your Book Idea

Whether you're a CEO who's in the beginning stages of plotting your book, or at the end, when you’re ready to create a marketing campaign, you may have heard that brainstorming is an excellent and creative way to get the ideas flowing.

But did you know that there are some logical rules to make your brainstorming more effective?

It may seem strange, to mix logic with creativity, but according to experts who swear by the brainstorming process, if you follow these 5 simple rules, you’ll jumpstart the creative flow and come up with more winning ideas more often.

1. Quiet your inner critic. Don’t try to edit or judge any ideas in the beginning.  The important thing is to get the ideas flowing, not trying to decide if they’ll work or not.

2. Go ahead  get a little wild and crazy. Go ahead – think outside the box – in fact, think outside everything.  Got a wild idea? Something a little crazy slipped in? Write ‘em down. That’s what brainstorming is all about  - and you may just be surprised by what you end up with.

3. Write it all down. Since writing is usually a solitary exercise, you may be doing your brainstorming all alone. That’s okay. Brainstorming works either way. But it’s important that you write down all your ideas, no matter what they are.

4. Check your cynicism at the door. The brainstorming process isn’t easy – and it can seem counter-intuitive to people sometimes, especially if they’re used to a more systematic approach. But brainstorming also has a place and can give you some really excellent new ideas. So give brainstorming a chance.

5. Set the timer. Not surprisingly, many authors work better when they’re under a deadline. So go ahead and pull out the kitchen timer and set a limit on your brainstorming time. Personally, I like 30 minutes, but you may find 20 minutes, or 45 minutes works best for you. For most people, keeping the brainstorming process to less than one hour works best – and keeps the ideas fresh.

And there you have it. Five simple rules for brainstorming your book idea or book marketing strategy.