Many techniques are available for the planning step of the writing process. I focus on three of them in this and the next two posts: idea tags, idea maps, and idea lists. All of them are indispensable in breaking writer's block and generating talking points for your document.
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| Idea Tags, Step 1: Brainstorming |
Idea tagging is an off-screen planning method for those who like to work off the computer or cannot access one. It involves using self-stick notes, one per idea. I strongly recommend using stickies measuring 2" X 1 1/2" (roughly 5.1 cm X 3.8 cm) because as many as 24 can fit on a standard 8 1/2" X 11" (21.6 cm X 27.9 cm) sheet of paper, and many more on a cleared table or desk. This technique is a lot like storyboarding, the old-time Hollywood method of outlining a story in development. While my illustration uses words, you can draw pictures to represent ideas (e.g., a stick figure to signify staff, a house for facility, and a money bag for budget).
In the image above, I am dropping ideas for a report on a seminar I attended. Notice the randomness of the thoughts. I am simply brainstorming without attention to structure or quality. This is the creative step of idea tagging.
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| Idea Tags, Step 2: Organizing |
I may not have every idea in front of me (I've left out cost, location, accommodations, and more), but at least I can start drafting my report based on the plan I've created with these idea tags.
