SAMPLING FROM: Brainstorming Techniques for Writing
This is a sampling of the content in Brainstorming Techniques for Writing (M1-S102)
TOPIC: Master the 3 DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES Brainstorming Method
Even the most seasoned authors occasionally face writer’s block or struggle to generate fresh ideas. You can use the methods you develop from your brainstorming session to develop new ways to engage your readers with fresh material in your stories. Brainstorming works by transforming an ordinary story into an extraordinary one through the use of creative techniques that explore topics and organise your thoughts.
When you get your brainstorming topics out of your head and onto paper, you can see them in greater detail, increasing your chances of discovering something innovative and novel. Wouldn’t it be great to broaden your subject or topic by developing new strategies and approaches to your idea?
TRY USING A BRAINSTORMING METHOD BY LOOKING AT THINGS FROM THREE (3) DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES
Encourages writers to delve into their ideas from several perspectives, leading to the discovery of new insights and surprising connections, which boosts creativity. By including a personal perspective, which adds authenticity and warmth, this method helps readers connect on a relatable level and improves emotional involvement.
It allows fiction authors to go further into the roles of protagonists, antagonists, and supporting characters, which in turn generates rich storylines and complex characters.
In order to establish credibility and trust, non-fiction authors should create arguments that are balanced and wellreasoned. Viewed through the lens of an impartial observer, scenes and descriptions benefit from heightened detail perception, which in turn enhances clarity and objectivity.
Taking other people’s points of view helps authors develop more nuanced empathy, which in turn makes them more equipped to deal with difficult situations. In general, this approach to brainstorming ensures that the work deeply engages with its audience by making stories more lively and arguments more engaging, which in turn enhances reader engagement.
The 3 Perspectives Brainstorming Method is a creative tool that helps writers explore their topics or stories from multiple viewpoints, leading to deeper insights and fresh ideas. Here’s an easy breakdown of the three perspectives and how they benefit fiction and non-fiction writers:
The personal perspective requires you to immerse yourself in the experience-whether you’re imagining yourself as a character or drawing from your own life. It makes your writing more intimate and emotionally resonant.
Benefits:
- Creates an emotional anchor for readers.
- Adds authenticity and relatability
- Engages readers with storytelling elements drawn from personal experience.
This perspective pushes you to look at the scene or situation as a neutral third party. It’s like being a fly on the wall, noticing details others might overlook.
Benefits:
- Adds depth and balance to scenes or topics.
- Helps create vivid Imagery and memorable descriptsion.
- Encourages critical thinking and reduces personal bias.
The opponent perspective forces you to consider opposing viewpoints or motivations. For fiction writers, this could
be your antagonist’s or an external force’s perspective. For non-fiction writers, it involves addressing
counterarguments or alternative ideas.
Benefits:
- Strengthens conflict in fiction by giving antagonists realistic motives.
- Builds credibility in non-fiction by showing you’ve considered multiple sides.
- Encourages empathy and balance, making your writing more nuanced.
HOW THE FOCUS SHIFTS
Position (Explain it)
Separating fiction and non-fiction writers by position means looking at how each perspective (Personal, Observer, Opponent) interacts with the content based on their role or viewpoint within the writing process.
Focuses on the emotional and experiential viewpoint of the protagonist (fiction) or the author (non-fiction), adding depth and relatability.
Examines external dynamics and details, ensuring balance, clarity, and a comprehensive understanding of the situation or topic.
Challenges the protagonist or argument, exploring conflict, tension, and counterpoints to add complexity and strengthen the narrative or argument.
Let’s explore this idea by examining what kinds of questions each “position” (Person A, B, and C) might ask for both fiction and non-fiction writers.
For Fiction Writers
This is the Personal Perspective – Protagonist / Author’s Position
Position Explained:
The writer steps into the protagonist’s shoes, experiencing the story through their eyes, emotions, and motivations.
Questions:
- How does this situation affect me directly?
- What do I want in this moment, and what’s stopping me?
- What emotions am I feeling, and how do they influence my decisions?
- How does my backstory shape my reactions?
- What does this setting mean to me?
This is the Observer Perspective – Neutral/Analyst’s Position
Position Explained:
The writer adopts the role of an impartial observer, noticing external details like setting, dialogue, and dynamics.
Questions:
- What does the scene look like to someone uninvolved?
- How are the characters interacting, and what does their body language reveal?
- Is the dialogue realistic and in line with the characters’ personalities?
- Does the setting enhance or detract from the mood?
- Are the stakes clear to the reader?
This is an Opponent Perspective – Antagonist/Skeptic’s Position
Position Explained:
The writer adopts the antagonist’s position or the role of an opposing force, exploring conflict and challenges.
Questions:
- Why am I opposing the protagonist, and what do I hope to achieve?
- What motivates my actions, and are they justified?
- What weaknesses in the protagonist can I exploit?
- How does the environment favour or hinder me?
- What’s my endgame, and how far will I go to achieve it?
For Non-Fiction Writers
This is the Personal Perspective – Protagonist / Author’s Position
Position Explained:
The writer reflects on their personal experiences or insights, connecting emotionally with the topic.
Questions:
- How has this topic or issue affected me personally?
- What do I believe, and why do I feel strongly about it?
- What lessons have ! learned that I want to share?
- How can my personal story help readers relate to the subject?
- Am I being honest and vulnerable enough to engage the audience?
This is the Observer Perspective – Neutral/Analyst’s Position
Position Explained:
The writer analyses the topic critically, providing an objective, fact-based viewpoint.
Questions:
- What do the facts or data say about this issue
- How does this situation or topic appear to someone uninvolved?
- Are there gaps in my understanding or knowledge that I need to address?
- What are the broader implications of this topic?
- Am I presenting the information clearly and without bias?
This is an Opponent Perspective – Antagonist/Skeptic’s Position
Position Explained:
The writer embodies the voice of opposition, challenging their own arguments or conclusions.
Questions:
- What’s the strongest argument against my position, and how can I counter it?
- Are there alternative interpretations of the evidence?
- Could my perspective be biased or incomplete?
- How might someone with a different background or belief system see this issue?
- What weaknesses or flaws exist in my reasoning?
Impact (Trace it)
When separating fiction and non-fiction writers from the point of view of Impact, the focus shifts to tracing how each perspective influences the story or argument and its effect on the audience.
Focuses on how personal experiences or emotional journeys connect with the audience, making the content relatable and impactful.
Ensures clarity, balance, and logical progression, shaping how the audience understands and engages with the material.
Challenges the narrative or argument, driving conflict (in fiction) or strengthening credibility (in non-fiction), which deepens the overall impact.
Here’s how the impact can be analysed for each position (Person A, B, and C), along with the kinds of questions they might ask:
For Fiction Writers
This is the Personal Perspective – Protagonist / Author’s Position
Impact:
Personal perspective shapes the emotional depth of characters and connects the audience to the protagonist’s journey.
Questions:
- How does this event change me as the protagonist?
- What lesson, transformation, or growth will I experience?
- How will my actions impact others in the story?
- How can my emotions create a strong connection with the audience?
- How does my journey drive the overall theme or message?
This is the Observer Perspective – Neutral/Analyst’s Position
Impact:
Observer perspective ensures the story’s events are clear and logical, affecting how the audience perceives the plot’s progresion and characters’ relationships.
Questions:
- How do the characters’ actions impact one another?
- Does the scene’s pacing and tone keep the audience engaged?
- How does the setting or atmosphere enhance the story’s impact?
- Are the stakes and consequences clear to the audience?
- How does the sequence of events create tension or resolution?
This is an Opponent Perspective – Antagonist/Skeptic’s Position
Impact:
The antagonist’s perspective drives conflict, tension, and stakes, shaping the emotional impact of the story’s resolution.
Questions:
- How do my actions as the antagonist challenge the protagonist and drive their growth?
- What consequences do I create for other characters or the world?
- How does my perspective add depth and complexity to the story?
- How will the resolution of my conflict impact the audience emotionally?
- How does my role highlight the central theme or moral of the story?
For Non-Fiction Writers
This is the Personal Perspective – Protagonist / Author’s Position
Impact:
Personal insights make the topic relatable, inspiring trust and empathy from readers.
Questions:
- How will my personal experience resonate with readers?
- What emotional impact will my story or insights have on the audience?
- How can my journey inspire, inform, or empower others
- What lessons can readers take away from my perspective?
- How does my voice strengthen the overall message?
This is the Observer Perspective – Neutral/Analyst’s Position
Impact:
A neutral analysis provides clarity and credibility, helping readers understand and trust the information.
Questions:
- What evidence or analysis will have the strongest impact on readers?
- How does the structure of my argument influence its clarity and persuasiveness?
- Are my explanations accessible and engaging for the audience?
- How do my observations add to the reader’s understanding of the topic?
- Does my analysis align with the broader implications of the subject?
This is an Opponent Perspective – Antagonist/Skeptic’s Position
Impact:
Addressing opposition strengthens credibility and equips readers to think critically, enhancing the topic’s persuasive impact.
Questions:
- How will addressing counterarguments improve the audience’s trust in my argument?
- What opposing perspectives are most likely to challenge readers’ beliefs?
- How can I refute skepticism without alienating the audience?
- What impact will my response to critics have on the strength of my argument?
- How does engaging with opposition broaden the discussion or invite deeper thinking?
Change (Map it)
When separating fiction and non-fiction writers from the point of view of Change, the focus is on mapping transformations-whether within characters, ideas, or the audience’s perception.
Focuses on internal transformations, tracking how the protagonist (fiction) or author (non-fiction) evolves and how this change impacts the story or message.
Analyses external factors driving change, ensuring clarity, pacing, and logical progression for the audience.
Examines change through the lens of conflict, resistance, or challenge, ensuring that transformations are meaningful and justified
Here’s how each perspective (Person A, B, and C) might explore change and the questions they would ask for both fiction and non-fiction:
For Fiction Writers
This is the Personal Perspective – Protagonist / Author’s Position
Change Mapped:
Tracks the protagonist’s personal growth, emotional transformation, or shifting motivations.
Questions:
- How am I as the protagonist evolving through this experience?
- What internal conflicts are driving my change?
- How does my personal growth affect my relationships or my world?
- What triggers my transformation, and is it believable?
- By the end, how am I different from when the story began?
This is the Observer Perspective – Neutral/Analyst’s Position
Change Mapped:
Examines external events or dynamics that influence the story’s arc and characters’ interactions.
Questions:
- What external events drive change for the protagonist or other characters?
- How do relationships evolve over the course of the story?
- Does the pacing of change feel natural and engaging to the audience?
- How does the setting or environment shift to reflect the story’s progress?
- Are the stakes escalating appropriately to reflect the characters’ growth?
This is an Opponent Perspective – Antagonist/Skeptic’s Position
Change Mapped:
Explores how the antagonist’s actions create change or how their perspective evolves.
Questions:
- How do my actions as the antagonist force the protagonist to grow or adapt?
- How does my perspective shift as the conflict unfolds?
- What unintended consequences result from my opposition?
- How does my presence escalate stakes or drive the plot forward?
- How does my ultimate defeat or resolution change the story’s world?
For Non-Fiction Writers
This is the Personal Perspective – Protagonist / Author’s Position
Change Mapped:
Explores the author’s personal journey and how it connects to the broader topic or audience’s understanding.
Questions:
- How has my experience changed me, and what lessons can I share?
- How has my understanding of this topic evolved over time?
- What turning points led to my growth or shifts in perspective?
- How does my story encourage readers to reflect on their own experiences?
- What change do I want to inspire in my audience?
This is the Observer Perspective – Neutral/Analyst’s Position
Change Mapped:
Analyses external factors or shifts in the subject matter, guiding the audience to new insights.
Questions:
- What evidence or events illustrate change in this topic over time?
- How do my observations reveal shifts in trends, behavior, or understanding?
- Are the changes I’m presenting clear and supported by data or examples?
- How does this topic impact different groups or contexts over time?
- How can I structure my argument to highlight the progression of ideas?
This is an Opponent Perspective – Antagonist/Skeptic’s Position
Change Mapped:
Anticipates challenges and addresses counterarguments to show how change is justified or meaningful.
Questions:
- What objections or skepticism need to be addressed to support change?
- How does engaging with opposition strengthen my argument’s credibility?
- What compromises or shifts might skeptics need to make to accept this change?
- How can I demonstrate that this change is necessary or beneficial?
- What potential resistance might arise, and how can it be mitigated?
PDF Workbook Instructions
Download your PDF workbook and save it to your a folder you have created on your computer specifically for saving your ideas, so you can refer to it again and again.
This interactive PDF workbook provides a convenient platform for directly typing and organising your ideas.
Open the interactive PDF workbook in a PDF viewer and type your answers in.
You can print your PDF workbook out (be sure to select· scale size to fit your printer setting) and place them into your ideas binder.
Open the interactive PDF workbook in a PDF viewer and type your answers in.
Want More?
Are you interested in learning more after giving the sampling a go? Are you interested in picking up some new skills and exploring different ways to brainstorm effectively, making your writing process feel easy and seamless?
Brainstorming Techniques for Writing (M1-S102)
If you’re looking for a more focused learning experience, this option could be a great fit for you. This course is all about helping you get the hang of those awesome brainstorming strategies that famous writers have relied on to craft their novels. You can use the techniques you come up with during brainstorming to share your stories with your audience in a fresh way. You’ll get 14 lessons to learn at your own pace, and you can go over the material as many times as you want to really grasp the concepts.