8.1 Idea generation and brainstorming
9 min read•august 21, 2024
Generating ideas and brainstorming are crucial steps in playwriting. These processes tap into personal experiences, historical events, current issues, literature, and dreams to create compelling stories. Writers use various techniques like and to unlock creativity.
Developing strong concepts involves identifying themes, creating characters, and establishing . Refining ideas through evaluation and feedback helps polish the concept. Overcoming creative blocks may require taking breaks, changing environments, or collaborating with others to maintain inspiration and productivity.
Sources of inspiration
- Drawing from personal experiences, historical events, current events, existing works of literature, and dreams can provide a rich well of ideas for playwriting
- Inspiration can come from a variety of sources, both internal and external, and can be found in everyday life as well as in extraordinary circumstances
Personal experiences
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Top images from around the web for Personal experiences
Storytelling Through Experience Design – Sherwin Torres – Medium View original
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Telling the Coaches Story | The Common Ratio View original
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Fedna Jacquet | Huntington Playwriting Fellows 2019-2021 | The Huntington | Flickr View original
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Storytelling Through Experience Design – Sherwin Torres – Medium View original
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- Mining one's own life experiences, including relationships, challenges, and triumphs, can lend authenticity and emotional depth to a story
- Drawing from personal memories, such as childhood events, family dynamics, or significant milestones, can provide a unique perspective and voice to a play
- Transforming personal struggles or conflicts into dramatic narratives can be a powerful form of self-expression and catharsis
Historical events
- Researching and adapting historical events can provide a framework for exploring timeless themes and human experiences
- Examining the lives of historical figures, such as political leaders, artists, or scientists, can inspire compelling character studies and narratives
- a play in a specific historical context (World War II, the Civil Rights Movement) can add depth and resonance to the story
Current events
- Engaging with contemporary issues, such as social justice, environmental concerns, or technological advancements, can make a play feel relevant and urgent
- Exploring the human impact of current events, such as natural disasters, political upheavals, or cultural shifts, can provide rich dramatic material
- Addressing current events through a dramatic lens can encourage audiences to reflect on and engage with the world around them
Existing works of literature
- Adapting classic works of literature, such as novels, short stories, or poems, can provide a fresh perspective on familiar narratives
- Drawing inspiration from the themes, characters, or styles of admired authors can help develop one's own unique voice and vision
- Reimagining existing works in a new context or genre (a modern-day Shakespeare adaptation) can create exciting creative challenges and opportunities
Dreams and imagination
- Tapping into the subconscious through dreams can uncover surprising and surreal imagery, characters, and storylines
- Allowing the imagination to run wild, without judgment or limitation, can lead to innovative and unconventional ideas
- Combining elements from dreams and imagination with real-world experiences can create a rich and layered dramatic world
Brainstorming techniques
- Utilizing various brainstorming techniques can help generate a wide range of ideas and possibilities for a play
- Experimenting with different approaches, such as freewriting, mind mapping, or , can unlock new creative pathways and connections
Freewriting
- Setting a timer and writing continuously without stopping to edit or censor can help bypass the inner critic and access raw, unfiltered ideas
- Allowing the mind to wander and explore tangents can lead to unexpected discoveries and associations
- Freewriting can be done with a specific prompt or in mind, or as a completely open-ended exercise
Mind mapping
- Creating a visual diagram of connected ideas, characters, or themes can help organize and expand upon initial concepts
- Starting with a central idea and branching out into related topics can reveal new layers and dimensions to explore
- Using colors, symbols, or images in a mind map can engage different modes of thinking and inspire creative leaps
Listing
- Generating lists of potential titles, characters, settings, or conflicts can provide a quick and efficient way to brainstorm ideas
- Listing can help identify patterns, themes, or areas of interest to pursue further
- Combining items from different lists (a character from one list, a setting from another) can spark new and unexpected connections
Word association
- Starting with a single word and writing down the first words that come to mind can uncover subconscious associations and ideas
- Building a chain of connected words can lead to surprising and evocative combinations
- Using word association to explore the connotations and emotional resonance of specific terms can deepen the thematic richness of a play
Collaborative brainstorming
- Working with a partner or group to generate and bounce around ideas can provide fresh perspectives and inspiration
- Building upon each other's suggestions and exploring different possibilities together can lead to more robust and well-rounded concepts
- Engaging in improvisational exercises or games with others can help break through creative blocks and encourage spontaneity and play
Developing strong concepts
- Once initial ideas have been generated, the next step is to develop them into strong, compelling concepts that can sustain a full-length play
- Focusing on key elements such as theme, character, setting, and conflict can help ensure that the concept is rich and engaging enough to explore in depth
Identifying central themes
- Determining the core ideas or messages that the play will explore can provide a clear focus and purpose for the story
- Considering the philosophical, moral, or social questions that the play will grapple with can add depth and resonance to the narrative
- Identifying how the themes connect to universal human experiences can make the play more relatable and meaningful to audiences
Creating compelling characters
- Developing complex, multi-dimensional characters with clear desires, obstacles, and arcs can drive the dramatic action of the play
- Ensuring that the characters have distinct voices, personalities, and backstories can make them feel authentic and engaging
- Considering how the characters' relationships and conflicts with each other can create tension and illuminate the central themes
Crafting unique settings
- Choosing a specific time and place for the play can help ground the story in a tangible reality and provide opportunities for visual and sensory details
- Exploring how the setting can reflect or contrast with the characters' inner lives can add symbolic meaning and depth
- Considering how the setting can create obstacles, challenges, or opportunities for the characters can enhance the dramatic stakes of the play
Establishing dramatic conflict
- Identifying the central conflict or problem that the characters must grapple with can provide the engine for the play's plot and action
- Ensuring that the conflict is both external (between characters or characters and their environment) and internal (within the characters themselves) can create a rich and layered dramatic experience
- Considering how the conflict escalates and resolves over the course of the play can help structure the narrative arc and keep the audience engaged
Considering audience appeal
- Thinking about what will resonate with and engage the intended audience can help shape the play's tone, style, and content
- Considering the cultural, social, and political context in which the play will be produced can inform how the story is told and what themes are emphasized
- Balancing the desire to challenge and provoke audiences with the need to entertain and emotionally connect with them can help create a satisfying and impactful theatrical experience
Refining ideas
- Once a strong concept has been developed, the next step is to refine and polish it through a process of evaluation, feedback, and revision
- Taking the time to critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of the idea can help identify areas for improvement and ensure that the final product is as strong as possible
Evaluating potential
- Assessing the dramatic potential of the idea, including its ability to sustain a full-length play and engage audiences, can help determine whether it is worth pursuing further
- Considering the originality and freshness of the concept, and how it compares to existing works in the genre, can help identify its unique selling points and competitive advantages
- Evaluating the feasibility of realizing the idea on stage, given the constraints of budget, resources, and technical requirements, can help ensure that it is practically viable
Identifying strengths and weaknesses
- Analyzing the concept objectively to determine its inherent strengths, such as compelling characters, innovative themes, or high stakes, can help focus the development process on enhancing these elements
- Identifying potential weaknesses or challenges, such as unclear motivations, uneven pacing, or lack of dramatic tension, can provide specific areas for improvement and revision
- Considering how the strengths can be leveraged to address or compensate for the weaknesses can help create a more balanced and effective overall story
Seeking feedback from others
- Sharing the concept with trusted readers, such as fellow writers, directors, or dramaturgs, can provide valuable outside perspectives and insights
- Soliciting feedback on specific aspects of the idea, such as character development, plot structure, or thematic resonance, can help focus the revision process
- Being open to constructive criticism and suggestions, while also staying true to one's own artistic vision and voice, can help refine the concept in meaningful and authentic ways
Making necessary adjustments
- Incorporating feedback and insights gained from the evaluation process to make targeted revisions and improvements to the concept
- Streamlining the story by cutting extraneous characters, subplots, or themes that do not directly serve the central narrative or conflict
- Clarifying character motivations, enhancing the dramatic stakes, and refining the overall structure and pacing of the play to create a more engaging and satisfying experience for the audience
Choosing the best idea to pursue
- Assessing the relative merits and potential of multiple refined concepts to determine which one is the strongest and most compelling to develop into a full play
- Considering factors such as personal passion, artistic challenge, and market appeal when making the final selection
- Trusting one's own instincts and creative vision while also being open to the input and guidance of trusted collaborators and mentors in the decision-making process
Overcoming creative blocks
- Experiencing creative blocks or obstacles is a common challenge for writers, but there are strategies and techniques that can help overcome them and maintain productivity and inspiration
- Identifying the specific nature of the block, whether it is related to ideas, motivation, or execution, can help determine the most effective approach to addressing it
Identifying the source of the block
- Reflecting on the underlying causes of the creative block, such as fear of failure, perfectionism, or external distractions, can provide insight into how to overcome it
- Considering whether the block is related to a specific aspect of the writing process, such as character development or plot structure, can help focus problem-solving efforts
- Recognizing patterns or triggers that tend to lead to creative blocks, such as time pressure or lack of sleep, can help develop strategies for prevention or mitigation
Taking breaks and stepping away
- Allowing oneself to take breaks and step away from the work can provide a fresh perspective and renewed energy when returning to it
- Engaging in activities that are unrelated to writing, such as exercise, hobbies, or socializing, can help recharge creative batteries and reduce stress
- Setting boundaries around writing time and creating a balanced lifestyle can help prevent burnout and maintain long-term productivity and motivation
Engaging in creative exercises
- Participating in writing prompts, improvisational games, or other structured creative activities can help stimulate new ideas and break through mental blocks
- Experimenting with different writing styles, genres, or points of view can help expand one's range and flexibility as a writer
- Collaborating with others on creative exercises or projects can provide accountability, support, and inspiration to keep moving forward
Changing your environment
- Sometimes a change of scenery or environment can provide a fresh perspective and renewed creative energy
- Writing in a different location, such as a coffee shop, park, or library, can help break up routine and stimulate new ideas and associations
- Surrounding oneself with inspiring or stimulating visual, auditory, or sensory elements, such as music, artwork, or nature, can help create a more conducive atmosphere for creativity
Collaborating with others
- Working with a writing partner, mentor, or group can provide support, accountability, and constructive feedback to help overcome creative blocks
- Engaging in brainstorming sessions or feedback exchanges with other writers can help generate new ideas and solutions to creative challenges
- Participating in writing workshops, classes, or retreats can provide structure, community, and inspiration to help maintain momentum and motivation over the long term
Key Terms to Review (18)
Character Arc: A character arc is the transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of a story, which reflects their growth, change, or realization. It connects deeply with various elements of storytelling, as it drives the narrative forward and impacts the character's relationships, motivations, and conflicts.
Collaborative Writing: Collaborative writing is the process where multiple individuals work together to create a written piece, combining their ideas, perspectives, and skills to enhance the final product. This practice fosters creativity and innovation as different voices contribute to the development of content, often resulting in richer narratives and diverse viewpoints. It involves negotiation, communication, and compromise among writers to produce cohesive work that reflects the collective effort.
Conflict: Conflict is a struggle or clash between opposing forces, which drives the narrative and creates tension in storytelling. It can occur internally within a character or externally between characters or between a character and their environment. This struggle is essential for developing characters, exploring motivations, and advancing the plot.
David Mamet: David Mamet is an acclaimed American playwright, screenwriter, and director known for his unique style of dialogue and exploration of themes such as power, masculinity, and morality. His work often features stylized, rapid-fire dialogue that reflects the nuances of human interaction and the complexity of relationships, making him a key figure in modern theater.
Freewriting: Freewriting is a writing technique where a person writes continuously for a set period of time without regard to spelling, grammar, or topic. This method helps to bypass the inner critic and unlock creative thoughts, making it a valuable tool for idea generation and overcoming writer's block. By allowing thoughts to flow freely onto the page, freewriting encourages spontaneity and the exploration of ideas that might otherwise remain hidden.
Freytag's Pyramid: Freytag's Pyramid is a visual representation of the structure of a dramatic narrative, highlighting the five key components: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. This model helps writers understand the flow of a story and how to build tension, ensuring that the audience remains engaged throughout the plot.
Group think: Group think is a psychological phenomenon where the desire for harmony or conformity in a group leads to irrational decision-making. Members of the group suppress dissenting viewpoints, fail to critically analyze alternatives, and prioritize consensus over the quality of the decision. This often results in flawed outcomes, as individual creativity and critical thinking are stifled within the collective atmosphere.
Incubation: Incubation is a creative process where ideas are allowed to develop and evolve over time, often unconsciously, after an initial phase of active brainstorming or idea generation. It emphasizes the importance of stepping away from a project to let thoughts simmer, which can lead to unexpected insights and breakthroughs when revisited. This period allows for the subconscious mind to work on problems, often resulting in fresh perspectives and more innovative solutions.
Iteration: Iteration is the process of repeating a set of actions or steps to refine and improve a concept, idea, or project. In creative practices, like brainstorming, iteration allows for continuous exploration of ideas, enabling the transformation of initial thoughts into more developed and coherent forms through repeated cycles of feedback and revision.
Mind mapping: Mind mapping is a visual thinking tool that helps organize information and ideas by creating a diagram that represents concepts and their relationships. This technique encourages creativity and can be particularly useful for brainstorming, outlining stories, and overcoming creative challenges. By breaking down complex ideas into simpler, connected parts, mind mapping fosters a clearer understanding of how different elements relate to one another.
Random word prompts: Random word prompts are unexpected or unrelated words used as triggers to inspire creativity and generate new ideas for writing. They serve as a catalyst for brainstorming, allowing writers to break through mental blocks and explore unique narrative paths that they might not have considered otherwise.
Setting: Setting refers to the time and place in which a story unfolds. It includes the physical environment, historical context, and cultural backdrop that shape the narrative and influence characters' actions and emotions. A well-crafted setting can enhance the story's mood, establish themes, and provide a deeper understanding of characters’ motivations.
Storyboarding: Storyboarding is a visual planning tool used to organize ideas and sequences in a narrative format, often through illustrations or images placed in order to outline the story's progression. It helps writers visualize scenes and transitions, serving as a bridge between brainstorming and the final script. This technique not only aids in idea generation but also provides a structured way to address creative obstacles by breaking down complex narratives into manageable parts.
Tennessee Williams: Tennessee Williams was an influential American playwright known for his powerful and emotional storytelling, exploring complex characters and themes related to human experiences. His works often delve into the struggles of individuals grappling with internal conflicts and societal pressures, making significant contributions to the landscape of modern theater.
Theme: Theme is the central idea or underlying message that a play communicates to its audience. It serves as the backbone of the narrative, influencing character development, plot progression, and audience engagement. Understanding the theme helps playwrights convey deeper meanings and connect with viewers on an emotional level.
Three-act structure: The three-act structure is a storytelling framework that divides a narrative into three distinct parts: setup, confrontation, and resolution. This format helps create a cohesive flow by establishing characters and conflicts, escalating tension, and ultimately resolving the story's conflicts in a satisfying way.
Visual prompts: Visual prompts are images, illustrations, or other visual aids used to inspire creativity and stimulate ideas during the brainstorming process. They serve as a powerful tool to trigger thoughts and associations, often breaking through mental blocks and encouraging new perspectives in idea generation.
Word Association: Word association is a creative technique used to generate ideas by connecting words and concepts based on their related meanings or feelings. This method taps into the subconscious mind, allowing for spontaneous responses that can lead to fresh perspectives and innovative thoughts, which are vital during brainstorming sessions.