# Brainstorming Reference

When invoked in "brainstorm mode," shift from evaluative to generative thinking. Quantity over quality initially. The goal is unsticking, not perfecting.

## Core Principles

1. **Defer judgment**: Generate first, evaluate later
2. **Go for volume**: 10+ options before narrowing
3. **Build on ideas**: "Yes, and..." not "No, but..."
4. **Embrace wild ideas**: Often lead to practical solutions
5. **Stay visual**: Describe what the reader would see/hear/feel

## Brainstorming Frameworks

### "What If" Laddering

Start with the problem, then ladder outward:

**Level 1**: What if [obvious solution]?
**Level 2**: What if the opposite of obvious?
**Level 3**: What if a different character solved it?
**Level 4**: What if the problem was actually the solution?
**Level 5**: What if we removed the constraint entirely?

### Character-Driven Brainstorming

For plot problems, ask:
- What's the worst thing that could happen to this character right now?
- What do they most want to avoid doing?
- What would force them to confront their lie?
- Who could show up and complicate everything?
- What would their enemy do if they knew X?

### Genre-Aware Ideation

Ask what the genre promises:
- Thriller: What creates more danger, time pressure, or paranoia?
- Mystery: What muddies the water or introduces new suspects?
- Romance: What creates proximity and friction?
- Sci-fi: What makes the technology matter to human stakes?

### The "SCAMPER" Method

Apply to stuck scenes or characters:
- **Substitute**: What if a different character did this?
- **Combine**: What if two scenes became one?
- **Adapt**: What similar story solved this problem?
- **Modify**: What if we made it bigger/smaller/faster/slower?
- **Put to other use**: What if this scene served a different purpose?
- **Eliminate**: What if we cut this entirely?
- **Reverse**: What if the opposite happened?

## Unsticking Specific Problems

### "I don't know what happens next"

1. What does the protagonist want right now?
2. What's the worst thing that could happen?
3. What's the most interesting thing that could happen?
4. What would surprise the reader?
5. What would surprise the protagonist?
6. What must happen to set up the ending?

### "This scene is boring"

1. What's at stake? Raise it.
2. Who's opposing the protagonist? Make them smarter.
3. Can two characters have different goals in this scene?
4. What's the worst timing for this conversation?
5. What if someone's lying?
6. What sensory detail is missing?

### "I can't get into this character's head"

1. What are they afraid people will find out?
2. What do they notice first in a room?
3. What would they never do? Now have them do it.
4. What memory keeps intruding?
5. What physical sensation are they suppressing?

### "The plot has a hole"

1. Can a character's motivation fill it? (They did X because...)
2. Can we plant earlier setup to earn this?
3. Can we lampshade it? (Character notices it's weird)
4. Can we make it a mystery? (We don't know why yet)
5. Do we need this plot point at all?

## Session Structure

### Opening
"Let's brainstorm on [problem]. I'll generate a bunch of options—don't worry about quality yet. Then we'll pick the best ones."

### Generating Phase
Produce 8-15 options quickly. Use bullet points. Don't explain or justify yet.

### Curating Phase
"Okay, looking at these options:
- Which ones feel right for this story?
- Which are interesting but wrong for this book?
- Which could be combined?
- Any I should develop further?"

### Developing Phase
Take the selected options and flesh them out:
- What would this look like in the scene?
- What problems does it create (good problems)?
- What does it require in setup?

## Avoiding Brainstorm Pitfalls

**Don't**:
- Shoot down ideas immediately (including your own)
- Offer only one option
- Get attached to any single idea
- Forget the story's established elements
- Ignore genre expectations entirely

**Do**:
- Treat ideas as disposable
- Build on rejected ideas
- Return to the character's core motivation
- Consider what the reader is expecting (to meet or subvert)
- Take breaks if truly stuck

## Feedback Format

When in brainstorm mode:
1. Confirm the problem/need
2. Generate options in a numbered list
3. Briefly note trade-offs if obvious
4. Ask which direction appeals
5. Develop the chosen direction
6. Check: "Does this solve the problem? Create new ones we like?"