Many content writers will say their best ideas come when they’re in the shower. But, unless you have a waterproof notepad or keyboard, what good will it do you then? Generating thought provoking ideas that will bring your site traffic doesn’t have to strike like lightning. With effective brainstorming, you can help good ideas grow when you need them.

Always Be Prepared for the Next Idea

Like with most things in life, a little bit of preparation can go a long way. Start logging down things that inspire you. Whenever an idea floats by, whether it’s a quote you’ve heard, a visual or jingle, store it somewhere you can reference it. There are many simple applications you can use like Notes on Android, Voice Memos on iOS, and your phones camera to keep information.

You can also take it a step further and organize these ideas in a folder on applications like Google Drive or Evernote. The best method is the one that can maintain — so long as you’re maintaining productive note taking habits.

Create Consistency in Your Brainstorming Sessions

People are always prone to distractions. The smallest resistance in our work can lead to lost time spent on other things like browsing social media or hanging out by the water cooler. Coming up with new ideas isn’t easy and we may not always be in the mood to do it. This is where being consistent on when, where, and for how long you brainstorm comes in handy.

If you give yourself an hour to brainstorm the week’s ideas at 11am every Tuesday, and stick to it, you’ll find yourself programmed to the activity at hand. Make sure the space you’re in is well lit and without distractions like a window or loud noises. Set a clean desk and close out all tabs, but the ones you’ll be using for notes and research.

Perhaps the most important thing is to set yourself a small schedule for your brainstorming – starting ideas, research, development, briefing – and stick to them. All parts of a brainstorm are equally important. If you find yourself spending too much time in research and not enough in development, cut the research short. Too much time developing ideas and not enough for a recap? Put the pen down and review what you have.

The point is to program consistency into your method, so that you will always have some form of output by the end. You can always come back and do more research or develop an idea later.

Know When to Reach Out for Feedback

The best ideas are the ones that immediately make sense to others and create excitement. Keep in mind that you’re writing content for other people to read. Without adequate feedback, we won’t really know if an idea is worth pursuing, until hours and resources later.

If you find yourself stuck in rut or repeating yourself during a brainstorming session, you may want to consider reaching out for feedback. There’s nothing wrong with reviewing the same ideas a few times. In fact, it may even help clear up the bigger picture. However, if you’re pacing back and forth on a problem and you keep hitting the same wall, without progress to show for it, then you may want to reach out for feedback.

At the same time, you want to give your ideas enough time to grow and solidify before you approach others for feedback. If the ideas are too vague, you’ll find yourself sinking more time in your explanations – taking away from your brainstorming.

As a rule of thumb, you should reserve getting feedback for when you need a unique perspective on an idea. But before you can use someone else’s perspective, you need to develop your own perspective first. If a brainstorming session leaves you with more open-ended questions than answers, then you should consider doing more research instead.

Content writing is challenging. The process is personal, and it requires you to invest a great deal of focus. Take each project as an opportunity to refine your brainstorming process and build productive habits.

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