Once you've exhausted the brainstorming phase and feel that you have enough raw material to start with, it's time to continue...
The Mind Map Phase
I first read Tony Buzan's The Mind Map Book in high school. Boy, did that give me some of the ideas I use to this day.I define a Mind Map as the brainstorm you just created, taken to a higher level. That is, you draw lines from one related idea or concept to the other.
For example, if you see that on the bottom left of your page, you noted one idea, and on the far right of your page, you noted another idea that relates to it, just draw a line between those two.
I've noticed that when I simply draw lines from one related concept to another, the order in which I have to present them become obvious. That is, where I had two random ideas, I now have two related ideas.This is how outlines begin to take shape. First, you go through the non-linear process of brainstorming. Then, in the mind mapping phase, you look for relationships between the random ideas you jotted down when brainstorming. You draw a line from one idea to the next.
Then, the linear part of it becomes apparent: The A-B-C emerges from the lines you've drawn from one idea to the next. With the A-B-C's, you can now look at your mind map, and create an outline. This should be easy: just list points A to Z from top to bottom, in the order that you'll present them in the final writing.
Now, You're Ready To Write!
Take a look at your mind map and your outline, and simply write what you have to write. You've done a lot, if not all, of the preparation that you need. It's now time to start writing!
As you put pen to paper, you'll be able to write what you want to say much more smoothly than ever before. I think that if you're serious about your writing, and you practice this process about three times, you'll begin to find out what works best for you. Then, writer's block will be a thing of the past!
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