6 ways of working with ideas

Nothing wrong with brainstorming as a way to work with and generate ideas, but there are other techniques that can jostle your mind out of a rut, too:

1. Brainstorming: Let ideas flow without validation or constraint. Let your imagination go wild and review them later with a more critical lens.

2. Abstraction: Look at a problem in general terms, taking out the specifics, and see if new problem-solving ideas come to mind.

3. Drawing: Storyboarding or sketching concepts for lighting, composition, and styling will help you bring an idea together into a cohesive whole.

4. Lists: Sometimes all you need is a straightforward list of ideas you want to explore. As it grows, eliminate or rethink redundancies. Mark each list item complete once you’ve made the decision to implement or reject the idea. 

5. Inspiration: Create your own well of inspiration by writing ideas and prompts on pieces of paper and putting them into a jar or box. When you find yourself stuck, pull one out and see where it leads.

6. Conversation: The give and take of conversation can help you fill out an idea and find the challenges that might come with it. Sharing ideas with someone can also create accountability to follow through.

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