1. Generate as many ideas as possible, as fast as you can.
Speed is the name of the game, with brainstorming, because you don’t want your logical mind to short-circuit the intuitive connections that are flying through your brain at a thousand miles an hour. For the same reason, when you’re writing your ideas down don’t worry about organizing them, or even taking the time to write the full idea down. You don't want to stop the flow, so use the least amount of words possible to convey the key points of your idea.
2. Every idea is a good idea!
If an idea seems dull, unrelated to your project, or unrealistic, write it down, anyway. You never know where an idea will lead. Something that may not seem to make any sense for the project you’re working on may be the catalyst that breaks you through to a whole new level of creativity. Trust the brainstorming process.
3. Decision making come LATER!
If you start debating the value of every idea you generate, you’re going to cut off the creative flow. You can weed out the weak ideas, later, when you’ve got your editor’s cap on. As long as you’re brainstorming, don’t judge or hold back even the craziest of ideas. Your job is simply to write down whatever comes.
4. Be willing to be silly.
Brainstorming is fun, so have fun with it. Keep it light. The more relaxed, open, and playful you are, the more creative you'll be. When you're being silly, besides having fun, you're at that place of "anything goes," which is the essence of brainstorming. And the silly ideas, themselves, are golden and often go viral.
5. Mix it up.
Use several different brainstorming tools and techniques: mind maps, fast-writing, clustering, lists, and card decks—with paper and pen, or on your computer. The more ways you can mix it up the better, for each will bring up different thoughts, feelings, memories, associations, words, ideas, and images. In addition to using language based brainstorming techniques, you can also brainstorm with audio or visual cues, such as music, photographs, or art.
You can also find a brainstorming partner, or join a mastermind group. Besides the wonderful ideas that others will generate specifically for you, brainstorming with others sparks ideas in you that you wouldn’t have come up with on your own. When two or more are brainstorming, it creates a powerful synergy.
