Three little ideas I use to unlock myself so that I can mind map
1. I've come to realize, I sometimes drift into a mode of thinking too hierarchically - as though I'm trying to write an outline - and not collect ideas in a map. I remind myself to dump ideas out and not worry about where they go or how they get organized or what belongs where. Once I don't feel tempted to organize and edit as I draw and write, my ideas free up.
2. I often begin with a blank piece of paper - not in a notebook - because I get agitated with the first draft or two - and a blank piece of paper feels disposable to me which is even more freeing. When my ideas begin to gel - I either draw the map in a cleaner form in a notebook or if I've become attached to what I drawn, I paste (tape) the map into my notebook.
3. I like to think and play with singular words. What I mean by play is that I'll have a word in mind that encapsulates what I'm thinking and then I think about related words and opposite words to see what else comes along. I often look up words I know perfectly well to see what nuance about a word I have forgotten - that alone - brings more ideas sometimes.
2. I often begin with a blank piece of paper - not in a notebook - because I get agitated with the first draft or two - and a blank piece of paper feels disposable to me which is even more freeing. When my ideas begin to gel - I either draw the map in a cleaner form in a notebook or if I've become attached to what I drawn, I paste (tape) the map into my notebook.
3. I like to think and play with singular words. What I mean by play is that I'll have a word in mind that encapsulates what I'm thinking and then I think about related words and opposite words to see what else comes along. I often look up words I know perfectly well to see what nuance about a word I have forgotten - that alone - brings more ideas sometimes.