I've been finding the tools to help writing (repeated words and long sentences) very handy so I've been thinking what else you might add that would help my writing and I remembered a useful technique I read some time ago regarding generating ideas (for stories, articles or whatever).
I forget the book I read it in (I could dig it out if it's of interest) but this particular example was in relation to a writer on a sitcom coming up with ideas for the existing characters. So if, for example, you were writing a new episode of 'Friends', you'd pick up a TV Guide type magazine, randomly pick a programme and read the synopsis. Here's one for the film that happens to be on while I'm typing, The Bone Collector.
"Gruesome crime thriller starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. When a serial killer starts terrorizing New York, a paralysed forensic expert and a rookie female cop..."
You then identify the more significant words - in this case, I'd say: crime, killer, terror, paralysed, expert, rookie and cop. Then take one word at a time and think how it might apply to each of you main characters. For example, what if Chandler sees a crime or is a victim of a crime or even commits a crime? What if it's Monica? Joey? and so on. Once you've exhausted those ideas, do the same with the next word. Suppose Pheobe accidentally kills an animal (runs it over in her cab perhaps) or Rachel's terror of the dark becomes known or Monica's cookery expertise is wanted for a TV spot or Joey plays a cop and is mistaken for one during a break in filming...
You get the idea.
Anyway, it occurred to me that a quick and dirty version of this would be for Atlantis to randomly pick a word from its dictionary every time a button is pressed. I'd love to have more in-depth and sophisticated story and idea tools but this one strikes me as the easiest to implement so might make a good start.
Idea Generator?
It is the easiest to implement indeed (I mean picking a random word from the wordlist). But I personally doubt that such a feature would be of any real help to writers. Random suggestions would be nonsensical in most cases (if I understand your idea correctly). Any useful tool could not be that simple. But thanks for your brainstorming idea anyway.
Like the wheel? or pencil?admin wrote:Any useful tool could not be that simple.
It would be more useful to more people if it was more sophisticated but I suggested this as it would be easy to implement and I've noticed feature ideas for Atlantis that don't require too much work are more likely to be implemented. If you want a more detailed & sophisticated designs, I’d be happy to think about it.
Hi Andy,
On the subject of “mind mapping” or “brainstorming”, you might want to take a look at these Web pages:
http://www.brainstorming.co.uk
http://www.businessballs.com/brainstorming.htm
http://www.graphic.org/brainst.html
http://www.spicynodes.org/welcome-mindm ... 4wod0V2Adg
http://www.mindtools.com/brainstm.html
http://www.brainstormsw.com/
http://www.thebrain.com/?gclid=CJ71vsGl ... 4wodiSdYdA
http://www.smartdraw.com/specials/ppc/b ... 4wodCi_meQ
http://www.mindjet.com/what-is-mindjet/?lang=en
HTH.
Cheers,
Robert
On the subject of “mind mapping” or “brainstorming”, you might want to take a look at these Web pages:
http://www.brainstorming.co.uk
http://www.businessballs.com/brainstorming.htm
http://www.graphic.org/brainst.html
http://www.spicynodes.org/welcome-mindm ... 4wod0V2Adg
http://www.mindtools.com/brainstm.html
http://www.brainstormsw.com/
http://www.thebrain.com/?gclid=CJ71vsGl ... 4wodiSdYdA
http://www.smartdraw.com/specials/ppc/b ... 4wodCi_meQ
http://www.mindjet.com/what-is-mindjet/?lang=en
HTH.
Cheers,
Robert
Hi Robert,
Thanks for the links. I have to say that despite being a very visual person, I've never been a fan of mind maps. They just seem too vague and unorganised to me - give me a bulleted, indented list any day.
'Brainstorming' also has its place but not, I would say, for individual writers as it requires a group of people. By the way, generally thinking about stuff isn't 'Brainstorming'. Although people often tend to call general cogitation 'Brainstorming', it isn't. That requires a group of people to work to very precise rules. Like I say, good but only in the right circumstances.
I much prefer techniques that are (to me, at least) practical ways to produce results (as opposed to the wishy washy mind maps) that an individual can use. This is why I like that idea I mentioned in my original post - follow it and you can't help but produce results. I've recently stumbled on a website that lists several other interesting approaches (click on 'Techniques' in the panel on the left hand side). I particularly like the 'Lotus Blossom Approach'. Although they're skewed to business applications, they could easily be adapted for writing or more general use.
I just wish I was a good enough programmer to be able to turn these into software that could automate the process somewhat and encourage their use. That's why I made my suggestion for Atlantis - the writing tools (cliché finder, repeated words, overlong sentences etc) are among its most notable features and give the software some of its best USPs.
Features that help and encourage the thinking process (to generate writing ideas, break writers block etc) would be a great addition I think. Although the developer(s) might see it as straying too far from the core functionality, I'd suggest it would be an excellent way to differentiate Atlantis from the competition - any word processor can make words bold or italic and justify text but how many actively help with the creative part of the writing process?
Thanks for the links. I have to say that despite being a very visual person, I've never been a fan of mind maps. They just seem too vague and unorganised to me - give me a bulleted, indented list any day.
'Brainstorming' also has its place but not, I would say, for individual writers as it requires a group of people. By the way, generally thinking about stuff isn't 'Brainstorming'. Although people often tend to call general cogitation 'Brainstorming', it isn't. That requires a group of people to work to very precise rules. Like I say, good but only in the right circumstances.
I much prefer techniques that are (to me, at least) practical ways to produce results (as opposed to the wishy washy mind maps) that an individual can use. This is why I like that idea I mentioned in my original post - follow it and you can't help but produce results. I've recently stumbled on a website that lists several other interesting approaches (click on 'Techniques' in the panel on the left hand side). I particularly like the 'Lotus Blossom Approach'. Although they're skewed to business applications, they could easily be adapted for writing or more general use.
I just wish I was a good enough programmer to be able to turn these into software that could automate the process somewhat and encourage their use. That's why I made my suggestion for Atlantis - the writing tools (cliché finder, repeated words, overlong sentences etc) are among its most notable features and give the software some of its best USPs.
Features that help and encourage the thinking process (to generate writing ideas, break writers block etc) would be a great addition I think. Although the developer(s) might see it as straying too far from the core functionality, I'd suggest it would be an excellent way to differentiate Atlantis from the competition - any word processor can make words bold or italic and justify text but how many actively help with the creative part of the writing process?