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The Steve Laube Agency

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Brainstorming: The Ground Rules (Part Two)

By Karen Ballon September 4, 2013
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Lamp Head Man With Touch Pad

Are you getting excited about brainstorming? I really hope so. There is so much to be gained from surrounding yourself with other writers ready and willing to share their creativity with you. And from being willing yourself to share with others. Writing doesn’t have to be a solitary task. Knowing you have a group of writers rooting for you, excited about and praying for your project as you’re writing, is simply amazing.

The other day we looked at the first 3 Ground Rules for Effective Brainstorming. Let’s take a look at the rest!

4. Check your negativity at the door.

Say it with me: There are no bad ideas in brainstorming. Okay, yes, sometimes bad ideas show up. But the time to identify them as such isn’t during the session. Brainstorming is about letting the ideas flow and build on each other. It’s about a creative free-for-all, where any and all ideas are welcome. I can’t tell you how many times someone shouted out an idea, and the rest of us exploded into laughter—then built on that seemingly ridiculous thought to the key idea or realization.

Connie Almony is right when she wrote that brainstorming is energizing–it’s like a quad shot in your morning coffee! But only if you make sure there’s no one putting the brakes on the flow.

If the group is brainstorming your book, never say, “I don’t think that will work,” even if you think it. You don’t want to stop the flow.

If you’re the one brainstorming and your idea sparks hilarity, rejoice and join in! (Remember, no egos allowed.) Sometimes the silliest ideas spark the deepest insights.

As one of our members said, (I’d credit it if I could recall…sigh…), “Play angel’s advocate. During the session, welcome the whole basket of ideas. Then, when you’re writing the novel, you can pull them out and see what works.”

5. Talking over each other is perfectly acceptable.

Say it with me: Miss Emily Post need not apply. No, I’m not saying you should be rude or overbearing. But with brainstorming, it’s perfectly okay for the conversation to turn into a free-for-all. In fact, that’s exactly what brainstorming is—throwing ideas into the mix and seeing what sticks. We go into our session knowing ahead of time that Miss Southern Belle, Tamera Alexander, is going to just stomp all over the rest of us with her ideas. <Love you, Tammy!> And that I will, upon rare occasions,  do the same. <insert evil grin here> Seriously, we’re all aware that for the brainstorming sessions to work well, we need to speak when the ideas strike. This isn’t the time to tell everyone, “Okay, now let’s all be quiet and listen to Karen.” Instead, you need to let your ideas be a rambunctious group of puppies, playing and rolling over each other with abandon. You’ll be amazed at the magic that can take place!

6. Everyone must participate.

Say it with me: We need each other! Never say, well, I don’t write in that genre, so what do I have to offer? Because the very fact that you don’t write the same genre can makes your offerings genius. We all come from different perspectives, which means we bring unique ideas. As Sharon Kirk Clifton wrote, it’s great fun to watch writers of other genres get excited about books they’d never write themselves. For example, in our group, sweet, chicken-hearted (a label she gives herself) Robin Lee Hatcher, who pens wonderful historical romances and contemporary women’s fiction, is great at brainstorming my suspense novels. She sees aspects of the story that I don’t, and her input in invaluable. And you’d be amazed at the evil thoughts lurking in that sweet mind! I love it!

7. Realize not everyone will come away with a lot of ideas.

Say it with me: Comparison is a no-no! Some books are harder to brainstorm than others. Our dear Brandilyn’s “seatbelt suspense” novels, for example, generally have a lot of technical aspects to them—such as the methods she uses to kill people. Few of us are schooled in forensic science, so we can’t speak to those aspects of her story. But it’s not about the number of ideas so much as that one spark that will change everything. Never compare your session to anyone else’s. God knows exactly what you need from the group, and He’ll use them to meet that need.

Okay, there you have the ground rules. Next week, we’ll take a look at how you make a brainstorming session happen, from schedules to locations to the size of the group.  Feel free, though, to share any questions you’d like answered about brainstorming retreats. If I can’t answer them, I’ll turn them over to my brilliant brainstorming sisters!

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Category: Book Business, Career, Creativity, Karen, Writing CraftTag: brainstorming, Career, Creativity, Writing Craft

The First Novel I Ever Read

By Dan Balowon September 3, 2013
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It was the summer of 1970…I was dreading a long family car trip mainly because I was 14, I had braces on my teeth and was starting high school in the fall.  I was required to be full of dread.

The big hits on pop radio that summer were "Mama Told Me Not to Come" (Three Dog Night), "Close to You" (Carpenters), "Everything is Beautiful" (Ray Stevens), "The Long and Winding Road" by the Beatles, …

Read moreThe First Novel I Ever Read
Category: Dan, Personal, ReadingTag: novels, Reading, story

Avoid Trashing a Book Online

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 29, 2013
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When I'm thinking of buying a book, I do read the one-star reviews. There. I admitted it. But would I write one? No, and here are three reasons why:

The author is not a moneymaking machine, but a human. A mean reviewer won't see the fallout of posting a nasty review, but writers cry, get angry, sulk and fall into depressions over one-star reviews. It's not fair to use the Internet to vent at a …

Read moreAvoid Trashing a Book Online
Category: Career, Reading, Reviews, TamelaTag: Reading, reviews

Home from Ghana

By Dan Balowon August 27, 2013
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I returned home two days ago after spending a week with publishers in the city of Accra, Ghana representing Media Associates International (www.littworld.org). The Ghana Publisher’s Forum included about thirty people from both Christian and general trade publishers, gathering for sixteen topical sessions over four days on subjects as wide ranging as Developing a Strong Publishing Program to Human …

Read moreHome from Ghana
Category: Book Business, Dan, Get Published, The Publishing LifeTag: International, publishing

Fun Fridays – August 23, 2013

By Steve Laubeon August 23, 2013
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Having played so many pickup games I found this absolutely hilarious! Someday I get to be "the old guy" in this video. Enjoy.

Read moreFun Fridays – August 23, 2013
Category: Fun Fridays, Steve

Success! Now What?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 22, 2013
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Christian publishing professionals want to honor God with success. Sometimes God grants recognition quickly. Other times, He does not. And since Christians are human, it's hard not to be a little jealous of acclaimed authors.

But what about success? Are you ready for it?

Here are just a few concerns I've seen from various published authors:

1.) I'm nervous about my advance. What if I …

Read moreSuccess! Now What?
Category: Book Business, Career, TamelaTag: Book Business, Career, Success

Brainstorming: The Ground Rules

By Karen Ballon August 21, 2013
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Thanks for your thoughts and comments last week. Loved seeing your excitement about getting into a brainstorming group. It really can be a blessing unlike any other. So how do you go about getting started? Well, first, let’s take a look at the ground rules for effective brainstorming. There are several of them, so this week we’ll consider the first three:

1. Steep your sessions in …

Read moreBrainstorming: The Ground Rules
Category: Career, Craft, Creativity, Karen, Writing CraftTag: brainstorming, Creativity, Writing Craft

Think Global Writing

By Dan Balowon August 20, 2013
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As you read this, I am in the bustling city of Accra, Ghana in West Africa taking part in four days of training for Ghanaian publishers, August 20-23, conducted by Media Associates International (www.littworld.org).  International publishing guru Ramon Rocha and I are participating in seminars on a wide range of topics.  My little secret is that I learn and am blessed far beyond what I carry from …

Read moreThink Global Writing
Category: Book Business, Dan, Get Published, The Publishing LifeTag: Book Business, Global, publishing

Back to School for You

By Steve Laubeon August 19, 2013
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by Steve Laube

I'm of the generation that remembers the day after Labor Day being the first day of school. But no more. All through August kids of all ages have been headed back to the classroom. When our daughters were in Marching Band they had rehearsals on the field twice a day, starting two weeks before school began...which put their practices into the month of July...in …

Read moreBack to School for You
Category: Book Business, Book Review, Career, Craft, Get Published, Marketing, Reading, SteveTag: Book Review, Reading, School

Fun Fridays – August 16, 2013

By Steve Laubeon August 16, 2013
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An Irish language version of the song "Cups." What fun!

Never forget, our art can become International.

Read moreFun Fridays – August 16, 2013
Category: Fun Fridays, Steve
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