Brainstorming: Using Lists

Diana

Diana

LOOK HOW CALM SHE IS
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Invitation Status
  1. Not accepting invites at this time
Posting Speed
  1. 1-3 posts per week
  2. Slow As Molasses
Online Availability
10AM - 10PM Daily
Writing Levels
  1. Adaptable
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Female
Genres
Romance, Supernatural, Fantasy, Thriller, Space Exploration, Slice of Life
Lists are really handy tools for just about EVERYTHING. Whether it's to keep track of the groceries you need, a list of future goals, or in this case - brainstorming ideas!

For this exercise, I am going to give you a few brainstorming list ideas. You choose one of the list types and then make your own brainstorm list.

LISTS GREAT FOR PLOTS:

10 things that would be cool to happen in my plot.
10 locations I want to take scenes.
10 random ideas/elements I want to appear in my story.
10 disasters that could happen to characters.
10 ways the problem of the plot could be resolved.

LISTS GREAT FOR CHARACTERS:

10 Things My character has done in their life.
10 Things my character loves/hates.
10 Places my character likes to hang out.
10 People that have affected my character's life.


And if YOU have any list ideas, make sure to share them!
 
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10 Things My character has done in their life.
  1. Attended law school
  2. Been in a garage band
  3. Gotten a tattoo
  4. Dated the girl next door
  5. Got heart broke by the girl next door
  6. Broken a bone
  7. Been in a fistfight
  8. Attained a gun licence
  9. Broke a window intentionally
  10. Got a then-trendy now-embarassing haircut
10 Things my character loves/hates.
  1. Loves metal music, especially power and fantasy metal
  2. Loves old cars, but can't afford the maintenance
  3. Loves his parents, has a good relationship with them
  4. Loves Sherlock Holmes, the original short story collection
  5. Loves raw, fresh vegetables, except corn on the cob
  6. Hates people moving/rearranging his stuff
  7. Hates dubstep/electronic music
  8. Hates whole wheat pasta
  9. Hates smalltalk
  10. Hates big crowds (not so bad if they're well-spread-out)
10 Places my character likes to hang out.
  1. Home
  2. Car
  3. Library
  4. Hiking trail
  5. Parent's house
  6. Friend's house
  7. Small-business food places
  8. Thrift stores
  9. Park (not the playground kind)
  10. University cafe
10 People that have affected my character's life.
  1. Parents (obvious reasons)
  2. Criminal Law professor (Inspired him to pursue criminal law as a career)
  3. BFF Candace (eternal optimist)
  4. First Client as a PI (Motivated him to make a difference/help people)
  5. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Inspired him with Sherlock Holmes novel)
  6. Highschool friend Robert (Got him into metal music and helped him work through a major depression, they started a garage band using music as a safer and healthier way of venting than drugs and vandalism, which were the more popular alternatives in the neighbourhood)
  7. Nameless senior woman who asked "What's your REAL job though?" when informed he worked as a private investigator (initiated a 'fuck you my work has meaning' reaction that he constantly strives to prove)
  8. Leanne (aforementioned girl next door; first crush)
  9. First boss (gave him a chance and a paycheque)
  10. Crazy homeless man who once attempted to attack him for no reason (reminded him that sometimes people are just nuts and there's not much you can do about it)
 
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10 things that would be cool to happen in my plot.
  1. Protagonist meets , Other character in story through either pleasant or extremely unpleasant event
  2. Protagonist's Meets the other again, Or is sure to find the other once more through planning or stalking
  3. Character's lives are racked by plot twist
  4. Large events occurs , New character and side character are introduced into the story world.
  5. Side Character's Become people of Interest , Both Main Character's meet antagonist.
  6. Antagonist hides not revailing true colors to other side chracter easily fooling those around him.
  7. The two Protagonist plead desperately with side character's to take their side, but are not trusted ,Then outcast, as Lair's and shallow cruel people.
  8. Antagonist strike revealing his true motives to all Side chracters and going on killing spree as Protagonist warned.
  9. Protagonist get small team of followers on their side to make up plan and stop the killing , When One of the Protagnoist gets confronted by her dark past and is arrested unable to lead the resistance group.
  10. The group persists , To fight but loses and Main Protagnoist is captured as bait to lure the other protagnoist in.
10 locations I want to take scenes.
  1. Cathedral
  2. Study or Library
  3. Observatory
  4. Forensic lab
  5. College campus
  6. College Foot ball field and track field
  7. abandoned Factory
  8. Large Lecture hall
  9. Auditorium
  10. Mental Hospital for Disturbed Young teen.
10 random ideas/elements I want to appear in my story.
  1. Deamons
  2. Hats
  3. Work Ethic , Cheating , And Lying between group of friends
  4. Small Town Community
  5. Secrets behind closed door's In occupants in town
  6. Old Lady In aslyum who's case Was closed , Due to the towns request
  7. Tradtional Town raffle
  8. Missing Children
  9. Foud Children that claim to have never been missing
  10. College life , As a new person in a small town
10 disasters that could happen to characters.

  1. character breaks down after large amount of stress has entered his life.
  2. Is Forced to live off campus due to personal demands of students
  3. Character is stalked for long period of time
  4. Unmarked packages arrive at character's door.
  5. recives letter from unknown sender
  6. From lack of sleep black out completely during class and is taken to hospital
  7. Loses part time job
  8. Soon had to car parent , who he is not on good terms with to ask for money to survive
  9. Gets multiple calls from untracable number
  10. Goes to police , police inform him that they cannot act untill he presents proof
10 ways the problem of the plot could be resolved.

( I will finish this later been working on and off for hours and got stuck ill take another crack at it frist thing tommrw)

LISTS GREAT FOR CHARACTERS:

10 Things My character has done in their life.
10 Things my character loves/hates.
10 Places my character likes to hang out.
10 People that have affected my character's life.


And if YOU have any list ideas, make sure to share them!
 
10 locations I want to take scenes.
  1. The Circle of SevenStones
  2. The Temple of Astroph
  3. The Wives' Palace
  4. The East Imperial Academy of Silthador
  5. The Governor's Manse
  6. SkyHaven
  7. The Shah'Eilu
  8. The Cairn of Ysr
  9. The Lumardic College
  10. Smurr's Bluff

And a list idea: Ten Random People My Character Interacts with on a Daily Basis
 
-Luna Miles-
10 Things My character has done in their life.​
  1. Been homeless​
  2. Accidentally killed someone​
  3. Ate too many pancakes​
  4. Attempted suicide​
  5. Exploded mashed potatoes​
  6. Caught a kitchen on fire​
  7. Nearly dropped her father in the ocean​
  8. Sassed one too many people​
  9. Tripped over her own feet- and tail​
  10. Held a grudge for a year and a half​
10 Things my character loves/hates. (1-5 loves, 6-10 hates)​
  1. Pancakes​
  2. Teammates​
  3. Flying​
  4. Sandwiches​
  5. Family​
  6. Depression​
  7. Cramped spaces​
  8. Alexis​
  9. Oysters​
  10. Cold​
10 Places my character likes to hang out.​
  1. The beach​
  2. Bedroom​
  3. The sky​
  4. The gym​
  5. The theater​
  6. Pizza parlors​
  7. Ice cream shops​
  8. Kitchens​
  9. Forests​
  10. Clifftops​
10 People that have affected my character's life.​
  1. Alex (husband)​
  2. Xander (brother)​
  3. Barry (adoptive father)​
  4. Alexis (antagonizer)​
  5. Nicole (friend)​
  6. Slash (friend?)​
  7. Three children​
  8. Wraith (betrayer)​
  9. Abusive parents​
  10. Cat (friend)​
 
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10 Things My character has done in their life. (Tza'Hal Aggraf)

1. Graduated from the Major Artillery School in Assaz'Duun
2. Racked up over three hundred casualties in under a year as siege lieutenant
3. Had a flirtationship with a captain from a different army regiment (Infantry)
4. Won 2nd place at the Second Annual Strategy Game Tournament for the 32nd Siege Regiment
5. Traveled a good part of the border with Balladur.
6. Was tattooed with a special commendation for outstanding service as siege lieutenant
7. Has written a book on the current symptoms and trends among those who have the Sickness
8. Traveled on foot almost all the way to Windfeld from Sol'Davur.
9. Broke up with her flirtationship partner over a dispute regarding her posting in the military.
10. Passed the entrance exam and the Lumin exam for the Order of the Lynx.
 
10 disasters that could happen to characters (In any story...no particular story in mind)

1) Injury
2) Discovery of embarrassing secrets
3) Weaknesses discovered and abused
4) Trapped
5) Attacked by surprise
6) Betrayed by a trusted friend
7) Mode of transportation gone (Either killed if an animal, or damaged if a vehicle)
8) Traveling through horrible weather
9) Running out of basic necessities while traveling
10) Arriving at an intended destination only to discover it destroyed
 
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