Nothing beats the thrill of writing the opening paragraph of your next novel or the first stanza of a new poem. The words come easily at first and ideas seem bountiful in the early days of a writing project.
However, as you get stuck into your piece, you may find that you lose track of your plot and forget the plans you’d laid out for your characters. This can be frustrating if you only have a short time to write after work. It can even lead to writer’s fatigue.
Rather than lament the loss of your creative energy, use the time to mind map your project. Mind mapping lets you zoom out from the paragraph or chapter you’re currently working on so you can see the bigger picture again. Mind mapping can help you figure out why your story is falling flat and generate a more compelling narrative arc for your reader too.
Structure
Unless you want to write a rambling postmodern masterpiece, you’ll need a clear idea of structure to guide your narrative and give you a sense of purpose. This holds true for even the most experimental of novels, like Italo Calvino’s If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler, which eschews a linear plot yet still follows a clear structure to guide readers through the novel.
If you’re some way into your project, consider bullet-pointing all of the major plot points you’ve written so far. This can help you discover a chain of cause and effect and may nudge your creative faculties in a more compelling direction.
You may find that mind-mapping your own creation still leaves you feeling a little lost. This is entirely normal, as few writers know how their story will start, progress, and end before they put pen to paper.
Rather than getting frustrated, pull your favorite book off the shelf and start to mind-map its structure. Note down the major plot points and keep a record of all that has happened to the main characters. You can even jot down the page numbers next to major events, as this will give you an idea of how you might space out your own narrative events.
This approach to mind mapping will give you a deeper understanding of the genre you’re working within and may help you figure out if you need more (or less!) major events to shake up the plot and recapture the reader’s focus.
Ideas
Understanding the structure of a story is key if you’re working on a longer project like a novel. However, if you want to write a series of short stories or poems, you may be better served by focusing your attention on the major ideas that you wish to present.
This sentiment is echoed by Edgar Allan Poe who, when reviewing a collection of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short stories,
“A short story must have a single mood and every sentence must build.”
This approach to writing can be mentally taxing as every sentence works to build the “mood” of the story and help convey your overarching idea. A mental map can help you pick up the thread of your big idea by helping you assess whether or not a sentence or stanza works.
Avoid the temptation to mind map while you’re writing. Instead, take out a large sheet of paper when editing and jot down the big idea in the center of the page. Then start copying down sentences from your draft; connecting similar-sounding sentences and branching out as the idea grows. This will help you hone the craft of the sentence and make the kind of micro edits that are essential for all good short stories.
If you struggle to edit your own work, it may be a sign that you need more sleep. Sleep is critical for creativity, as difficulty concentrating is a tell-tale sign of physical fatigue. If this is the case, you may be better served putting the pen down and getting a few “Z’s” instead.
Finding the Flow
Once you’ve completed your mind map, you need to get back in the flow of things ASAP. Getting back in the flow is key, as you may find that mind mapping makes you overcautious when writing more content or editing your existing work.
You can find your writer flow by sitting down to work in a quiet, calming place. You may even want to pour yourself a glass of wine, as wine can loosen you up and get your creative juices flowing. As an added bonus, red wines contain antioxidants that reduce inflammation and may give your body the boost it needs as you focus on your writing.
Keep your mind map at close hand but keep your attention on the screen. If you run into writer’s block, simply start writing sentences that sound right even if they can’t be used in your project. This is like firing up the engine of a car after it’s been in the garage for some time and will get you back to your best in no time.
Conclusion
Mind mapping can help you find structural flaws and superfluous sentences in your work. It can also generate new ideas and help you find the flow after some time away. Consider copying down the structure of your favorite author if you’re struggling for inspiration and play some calming music to get your creative flowing again.
Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specializing in the art of writing, mental health, and education. When she isn’t writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with Katie, you can follow her on Twitter.
