Today may be the first day of spring, but much of the country is still stuck in muddy wintery landscapes. Our writing mojo has lost its spark as a result; we sigh, tap our pencils, and pine for spring.
So imagine our delight when a copy of Me, Myself, & Ideas: The Ultimate Guide to Brainstorming Solo landed on our desk. Don’t let its smaller size fool you: Authors and “seasoned solopreneurs” Carrie Anton and Jessica Nordskog have packed it to the brim with exercises, prompts, and rut-busting strategies, encouraging readers to “brainstorm like nobody’s watching.” Better still, each page is beautifully illustrated and designed. Reading it almost feels like reading a scrapbook magicked together by a pair of creativity fairy godmothers.
Chapter topics range from “Icebreakers” (“fun warm-ups you can use to transition from get-work-done mode to the brainstorm-brilliant-ideas zone”) to “Debrief” (a section designed to help readers “better assess, form, and broaden your ideas so that you can decide which ones will go on to star in your work life”). Anton and Nordskog’s “assignments” range from simple (“create a family tree for an inanimate object”) to complex (“Travel five miles west, and see what catches your eye,” then write a 300-word essay about the trip.)
The book begins with a quiz to help readers understand their own brainstorming style, including cautions and suggestions for making future brainstorming sessions and exercises more productive.
“By the end of this book, you’ll be armed with a set of diverse techniques for firing up creativity, generating and selecting your best ideas, and navigating all manners of obstacles – all by yourself,” Anton and Nordskog promise in the introduction. “You’ll also (we hope) feel a little less alone on your solo journey.”
