Map a Mind

          I’m teaching English here in China. What I teach in most of my classes is dictated by the curriculum. There is one class a day, though, that I must plan completely on my own. The goal is to give the students exposure and experience in communicating in English and learning about English-speaking culture. I’ve given pseudo-lessons, where we’ve concentrated on learning and practicing vocabulary, grammar and social interaction; I’ve played games that tested their vocabulary and thinking skills; I’ve shared facts about me, my life and my “take” on American culture.

          Last week in one of my lessons, I showed them how to mind-map. (And rediscovered it for myself!) In my lesson, I led them to mind-map everything they thought and felt about a person who had done something for them or somehow influenced their life. They filled a page with thoughts in a spiderweb of words. (Well, most of them did. I had one or two that never did get into the activity.)

          The next step was to organize those thoughts. (This is where I regained a couple of the non-participators.) They grouped all those words under three general headings. Each category needed at least three words or thoughts associated with it.

          The last step was to write a thank you note to the person . . . without saying the words “thank you.” The result? Some amazing tributes. There may have been a few who didn’t enjoy or didn’t understand the process, but there were many more who used it to create beautiful, heartfelt thank you notes.

          All of which reminded me of the creative power of mind-mapping. (If you’ve never heard of mind-mapping, you can read about it at this Wikipedia article or Mind Tools article on mind-mapping.) Several computer software versions of mind-mapping are available. I have Free Mind. It’s useful for creating a more easily read visual of already brainstormed ideas, ie the organizing step of mind-mapping. It does not spark my creativity and imagination, though, the way pen and paper mind-mapping does. (That’s probably why I’d forgotten mind-mapping was such a great tool. I’ve been using Free Mind in the wrong step of the process.)

          As I head into November (and NaNoWriMo!) with no clear fiction idea in my consciousness, this reminder is a life buoy! I always feel as though writing anything on the story in October is counter-productive. (It’s not, but I have to fight that perception every year.) After all, it is November when I’m supposed to rack up the words. That’s when I should write character diaries, scene ideas, plot threads. Right? Wrong! I need to write those in order to have some semblance of a plan . . . or to learn about the characters.

          I need a solid idea, though, before I can write those character journals or narrative plot ideas. This year, mind-mapping will give it to me!

• First task: mind-map a little on each of the ideas (three of them) circling each other in my brain. Discover the most exciting one. (If I stay true to form, two or more of the possible ideas will probably merge into one multi-threaded story. That’s most likely why I can’t get a fix on which one most interests me.)
• Second task: mind-map ideas for plot and characters for that exciting story idea.
• Third task: mind-map scene ideas.
• Fourth task: organize it all into a document I can use for reference as I prepare and write my NaNo Novel, either by adding color to my mind map or by using Free Mind.

         Anyone who knows me knows I’ll probably do all those tasks in tandem, not sequence. But at least I now have a plan. Do you?