To give form to an idea, first, quickly jot it down!

August 5, 2024 HIRATADAI

I believe there's a common approach to writing manuscripts and creating zines. It's very similar to brainstorming. First, it's crucial to just rapidly write down all the images and ideas in your head without any self-criticism.

How to Generate Ideas

Mind Maps or Bullet Points

There are several ways to generate ideas, but personally, I recommend bullet points. Mind maps are also good, but bullet points are easier to organize later. By using bullet points, it becomes simple to change the order or remove unnecessary items later on.

Considering the Logical Structure

The structure of an article or book resembles HTML or Markdown format. There's a heading, and content within it. By listing ideas in bullet points according to this format, a logical structure naturally emerges.

Rapidly Write and Organize

Writing It Down

First, write down everything that comes to mind. At this stage, it's important to generate ideas without criticism or editing, just like in brainstorming.

Organizing It

Next, organize the ideas you've written down. Remove unnecessary items, change the order, and add content where needed. If something requires facts, marking it with an asterisk (*) will make it easier to research later.

Filling in the Blanks

For anything that cannot be filled in at the moment, leave it blank using symbols like 【】 or ●●. This allows you to fill in the necessary information for that part later. This method was used by writer Ryo Kikuchi, and I've adopted it since learning about it.

Giving It Form

Dummy Layout or Flat Plan

Based on the rapidly written ideas, create a dummy layout or flat plan. At this stage, it's okay for it to be rough. The detailed parts can be filled in later.

By first rapidly generating ideas without overthinking, and then organizing and shaping them, you can create a better work. Please try it!

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平田提

DIY BOOKS店主、編集者・文筆家。秋田県生まれ、兵庫県在住。早稲田大学第一文学部フランス文学専修卒業。ベネッセ等を経て2021年に株式会社TOGLを設立。2023年10月より尼崎市・武庫元町で「つくれる本屋」DIY BOOKSを開店。今まで5,000冊ほどリソグラフで刷って手製本してきました。ZINEを2013年ぐらいからつくっています。