How to Brainstorm for an Essay
Essay Ideas: How to Brainstorm for an Essay
You’re faced with a daunting new assignment: writing an essay. But you have no idea what to write about. The blank page stares back at you, and you can’t figure out how to start. How do you brainstorm and find good essay ideas?
Different Types of Essays
First, identify what kind of essay you’re writing. Here are some common types:
Descriptive: In a descriptive essay, you describe something—a situation, person, place, object, or event. Before writing, have a clear idea of what you’ll describe.
Narrative: Narrative essays tell a personal story. When brainstorming for a narrative essay, think about experiences you want to share with your audience.
Expository: Expository essays investigate an idea by presenting information, explaining concepts, analyzing, or introducing an argument. Ask yourself: What idea do I want to explore?
Argumentative: An argumentative essay presents a thesis that not everyone may agree with. You need to provide evidence and reasoning to convince your reader. When brainstorming, consider your position and the reasons behind it.
Analytical: An analytical essay examines something, such as a literary work. While it may include a brief summary, the focus should be on a thesis and supporting argument. When brainstorming, determine your main claim and how you'll support it with evidence.
Your essay may not fit into just one category. Essay types often overlap, incorporating different writing styles. For example, descriptive elements can appear in narrative essays, or argumentative elements in expository or analytical essays. Understanding essay types can help you think about what and how you want to write.
How to Brainstorm for an Essay
So, how do you come up with essay ideas? Here are some brainstorming tips:
Fill up the blank space: Instead of waiting for a perfect idea, start writing whatever comes to mind, even if it seems bad. Often, bad ideas lead to good ones, so fill the page and let creativity flow.
Make connections: After brainstorming ideas, try combining or connecting them. Sometimes, two mediocre ideas together can create a great one, especially when the combination is unexpected. For instance, merging "robots" and "pianos" could inspire an essay on "piano robots."
Journal and take notes: Inspiration can strike unexpectedly. Be prepared by jotting down spontaneous ideas using a notebook, sticky notes, or a note-taking app.
Read or explore new material: Struggling to come up with ideas? Start reading! As you process others' thoughts, your brain will make new connections. Rereading or exploring new texts, essays, or movies can spark fresh ideas.
Criticize: Sometimes it's easier to disagree with an idea than to create a new one. When you encounter something you oppose, write down why. Your criticisms could lead to valuable essay ideas.
Ask and answer questions: Use the five Ws and one H (Who? What? Why? When? Where? How?) to generate new thoughts. Questions like “Why did that happen?” or “How did it happen?” can lead to interesting ideas.
Talk with others: Some of your best ideas might emerge during conversations. Explain your thoughts, listen to others, and respond. This can help organize your thoughts and spark new ones. Talk to friends, teachers, parents, tutors, or even strangers.
Using these tips, we hope you can brainstorm your next essay idea and start writing. And if you’re still stuck, try signing up for a free tutoring session with UPchieve.