Introduction Visual Methods Listing Outlining Freewriting Questioning

Strategies for Getting Started

Your Pre-Writing Toolkit for Overcoming the Blank Page

Beat Writer's Block!
Generate Ideas!
Organize Thoughts!
I. Introduction: Why Pre-Writing Matters

Every writer faces the blank page. How you start can determine everything that follows. Pre-writing isn't just preparation—it's where you discover what you actually want to say.

Pre-writing techniques help you generate ideas and see connections without the pressure of writing complete sentences. They follow common rules: write everything down without elimination, work quickly, don't edit, and if stuck, review or seek input.

By the end of this guide, you will be able to:

  • Use multiple pre-writing strategies effectively
  • Choose the right technique for your writing task
  • Combine methods for better results
  • Overcome writer's block with proven techniques
  • Save and organize your pre-writing work

Key Takeaway

Pre-writing is thinking, and thinking is the hardest part of writing. These strategies make the thinking process visible and manageable.

II. Visual Mapping Techniques

Visual techniques help you see connections between ideas. They're perfect for visual thinkers and complex topics with many interrelated concepts.

Clustering/Mind Mapping:

  1. Start with a central concept in the middle of the page
  2. Add connected ideas branching outward
  3. Draw lines showing relationships
  4. Use colors, symbols, and images to enhance connections

Interactive Cluster Diagram

Create your own cluster diagram. Double-click nodes to edit them, drag to move them around, and use the tools below to add new ideas.

When to use visual mapping:
  • When ideas feel interconnected
  • For visual thinkers
  • When exploring relationships between concepts
  • For complex topics with multiple aspects
III. Listing Methods

Listing is a straightforward approach to generating ideas without worrying about structure or connections.

Brainstorm Listing Rules:

  • Write everything down—no filtering
  • Work quickly without editing
  • Quantity over quality initially
  • Group related ideas later

Interactive List Maker

Create your brainstorm list below. Type each idea and press Enter or click Add. Then drag ideas to group them in the right column.

My Ideas

Grouped Ideas

Know/Don't Know Lists:

Perfect for research-based writing. Create two columns: what you already know about your topic, and what you need to research.

Example for topic "Urban Gardening":
What I Know:
- Urban gardens can reduce food deserts
- Many cities have vacant lots suitable for gardening
- Community gardens build social connections

What I Need to Research:
- Success rates of urban gardening initiatives
- Cost analysis of startup and maintenance
- Policy barriers in different municipalities
IV. Outlining Approaches

Outlining helps you create structure before you begin writing. It can range from formal to informal depending on your needs.

Outline Type When to Use Benefits Traditional Outline Formal writing, research papers Creates logical flow, identifies support gaps Rough Outline Early ideas, exploratory writing Flexible, visual, easy to rearrange Phrase Outline Quick planning, speech preparation Concise, easy to scan

Interactive Outline Builder

Build your outline below. Add main points and supporting details.

I. Main Idea
A. Supporting Idea
1. Detail
2. Detail
B. Supporting Idea
1. Detail

Key Takeaway

Your outline should serve your writing process, not constrain it. Choose an outlining approach that matches your thinking style and writing task.

V. Freewriting Techniques

Freewriting generates text by allowing you to write continuously without editing or censoring your thoughts.

Freewriting Rules:

  • Write as much as you can, as quickly as you can
  • Don't edit or cross anything out
  • Keep your pen or fingers moving
  • You don't need to stay on topic
  • If stuck, write about being stuck

Freewriting Timer Tool

Set a timer and write without stopping until time is up. Your work will be automatically saved.

05:00
Looping Method:

A structured approach to freewriting that helps you go deeper into your ideas.

  1. Freewrite for 5 minutes on your topic
  2. Read what you wrote and identify the core idea
  3. Use that idea as a prompt for another 5-minute freewrite
  4. Repeat until you've reached depth or clarity
Prompt ideas for freewriting:
- "What I really want to say about this topic is..."
- "The most important aspect of this is..."
- "What surprises me about this topic is..."
- "If I could explain one thing about this topic, it would be..."
VI. Question-Based Strategies

Asking questions about your topic stimulates ideas and reveals angles you might not have considered.

Journalist's Questions (5 Ws + How):

  • Who is involved/affected?
  • What is happening/should happen?
  • Where is this relevant?
  • When is this important?
  • Why does this matter?
  • How does this work/occur?

Question Prompter

Use this tool to generate questions about your topic. Answering these questions will help you develop content.

Click "Generate Question" to get started

Saved Questions

    Other Questioning Frameworks:

    Problem/Solution: What problem exists? Who does it affect? What solutions have been tried? What solutions might work? What barriers exist to solutions?

    Cause/Effect: What are the underlying causes? What are the visible effects? How are causes and effects connected? What patterns emerge?

    Key Takeaway

    Questions are powerful thinking tools. They open up possibilities and reveal aspects of your topic you might otherwise overlook.

    VII. Putting It All Together

    Now that you've learned various pre-writing strategies, it's time to think about how to choose and combine them effectively.

    Situation Recommended Techniques Feeling stuck or blocked Freewriting, Looping Complex topic with many connections Clustering, Mind mapping Research-heavy topic Know/Don't Know lists Need logical structure Traditional outlining Exploring personal connections Freewriting, Questioning Working with tight structure Traditional outlining
    Try a Combination Approach:
    1. Start with clustering to explore ideas
    2. Use listing to expand each cluster point
    3. Freewrite about the most promising ideas
    4. Create an outline from your best material
    5. Use questioning to fill in gaps

    Pre-Writing Challenge

    Choose a writing topic and try at least two different pre-writing techniques. Compare the results.

    Remember: Pre-writing is supposed to be messy. The goal isn't perfection—it's generation. Trust that the process will lead you to ideas worth developing.

    Attribution:

    Material adapted from Strategies for Getting Started by Carol Burnell, Jaime Wood, Monique Babin, Susan Pesznecker, and Nicole Rosevear, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

    Original content available at: https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/aboutwriting/chapter/strategies-for-getting-started/