I have always had the ability to listen to other people’s ideas and sort the straw from the gold. One of my students recently asked me how I do it.
The whole answer is: I have no idea. I would say it’s probably a knack. I am an idea person and an idea lover, so I likely enjoy the brainstorming process more than most.
But I suppose I should give my experience credit where credit is due. If you write for publication for twelve years, and your publishers include magazines, online publications, book publishers and yourself, anybody would likely develop a sixth sense for good ideas.
What my students probably need to hear is that the ideas that I get most excited about are their freshest ideas. Aren’t fresh ideas always what everyone gets most excited about?
You have probably heard the expression, you can’t solve the problem at the level of the problem. Well, the same is true of ideas. If an idea is fresh, it rises above common circumstances and offers a whole new view. Typically a fresh take on a topic is what gives the reader an AHA! experience.
So, how do I ferret out my student’s best ideas in my 60 Ways To Flex Your Content class?
I look for the aha. And when I don’t see it, I ask for it. And it’s usually either right there or just below the surface if you dig a little.
If you want to find your Aha! ideas, you have to get your ideas down on paper, first. This is what I ask my students to do in my 60 Ways To Flex Your Content & Prosper In Your Niche class. Before you can develop the habit of recognizing good ideas, you need a practice for getting all of your ideas out and on the page, first. First thing’s first. Without the first practice, the second practice doesn’t happen.
So maybe it feels like I have a crystal ball and I can just see all the good ideas in there and my students can’t see them. But that’s not the case, because those who take 60 Ways uncover their best ideas and then execute them and get them published—and that’s how a new crystal ball is created…in them. Because once you brainstorm and write a few truly fresh ideas, you are able to do it again and again.
I love my 60 Ways class because it’s a ton of fun. And if you have already taken classes with me, you might think so too. Here’s what some recent students had to say about it:
The 60 Ways class gave me a system that I can run an idea through and wring out every possible writing angle from it. Her added feedback helped me see saleable article possibilities in my writing ideas I never considered before. ~ Kim T.
I’ll be using Christina’s template as a part of my process for generating ideas for years to come – invaluable! I also learned the value of digging deeply into a topic and pushing myself to think creatively about how to communicate areas of interest to me. ~ Tanya W.
60 Ways is one of the best writing classes I have taken. During the six weeks I brainstormed a ton of sellable ideas and was motivated to submit many of them. ~ Stacey L.
The taskmaster/coach does it again…thanks for providing the structure, expertise, and upbeat attitude that helps me keep moving forward with my writing goals. ~ Heather V.
This course was a huge confidence booster. The process I learned is one that I will return to again and again. ~ Sue L.