Generating ideas for writing – brainstorming When you are given a writing task, the first thing you should do is to think about the topic and find ideas for your task. This activity is called brainstorming. Brainstorming can take many forms. You can brainstorm: • on your own by writing down ideas on paper. • with other people by discussing the topic. Brainstorming is useful for timed essays, such as in tests, or for a writing task which does not require research. Below are some popular techniques for brainstorming