# Brainstorming Capture Capture story brainstorming as minimal working notes that preserve creative freedom. The core principle: record what was stated, mark what was suggested, and don't fill gaps the author left open. ## Report Structure When producing a standalone brainstorm document, tag all generated content as `` since none came from the author: ```markdown # [Topic]: [Angle] ## The Need The creative need you read behind the question, in a sentence or two. ## Approach What direction you explored and why. ## Ideas Concrete possibilities, organized logically. ## Tradeoffs What each option gains and gives up. ## Connections How this connects to existing story threads. ## Open Questions Questions the author should consider before committing. ``` Open with the need: the first phrasing of a brainstorm question is often a surface framing of a deeper creative need (`/intent-modeling`), and stating your read lets the author correct it before weighing options. Present options and tradeoffs, not a recommendation: convergence is the author's. Make each option concrete enough to evaluate and distinct enough to be a different choice. A good open question reframes the decision space. Save the document in the work directory's `brainstorm/` folder as `brainstorm-[topic].md`. ## Source Tagging **Default: untagged text = the author said it.** Most story-planning content comes from the author, so untagged is the common case. Three tags for special context: **`...`**: AI suggestions and possibilities. Use when offering ideas the author didn't state. Keep brief: 2-3 options, not exhaustive lists. **`...`**: Author-only information for planned reveals. Secret motivations, future twists, behind-the-scenes reasoning that readers and characters don't know yet. **`...`**: Ideas explicitly considered and discarded. Recording why something was rejected prevents re-suggesting it and preserves the reasoning for later reconsideration. ## Minimal Capture Record what the author stated. Don't elaborate, don't fill gaps, don't invent details they didn't mention. AI suggestions are valuable: wrap them in `` tags and keep them brief. - "Character A competes with B" → capture as stated. Optionally: `Tournament? Political? Trial?` - "Maybe creates tension" → record as uncertain. Don't resolve the maybe. - "Three kingdoms" → note three kingdoms. Don't name them. ## Preserve Vagueness If the author left it vague, the notes stay vague. "Might," "maybe," "thinking about," "something like": all preserved as-is. Vagueness isn't a problem to solve; it's creative space the author is keeping open. Multiple contradictory options coexist until the author chooses. Don't resolve them. Don't pick the "best" one. ## Output Format Use whatever structure fits the discussion: bullet lists, topic sections, timeline format, question-driven, freeform. The goal is clarity, not template compliance. Essential elements: - Minimal capture of author's words - Vagueness preserved - AI suggestions wrapped in `` tags - Author-only info wrapped in `` tags - Rejected ideas wrapped in `` tags when relevant ## Brainstorming Types All story-planning types share the core principles above. See resources for specialized guidance: - [`resources/brainstorming/chapter-planning.md`](brainstorming/chapter-planning.md): beat and scene exploration, pacing thoughts, chapter structure - [`resources/brainstorming/character-development.md`](brainstorming/character-development.md): motivations, arcs, relationships, voice - [`resources/brainstorming/worldbuilding.md`](brainstorming/worldbuilding.md): systems, cultures, geography, lore - [`resources/brainstorming/continuity-timeline.md`](brainstorming/continuity-timeline.md): chronology, contradictions, knowledge propagation Read the relevant resource when the story-planning focuses on that area. ## Calibration The success check: the author says "yes, that's what I said." Capture stated facts, preserve uncertainty, add brief tagged options when useful, keep notes minimal. ## File Placement `/story-memory` `resources/writing-artifacts.md` has the work layout. Durable decisions get promoted to the kb after the brainstorm completes.