by Lisa Jordan, @lisajordan

Our brain weighs about three pounds, yet it’s the most important organ in our body. It allows us to think, to feel, to control and coordinate our actions and reactions, and enables us to have emotions/feelings and memories. 

In fact, memory is our brain’s ability to hold onto information to be used at a later time. The complexity of memory allows for long-term and for short-term storage. 

While reading this post, you’re creating memories of my words. Once you finish reading, you may be able to recall parts of what I’ve mentioned, but you won’t be able to recite my text word for word. That’s because our brains filter through the necessary data we need to learn and adapt to our daily living. 

You can have the best organizational systems and still forget things. Imagine our brains as human libraries—we shelf information according to categories so we can find it and retrieve it when necessary. And that’s why different tools and organizational processes help with cataloging and retrieving those essential memories—or pieces of data needed for specific functions.

Mind mapping is one of those organizational processes. The idea of mind mapping was popularized by British author and educational consultant, Tony Buzan. Inspired by techniques used by Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, and Joseph D. Novak‘s “concept mapping” techniques, he promoted the idea of mental literacy, radiant thinking, and mind mapping. 

Simply put, a mind map is a visual diagram of organized information centered around one idea or one theme. Then, keywords and phrases branch off from that main idea or concept. 

Mind mapping helps you to learn, store, and retrieve information. It’s visual, and it’s kinesthetic, meaning it enables you to learn by using your fingers, hands, and arms for processing the information. Simply put—it’s a hands-on experience. 

While listening to a lecture, a professional, or a workshop presenter, you may be taking notes, either by hand or typing on your computer or mobile device. The problem with this is you’re not learning—you’re transcribing, which is taking what you hear and putting it in note form. Sure, you may be able to go back later and re-read. But you’re not organizing the information in your brain to help you to learn it. That leads to a variety of emotions such as frustration, anger, anxiety, fear, and guilt. 

Mind mapping is personal, and it can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it. It benefits your learning style. I’m a visual learner, so this process enables me to retain information better. I need to see it to understand it. And because I enjoy hands-on processes, this doubles my retention abilities.

Mind mapping simplifies note taking by using only a couple of words at a time or even short phrases. You don’t have to scribble word for word—focus on main keywords and connect key ideas. Limit it to one page. 

It’s not just for brainstorming story—you can use it in every area of your life to think—not transcribe—so you can remember it later. You can work with your brain instead of against it. I use it to brainstorm blog posts for the year and household projects we want to tackle. 

If you’ve been around MBT for any length of time, then you’ve been exposed to different forms of Mind Mapping already—SEQ (the story equation) and the values boards in the My Brilliant Writing Planner.

To get started with mind mapping, take a blank sheet of paper and turn it horizontally. Imagine mind mapping as a figurative tree—the circle in the middle is the tree trunk and the radial lines are the branches—or idea connections. Draw a circle in the center of your paper. Then write your topic in the center of the circle. This could be a new story idea, a character, plot idea, or even the story question you want to develop for your novel. From there, draw lines from the circle and use keywords and phrases to build connections between the main idea and the thoughts that are important to you. 

If you don’t want to do it by hand, there are software programs like Scapple. An internet search will provide you many options for you to consider. 

Mind mapping may feel odd at first, but keep it simple and begin kinesthetically to use your hands and fingers to work with your brain. Ask yourself good questions. If you are brainstorming a character, use one side of the paper to develop the SEQ questions, then you can use the other side to create other essentials such as background information that you may consider including in the story. Your Branches can include character traits, Bible verses or favorite quotes, lifestyle details such as career, living situation, clothing choices, etc. Break out your colored pens for different branches. Practice until you find your style.

Your Turn: Have you tried mind mapping? How has it worked for you?

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His Road to Redemption

A veteran in need of a fresh start will get more than he bargained for…

Veteran Micah Holland’s scars go deeper than anyone knows. An inheritance from his mentor could be a new beginning—if he shares the inherited goat farm with fiercely independent Paige Watson. Now the only way they can keep the farm is to work together. But first Micah must prove he’s a changed man to keep his dream and the woman he’s falling for.

Heart, home, and faith have always been important to Lisa Jordan, so writing stories with those elements come naturally. Represented by Cynthia Ruchti of Books & Such Literary Management, Lisa is an award-winning author for Love Inspired, writing contemporary Christian romances that promise hope and happily ever after. Her latest book, His Road to Redemption, releases in January 2022. She is the content manager for Novel Academy, powered by My Book Therapy. Happily married to her own real-life hero for over thirty years, Lisa and her husband have two grown sons. When she isn’t writing, Lisa enjoys quality family time and being creative with words, photos, fibers, and papers. Learn more about her at lisajordanbooks.com.