Yes, I love to brainstorm - I love to think about my story and the many ways that it could be told, the many obstacles I could put in the characters' ways, other ways to play with the theme or have the theme be expressed. Particularly when there is a story problem, I like to think of various ways to solve it and even go down a few of the tracks in order to figure out the best one. Brainstorming helps me come up with the best expression of the story. I also love batting ideas around with others as it helps to discern what really sticks and makes a difference.

Beneficial?? Certainly! Dare I say: imperative. If I don't spend time with a pen in my hand, "noodling things around", I'd likely feel like I'm missing out. Sure, I'll scribble around topics and bits of information that may or may not serve any specific purpose in the long run of the story, but invariably, every single bout of brainstorming yields something important, even if it's merely a single nugget of wisdom or some little detail I didn't have yet. I would much rather noodle around on paper during brainstorming sessions to test out plot and characters and learn what I need to learn BEFORE writing actual script pages. By the time I type FADE IN, all that brainstorming and noodling around will have garnered me a fairly clear path for my story, and since I'm one who likes to travel with a map, this works for me. Detours are fine and adventuresome at times, but at the very least, I like to have a compass! Braintstorming nets me that.

Brainstorming gets the creative juices flowing and it loosens you up. Brainstorming is certainly part of my work process.

I'm a huge proponent of brainstorming. In fact this week, I've laid at the feet of the Questers a zillion brainstorming prompts. Well, not quite that many. The key to brainstorming as to all story development is, in my humble opinion, getting curious. Ask questions. Use them as shovels to dig into the soil of your imagination. Let me add this: When I read a script that is basically in the 'meh' category or works, but only at a surface level, I know the writer could have benefited from more brainstorming. Especially digging into and living with the story's characters. Brainstorming is one key to writing a great script.