Looking for info about creativity sessions with a partner who only acts as a creativity stimulator.

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creativitytogo

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Hello,

I will be thankful for any thoughts of yours for the following-
I am interested in learning more about the process/methods of creative writing brainstorming sessions, where two people are involved:
One acts as a listener, a provider of prompts, asks questions etc(without actually coming up with ideas), and the other person (the writer) creates the ideas.
The goal of such process is that one person only helps(while not adding ideas of his/her own) to stimulate the other person (the writer) to come up with more and more ideas, allowing the writer to express himself/herself as genuinely and authentically as possible.

I tried finding additional info concerning such process, but mainly got info about brainstorming sessions where both participates provide the ideas ("ping-pong", "bouncing "ideas etc), while I specifically look for info about the type of sessions when only one person comes up with the ideas while the other person is there to help the writer (by using different creativity tools, active listening and other creative simulations methods)

I will be thankful for any help finding more information concerning such process, like:

1.
What is the exact term for such brainstorming session? (knowing the term may help me finding more info)-
Is it something like "non-intervening creative writing buddy session", or maybe something else?

2.
Any Links from the web, that may provide additional info concerning such creative writing sessions.

3.
Any books that describes that process and how to do that properly, like more methods and tools for the one who helps the writer, how to make such creative sessions more fruitful, the advantages of such sessions, why working with a partner helps the creative flow etc.

Thank you for any advice.
 
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Anna Iguana

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As a writer, I call it "having a sounding board" when someone helps me by listening. I'm not familiar with analysis of that collaborative process, and there's a good chance my label won't turn up the search results you're looking for. (I'd be curious to hear back what you do find.)

As a counselor, your description of the process seems similar to some approaches to psychotherapy. If you hit a wall on your research, I wonder if a look at counseling models might help. Good luck!
 

JDlugosz

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In engineering it’s called “rubber dummy syndrome”. Guy comes into office, starts explaining problem, all you do is prompt for clearity when he’s explaining the background and then the issue. Then he realizes the answer for himself and leaves.

It is the process of organizing your knowledge such as to communicate it, that helps you understand it better yourself. You may form new associations and patterns, or at the very least make sure you didn’t leave anything out.
 

sunandshadow

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This also sounds like the phrase "bouncing ideas off of" someone. That's usually a mostly 1-sided interaction. But this kind of 1-sided interaction doesn't happen much because very few people are wiling to pay for such an interaction, and there's no motive for the listener to do it for free.
 

mccardey

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I don't know what it's called, but I'd love to buy one.
 

stiiiiiv

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I agree with Anna Iguana. It sounds like you're interested in talking it out with a professional psychologist/psychiatrist. You want someone who is trained, or has a natural ability, to listen and analys, while having the restraint to refrain from actively participating in the creative process. Personally, I think it's both easier and more fulfilling to bounce my ideas off someone who is willing to take part in the creative process, while understanding that they are not the driving force.
 
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