The Breakthrough Behind the Book: Finding an Author's Direction Through a Brainstorming Session
A meaningful idea can stay in your head for a long time when you don’t know where to begin.
That was the challenge an emerging author brought to Shift. She had a book idea, stories to draw from, and goals for what she wanted to do next. What she needed was help sorting through those ideas and figuring out how to move forward.
Through preparation, a two-hour Compass innovative brainstorming session, and resources developed afterward, we helped give the author the project direction and define a manageable place to start.
The Challenge: An Idea Without a Starting Point
Our partner came to us knowing she wanted to explore her book concept, but unsure how to approach it. The book also sat within a broader set of goals, which made deciding what deserved her attention first an important part of the conversation.
Before we brainstormed, she shared a framework outlining her goals and objectives. We reviewed it, suggested changes, and asked questions to help her get more specific about what she wanted to accomplish.
During this process, we realized the gap with visualizing our partner’s goals was the actual vision itself, the “what does this look like in your head” piece of the puzzle. As a fun exercise to bring more life into this project, we asked her to explore the visual components that aligned with her framework. We wanted her to feel inspired by her vision.
To personify her concept, we prompted her to identify resonating colors, spirit animals, and visual themes. From here, we asked her to gather the reasons why they resonated with her and how they supported what she was trying to accomplish.
Those early conversations gave us context for the session and gave the author time to think before we worked through the ideas together.
The Approach: Listening, Curiosity, and Good Questions
At Shift, a Compass session is a focused brainstorming session designed to turn an idea or challenge into a concrete roadmap. We lead with listening and curiosity, then develop strategic outputs to help our partners move forward.
For this partner, that meant making room for her stories while paying attention to the ideas connecting them.
We asked questions, followed loose threads, and built on one another’s thinking. We challenged perspectives and explored possibilities, supported by research before, during, and after the session.
As the conversation developed, we clarified the central idea behind the book and what needed to happen next. Collecting the stories became the immediate priority. Decisions about the book’s final structure and theme could develop as she gathered stories, ideas, and materials.
That gave her a task she could begin immediately: capture the stories, preserve the details, and create space to see what emerged.
The Brainstorm Outcome: Resources Built Around the Author's Next Step
After the session, we developed a package tailored to the work ahead. Three resources were particularly important:
A story library: We helped give the moments she wanted to capture a shared name and created a central place to collect stories, ideas, themes, and supporting materials. Templates provided structure, while tailored AI prompts helped her work through memories and capture them in her own words.
A mood board: We brought together visual elements, colors, and ideas discussed during the process. It gave her a reference she could return to for inspiration and a reminder of the project’s purpose.
A curated reading list: We selected six books, with guidance on what to look for in each. Every book was given an associated rating on how close the book matched the direction her idea is going. The list gave her ways to explore story length, tone, and structure as she considered the possibilities for her own book.
Supporting resources included an elevator pitch, reflection questions, and a project board with manageable next steps. Each resource had a role in helping her continue the work after our conversation ended.
The Impact: An Idea She Could Act On
The most meaningful change was that she knew what to do next.
“I had so many ideas for this book, but I didn’t know where to start. The Shift team helped me sort through them and gave me a clear direction, along with thoughtful resources to keep going. Having a place to collect my stories and books to explore makes the process feel manageable. I’m excited to get into it. This Compass session made me feel like this is something I can actually do.” - Emerging author, recent Compass session partner
Since receiving the resources, she has started reading and collecting stories, putting the direction from the session into practice with sustainable momentum.
For a project still taking shape, that is meaningful progress: a clear priority, an organized place to work, and actions already underway.
Growing businesses and experts developing something new can face a similar challenge. There may be several promising directions to explore, but deciding where to put your attention takes thoughtful discussion.
A Compass session gives us space to work through that challenge alongside you. We bring questions, research, and different perspectives, then turn the discussion into practical resources suited to your next step.
Have an idea or challenge you’re ready to work through? Let’s brainstorm together.