This method helps you see patterns, plan projects, and figure out priorities.
It was early 1988 when I first learned about “clustering” – a method that (among other things) helps writers overcome writer’s block.
Before you jump to the conclusion that “clustering” isn’t something that would benefit you if you’re not a writer, I want to assure you this method can ALSO help you figure out how to break down large tasks into smaller ones, so they become more achievable.
(You’ll find tips on several other ways clustering can help you near the end of this article.)
The instructor of a class I took in the spring of 1988 (“Advanced Writing for Publication”) had invited the author of Writing the Natural Way to speak to our class. The book had been published just five years earlier, but had already proven itself as a valuable tool for those who struggled with the writing process.
Gabriele Rico, Ph.D. was the author. I remember how easy it was to grasp the technique she was showing us, as she drew a series of circles on the whiteboard and explained how to let one idea lead to another and then another.
Because I no longer have the original edition of the book, I recently ordered the newest edition – the “15th Anniversary Expanded Edition,” published in 2000.
Seeing what a ground-breaking book this was, I realized how lucky our class was to have Dr. Rico speak to us!
PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE
Within a few months after learning this technique, I had a chance to put it into practice.
I had just attended a one-day conference in Silicon Valley, where I’d learned about some ways that ham radio was being used in emergency preparedness operations.
That night, I decided to get started on the article I needed to write. Problem is … I didn’t have a CLUE on where to start!! That’s when I remembered what I’d learned about clustering.
Writing the central idea in the middle of a piece of paper was easy. From there, it was easy to write sub-topics (related ideas) in smaller circles around the larger circle in the middle.
After adding several other sub-topics (and sub-sub-topics), I found it very easy to start writing the article. In fact, the article almost wrote itself!
I’ve used this technique many times since then, but that experience in 1988 stands out in my mind because of the huge mental block this method helped me overcome.
PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE
Listed below are some challenging tasks that can become much easier through the practice of clustering:
> Writing a difficult letter.
> Fitting all of your work experience into a one-page résumé.
> Figuring out how many pages to include in your new website … and what to INCLUDE on those pages.
> Brainstorming steps to accomplish a major project you keep postponing.
> Coming up with a great travel itinerary for your vacation.
> Deciding which closets in your house to clear out first.
> Taking a closer look at a relationship problem you’ve been having.
THE METHOD
“To create a cluster,” writes Dr. Rico, “you begin with a nucleus word, circled, on a fresh page. Now you simply let go and begin to flow with any current of connections that come into your head. Write these down rapidly, each in its own circle, radiating outward from the center in any direction they want to go.”
Dr. Rico adds: “We all cluster mentally throughout our lives without knowing it; we have simply never made these clusterings visible on paper.”
Because of the random nature of this exercise, she says, “Your initial anxiety will soon disappear, and in its place will come a certain playfulness.”
One important message she shares in the book is this:
“There is no right or wrong way to cluster. It is your mind’s shorthand and it knows where it is headed, even if you don’t.”
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I encourage you to try clustering for yourself!
If you DO try it out, I’d love to hear how it worked for you.
