(ThyBlackMan.com) When you’re provided with an open-ended essay topic, you may feel like it’s not necessarily a good thing. After all, essays that have specific titles and parameters at least give you something to go on. Many people spend so long procrastinating over the topic and title of an essay, that they end up producing rush essays that are not written to the best of their ability. So, in order to help you reduce the amount of time you spend coming up with a topic, we have come up with some tips to help you brainstorm essay topics.
1. Work with Others
We’re not suggesting that you work with someone else on your essay, but it can sometimes be useful to bounce a few topic ideas off on other people in your class. A brainstorming session is a great way to get those creative juices flowing, and having the input of your peers can help you to settle on a unique, yet great essay topic. If you decide to do this, try and ensure the environment is relaxed – it’s much easier to be creative when you’re not stressed.
2. Read, Read, and Read, Some More.
If you prefer working on your own, it’s a good idea to read a variety of books, articles, and references that are in some way related to the subject you are studying. Doing so can give you a unique look at the topic, and can also help you to come up with some great essay ideas that no-one else in your class may have even considered. The most creative people are those who have access to a broad range of 
learning material.
3. Word Generators
Word generators are popular pieces of software that can help you come up with catchy titles. Simply enter a word or two into a word generator, and you will be provided with hundreds of title ideas. Whilst you may not want to use the titles provided word for word, using a word generator can help you to think outside of the box. If you don’t want to use an internet based software, you could always do something similar using a dictionary. Flip to a random noun in the dictionary and try to come up with a topic using the base word.
4. Mind Maps
Students have been using mind maps for years to come up with essay topics, and there’s a good reason for it: they work! Mind maps basically involve starting with a general topic idea – this could be a date in history, for example, or the name of a character in a piece of literature. You then need to come up with branches related to the general topic idea, and then further branches can grow from them. By the end of your mind map, you will have lots of interesting ideas to work with, giving you more than a few great essay topics.
Although coming up with the idea for an essay may seem hard at first, it doesn’t have to be. Keep the above tips in mind, and you will be storming through the idea stage in no time at all.
Staff Writer; Bobby Jones