Content Creation – Using iThoughts on iPhone

Here’s the second part of my Going Pro process for creating content.

If you haven’t read how I use my iPhone to draft ideas read that first.

So after I have a few ideas saved as drafts in my WordPress dashboard, I’ll go through them to see which one I want to tackle first.

After I pick one, I reach for my trusty iPhone again and open an app called iThoughts.

iThoughts is a mind mapping app that basically allows you to easily get your thoughts down… kind of like brainstorming.

I’ve used mind mapping software on my PC before but there is definitley something about actually creating some stuff while touching the screen of the iPhone compared to using the mouse with the PC.

Here’s the mind map for the original blog post. (in the end I split it up into 2 posts). Click the image to see the mind map full screen (opens a new window)

To start off I have the central idea for the post in the centre.

Then ideas for the sections in the post are added as branches off this central area.

I just let the ideas flow and it’s so easy to flip from one section to the next if you come up with an additional idea.

Then once the bulk of the mind map is complete (I say complete, but 99% of the time I’ll go in at a later and add something else) You should see the mind map as something organic that grows over time.

Anyways, once I have the bulk done I’ll go in and move sections around… treating each idea as as paragraph in my finished post.

I’ll play around with it until I’m happy with how it flows.

Once I am then I’m ready to start writing the first draft of the post.

The beauty of iThoughts is you’re able to sync with dropbox… so within seconds I can have the PDF version of the mind map on my PC and have it there to refer to while I write the draft.

And that’s my process for content creation on my blogs. It may not be revolutionary but I’m finding it so much more easier and time friendly than sitting in front of my PC scratching my head wondering what to do, plus I’m enjoying it a whole lot more.

I’ll update you on my progress.

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