6 Apps for Brainstorming & Creative Thinking

We're sharing a few mind mapping apps that foster brainstorming and creative thinking on the blog. If you're a writer or collaborator, this post is for you!

Coggle

Coggle is one of the best brainstorming tools on the market because of its robust mind mapping feature. With Coggle, you can build mind maps, but more impressively, download them if you can't think of anything on the spot. With ideas from a template, you can easily branch off of an accessible pattern of thought for quick results regardless of how you're feeling that day.

Visual Thesaurus

Writers now have a tool that actually quantifies connotation to help you find the right word. Visual Thesaurus allows anyone to bolster associative thinking by giving the user word maps for any word that is searched for in the app. The words are grouped and placed according to similarity, so you get more than just a list of synonyms - you get real information about how the words relate to each other in the real world.

MindApp

This aptly named app is one of the most straightforward brainstorming apps you can find. You can work the tool completely from the home page of the company - no downloads or installations required at all. You can create mind maps easily and save them in your favorite cloud storage tool. You can also access a template mind map that is completely customizable, so you never have to start from the ground up on those slow, creative days.

Wisemapping

If you happen to have friends to collaborate with, but you're all stuck in a fog, Wisemapping is the web-based mind mapping tool for teams that can help! They also have a mind mapping tool for individuals, but the easily customizable grouping and patterning options are what really make this app special. They also offer one of the more robust feedback processes of any mind mapping app. You can actually get your idea sponsored by the company if they believe that it is a feature that will improve the service overall.

Popplet

If you just need to capture a few ideas or thoughts on the fly, Popplet is your app. This is the simple layout that no one can mess up; it's almost like going old school with a pocket tape recorder (with a much longer memory and more robust feature set). Popplet is also an extremely visual app that allows you to include tags and different categories for projects.

Moodstream

Use your current mood to create visualizations and soundscapes for use in many applications. You can actually improve your mood using this tool, which may help you brainstorm more efficiently using one (or more) of the other applications that are on this list! You can also change background images in the app, fueling inspiration and decreasing writer's block.