Is mind mapping the best way to organize your thoughts before writing or you have other suggestions?

Mind Mapping is a good way to organize your thoughts.  

Get those ideas down, no matter how vague they might be.

From the mapping can come other ideas that can be used for the present writing or future writing material.

The beauty of mind mapping is that  the ideas are not set in stone and can be changed and developed as the writing journey progresses.

Begin with a word or image of the topic you want to write about.

Be creative - use colour, arrows, whatever symbols you find useful to link ideas together and make words stand out.

Believe in yourself - find a mindmapping style which creates enthusiasm for you and which you are comfortable with.  If the mindmapping method feels strange or awkward, this may not be the best approach towards starting a writing project.  Maybe simple brainstorming sessions, writing key words down and then developing the writing proces from there may help.

Keep the mindmapping simple, clear, key words/images highlighted or emphasized with different fonts and arrows clearly defining ideas closely inked to each other and those with links further away from the main theme of the writing.

Outling introduction, main areas and end of writing also another way of focussing on different areas of writing material and looking at what needs to be put into each section.

Mind mapping is an effective, creative tool in the writing process.