Someone on one of my email lists sent a link to bubbl.us, a free, internet based mindmapping tool. Turns out this is a very simple, yet very effective little resource. It makes a graphic organizer (some people call it a wordweb) that can quickly capture your thoughts and help you see how to organize just about anything. Because it is internet based, you can pull it up from any computer that has online access. You can also activate a sharing/collaboration function that allows selected friends to view or modify your sheets.

It is great for brainstorming. I spent 15 minutes and had an extensive web that organized all my current projects. I could see at a glance what was pretty well in-hand, and what needs more of my attention. I’m planning to do more extensive webs to organize some of my writing projects.

Those of you who hate to outline (or have children who hate outlining!) might find the simplicity and graphical interface of this program to be especially appealing. There is something tactile and pleasing about popping up the colorful little bubbles and dragging them wherever you want. It might even be a little addictive – time will tell!

Here’s a little sample:

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