First published in 1965, A Technique for Producing Ideas is a classic book used by advertising copywriters, poets and writers to generate great ideas. Young’s thought on the technique for producing great ideas was first presented to graduate students in advertising at the School of Business of the University of Chicago and later before several gatherings of active advertising practitioners.

In A Technique for Producing Ideas, American advertising executive and first chairman of The Advertising Council, James Webb Young highlights a five-step process for generating great ideas. 

• First, the gathering of raw materials—both the materials of your immediate problem and the materials which come from a constant enrichment of your store of general knowledge.
• Second, the working over of these materials in your mind.
• Third, the incubating stage, where you let something beside the conscious mind do the work of synthesis. 
• Fourth, the actual birth of the Idea—the “Eureka! I have it!” stage. 
• And fifth, the final shaping and development of the idea to practical usefulness.