| 1. Write down what you see: whenever I step out | | | | involved. In this case, your imagination will create |
| of the house, I write down the little things that | | | | the story from a small fight. Your imagination will |
| trigger my interest. This is a good habit, because | | | | give you a broad range of circumstances to add |
| you never know when you need to pull out | | | | to your stories when you feel stuck. |
| something miraculous out of your hat. If you see | | | | 4. Listen: listen, listen, listen...listening can be of |
| an interesting car, write down detailed descriptions | | | | great use to a writer, because people have the |
| of it. If you see a beggar acting in a peculiar | | | | most absurd conversations at times. Listen to |
| manner, jot it down. These little notes will | | | | every sound. Try to hear the beating of your |
| eventually help you squeeze out of entrapments. | | | | heart if you have the time. Let your ears work |
| 2. Observe people: you can find a story, | | | | for you. The more in touch you are with your |
| anywhere. People are the biggest source of | | | | listening skills, the more your characters will speak |
| drama, or comedy. Watch people, look at how | | | | to you and guide you in the right direction. |
| they act. You can tell when someone feels | | | | 5. Feed on your memories: childhood memories |
| uncomfortable, or when they are at home in the | | | | are more than enough to write a dozen stories. |
| world. The more you observe people, the better | | | | The best use for them is to write the opposite of |
| your understanding of human beings will become. | | | | what actually happened, in order to give them a |
| Observation will give you an outsider's point of | | | | more impersonal feeling for the writer, and more |
| view. Instead of finding every little characteristic | | | | drama for the reader. Remember little moments |
| from within, you borrow from the people you | | | | from your life and write them down. Let your |
| observe. | | | | past become bedrock for new literary |
| 3. Use your imagination: there's nothing more | | | | adventures. |
| powerful than the imagination. Use it to add to the | | | | 6. BONUS: one exercise that I find useful, is |
| things you see. If you see a couple fighting, grab | | | | listening to music. Find one CD that you can relax |
| hold of that idea and try to come up with an | | | | to. Listen to the CD while you write. And stop |
| assumption of who caused the fight. Try to get | | | | writing only when the CD comes to an end. |
| to the root of their problem without being directly | | | | |