I spend much of my life taking unwanted photos of my fiance.

I continue to do this despite his constant protests because once in a while, I preserve a perfect moment; A forever immortalized morsel of time I can recall later when I go through our photos. 

This is what writing is like for me: a method to savor, keep and process my experiences.

One of the more powerful ways I’ve found to do this is adopting an observer’s mindset, which requires awareness and presence in your life–– especially in the in-between moments that tend to be spent texting or Instagramming.

What I propose to you is a test: for one month, keep a small notebook with you and gather inspiration and ideas from your life.

Eavesdrop and pay attention to the little nuances that are presented to you, like the particular way someone’s body language changes when they talk about a certain subject or how someone you know pronounces goodbye. You may just find your next big character, setting or story idea.