AN ARTICLE
Keep a notebook for things you notice.
Collecting observations before you know what they might become.
Sample writing — placeholder content to make your own.
Not every observation needs to become an idea immediately. Sometimes it is enough to write it down.
A sentence overheard on a train. An unusually helpful sign. A detail in a familiar street that you’ve somehow never noticed. A notebook gives these small things somewhere to wait.
Collect without sorting
It’s tempting to build a perfect system before gathering anything. Try starting with one simple place instead. Date the entry, describe the thing, and move on.
You can add structure when the collection needs it. In the beginning, the habit matters more than the categories.
Return to what you wrote
Revisit a few pages every so often. Look for recurring questions and unexpected connections. You might find the beginning of an article, a project, or a conversation.
The point is not to turn everything into output. The point is to practice noticing.