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Suggested time: 20 — 45 minutes
Good writing begins with keen observation. For this exercise, pretend that you have just landed on the planet and are seeing everything in your backyard for the very first time. Take a walk outside with your notebook. Keep your eyes wide open. Find something new, something you’ve never before noticed. You might find a plant that’s thriving or one that’s barely surviving; you might watch someone favoring one leg while walking; perhaps you’ll see a child poking a caterpillar, hear an odd noise, or smell exhaust on the street. Maybe you’ll see a strange car or hear a cricket that sounds like it has smoked Camels all its life.
Make notes of all of your observations. You might also sketch what you saw. Then find a quiet place to write. Write three paragraphs about what you observed.