Walking & observation
Keeping a pocket notebook
Keep the first page simple
Start with a date and a place. Leave room around each note so that a later observation can sit beside it. There is no need to fill every page or arrange entries into a finished story.
Collect specific things
A quick map, a color combination and a sentence overheard in a public square can each become a useful prompt. Record what caught your attention while the detail is still fresh.
Read it again
Revisit a few pages at the end of the week. Mark one idea you would like to explore further. The notebook becomes useful through returning to it, rather than through neat handwriting.