The 
Bottomless Notebook 

Your Shoeboxed Life: 

Write what you know, feel and experience. Jot down snippets of events in your life. Write a sentence or a paragraph about a funny, embarrassing, happy or infuriating experience.  For example:  Joey said I was 97% of the problem.  Well, if I am that makes me 97% of the solution and he'd better be working to help me feel better towards him, not worse.

The Interesting People. 

Scribble brief descriptions of people you meet every day. How do they react in certain situations?  For example:  Joey can make his tempests in a teapot sound so exciting that you pay more attention to them than you do to your own hurricanes.
 How do their names fit their image?  Is Bill a Bill, or is he more of a Bob that got stuck with Bill for a handle?
How do their email nicknames fit them?  Does AirShowKid look like he could even fly a kite?

A Word a Day. 

Whenever an interesting word catches your attention, write it down. Rash-ee-os-ee-nation. Why you can't even find that word in most dictionaries any more.   On top of that, any word you find may have a different meaning for you a month or a year from now.  A decade from now there's no telling what it might mean.  If you keep a list of words in your notebook, these words can serve as story starters for you.  

Those Quotable Quotes. 

A meaningful quote can start you off writing. Collect quotes you come across that interest you.  "Many of us would be in the penitentiary serving life sentences if we really did unto others the things we do unto ourselves."  Quotations that make you stop and think today can be a launch pad again a little ways down the trail.  Keep your notebook right there with you when you begin to read.  Otherwise it will be another case of, I'll write it down later, and you lose it.

Ordinary People with their One-Liners. 

Overheard lines in a conversation can sometimes spark your creative mind. Write down these one-liners in your notebook. They can be great story starters.  "My conscience is clear; Even if I had known all this time that he only had one leg, I still wouldn't have liked him."

Something You Read. 

Make it a point to read good books. 
Keep a file of memorable lines or quotes. 
Write down quirky billboard ads. "Joey's Radiator Shop; the best place in town to take a leak."  
Scan the papers for one-liners, especially in the want ads. Remember that it is not necessary to read the lines verbatim.  Make up your own twisters, make up stories from words that the ads ALMOST said.  Don't forget the spam pouring into your mailbox either.  These are good idea stimulators as well.

Emotions. 

Describe what you feel at any given moment. If you feel angry right now, write what your anger feels like. Describe it. Use vivid words.

Who done you dirty?  How do you know?  How does it make you feel?

Did you pop off and say something horrible?  How did the other person react?  How long were you hurt by what you said?

Writers are similar to store owners. Store owners stock their supplies in their shelves, while you stock ideas between the pages of your little writer's notebook.

You can make your stock endless, bottomless. You can reach down again and again for inspiration without exhausting your notebook of reserve.

So start stocking your writer's notebook today. A week from now, take a peek in it and you just might find something there that could make your hand go scurrying to connect your pen to paper.