Pick an artifact – and tell the story it suggests.

One day when you have a few minutes to yourself (. . . could it be now?) look around the house – or around the room. Find something that has a special meaning for you, and verbally tell a story around it, even if it's to yourself. Write down the story, even in primitive form. It's your 1st draft!

If it feels good – do it again. The "show and tell" approach to storytelling can often be successful, turning up a whole SERIES of stories you can refine and organize later. So just look around. Find, tell, write, and repeat. You may be on your  way!

The watch above belonged to my father-in-law, 1LT Ansel Selby Dotters, Jr. – who piloted his B-25 on 72 missions in the Philippines during WWII, & survived to incorporate his pilot's "wings" into his watchband, which he wore for most of the rest of his life.

 If only this watch could talk . . . the stories it would tell.