A Writer. . .

. . .pays attention.

If I'm outside of the house and I have some time to kill (this is a great airport game) I watch the people around me. I try to find someone who resembles a character I've written. I also observe people to give me ideas for new characters.

I find that when I'm writing a long-forgotten memory will return through the mouths of one of my characters. I'm able to pick up the details of life, both recent and "ancient," and add them to my story.

You might just say that a writer is nosy. But that doesn't sound as nice. We pay attention, that's all.