When writing for children and teenagers, we all have our own experiences to draw from. But if you’re anything like me, you can barely remember what you had for dinner last night, never mind bringing childhood memories to the surface for inspiration. Even without a log of our exact childhood dramas, we can tap into our past for moods, characters, quirks and inspiration.

Have a family reunion. Call to mind specific people. Where did Aunt Dutchie get that nickname? How could Uncle Bill have you believing that his wiffle haircut was the result of eating birthday candles? Why did little cousin Annie claw at you like a feral cat? It’s the details that bring your characters to life.

Go back to school, grade by grade. Jot down whatever comes to mind, whether it’s befriending the “weird” girl in second grade, or the first “I Love You” valentine received from a boy.

With schooldays come bullies. When you think of the bullies from your past, who comes to mind? The girl in kindergarten who pulled your pigtails and stuck out her tongue? The intimidator in fourth grade who turned out the lights in the restroom? The new kid who turned your best friend against you in less than a month? The boy in junior high who called you flat- chested in front of the whole class? You may never forget how they made your life miserable, but bullies from the past could provide you with conflicts for future stories.

Feeling neighborly? Remember running next door to borrow eggs during a brownie-baking afternoon. Recall those eerie visits with the superstitious woman who scolded you for rocking the empty rocking chair. Admire the friendly old man who bought lemonade from your stand, and paid twice what you were asking. Get goose bumps at the thought of running past the house where someone always peeked from behind the curtains. Not feeling inspired yet? Don’t stop until you meet those characters that will work themselves right into your stories.

It’s a great day for a celebration. From January to December, let special occasions trigger your memory. What surfaces at the mention of “Halloween?” Is it the sister whose hair dying escapades colored her green? Oh, wait. That wasn’t Halloween. St. Patrick’s Day? Nah. Just an episode of unchecked vanity run amuck, but a useful memory nonetheless.

Take a ride on an emotional roller coaster. You don’t have to have a PhD. to go digging around in your emotional past. How about things that made you sick? Like the time your parents made you sit at the table for hours staring down a plate full of peas until you ate them all. Or the way you felt nauseous in middle school on the days you had to play volleyball in gym class. In high school, the look in your boyfriends eyes when you didn’t return his “I Love You.”

Were you ever overtaken by uncontrollable laughter? What was it that brought tears to your eyes and milk shooting out of your nose? Where were you and who was watching?

Revisit the animal lover in you. Even if you don’t have a pet of your own, you’ve got four-legged memories buried as far back as the classroom pet: A hamster? A gerbil? A guinea pig?

Play the soundtrack to your childhood. Remember wishing that you weren’t the shy one as your friends sang and danced during recess. Turn up the volume on the heavy metal sounds that prompted your mother’s inquest into the moral content of all of your listening material. I see a YA story written all over that one. Still hearing nothing but static? Go for some landmark moments. How about the theme song to your Senior Prom, or the music that was playing at the roller rink during your first kiss?

Hungry for sensory details? Relive the dread of Mom’s latest diet fixation. Fight back your gag reflex at the thought of chipped beef on toast. Feel the embarrassment of being too self-conscious to eat in front of your boyfriend on your first dinner date. Remember the smell of baking bread, or being offered a beater dripping with cake batter. How about the science of timing that bedtime snack just right so that you could see the rest of your favorite television show?

For a writer, keeping a journal of memories is like a cook stocking his kitchen with fine ingredients. These things may not be the meat of your story but they are certainly the spices and seasonings that will add extra flavor. So if you’re looking for something to sink your teeth into, work up an appetite for writing, pull out your memorable moments, then mix it all together with your own personal writer’s flair and let your readers dig in. Bon Appetite!