First, start with an interesting character.

• 1). Decide on what kind of character you want to write about. But don't go with your first impulse. Instead, brainstorm ten different character ideas, each one no longer than a single sentence. Be brief, but be bold in your choices. Depending on your genre, certain types of characters are so common that your reader will naturally expect to find them. You can't write a murder mystery, for example, without featuring some kind of detective character. But the trick to unleashing your creativity is to make a less obvious choice. Prominent murder mysteries have featured caterers, book collectors, even dry cleaners as amateur sleuths. Right away, such unusual characters are more interesting and have more plot possibilities.
  
  
• 2). Brainstorm ten possible goals for your characters. Each character in your story must want something, whether it's as simple as getting a date or as epic as winning an Olympic medal. To be effective, a goal must be something the reader can visualize, a specific image that provides a finish line for the character to cross. Jot down as many goal ideas as you can think of, but don't stop before you have ten.
  
  
• 3). List your character ideas and goal ideas in columns, side by side, then draw lines at random between them. Why would that particular character want that goal? What would drive this person to go after it? Let these random connections inspire you. Jot down as many notes as you can for at least five characters and goals.
  
  
• 4). Pick your favorite idea so far and brainstorm ten obstacles that could keep that character from achieving that goal. Could it be another person? A vast distance? Or perhaps conflicting desires within the character? Write down anything you can think of that could get in the way of reaching that goal. Don't stop until you have at least ten obstacles.
  
  
• 5). Pick two more character/goal pairings and brainstorm obstacles for them, too. Don't stop until you have thought of at least ten obstacles for each. The more you can think of, the better! Write down everything that comes to mind; don't judge it right away.
  
  
• 6). Write one page on each of these three favorite characters and goals, describing how these characters would each overcome their obstacles. Why only three? Because all of the characters, goals and conflicts you have just dreamed up could add up to one thousand possible combinations. That's an explosion of ideas! But not all ideas are equally great, so just focus on your favorites.
  
  
• 7). Let these ideas simmer in the back of your mind. Carry a notebook in your pocket, or a stack of index cards, and jot down more ideas as you get them. Use the same mix-and-match method to shake things up. Before long, you'll have more plot ideas than you know what to do with!