This will help you to think up a story through building a character. Feel free to move from 1 to 3, or you can stop anywhere you like once you've gotten enough inspiration!
1. A _________ (noun)
First, think about what your character is. Is it a human, animal, mineral, creature or object?
2. A _________ (noun) that wants to _________(describe a goal)
Now that you've thought about this character, ask yourself: What would such a being want to do or achieve or work towards? What sort of creative goals could you assign this being?
It's important to explore your character's perspective and think hard about its goals because what drives or motivates the character will be essential in helping you move your story along.
3. A _________ (noun) with a/an _________ (describe a special quality, such as a(n) ability / object / companion / personality trait etc) that wants to _________(describe a goal)
Let's try to think about what makes this character so special as an individual. Out of the whole of its species, what kind of special quality or defining feature does it have? Do note that "special" doesn't have to mean "positive". It could be a negative feature as well!
4. A _________ (noun) a/an _________ (describe a special quality) that wants to _________(describe a goal) but _________ (describe a problem).
Now that we know our character rather well, let's see what's stopping it from reaching its goal! Problems, conflicts and obstacles are very important to stories because without a problem to stop the character from reaching its goal, there is no story to tell.
By now, you should have enough material to start fleshing out the rest of your story. Think about what sort of setting to place the character in, what sort of other characters should fill out the rest of the supporting cast and how the plot should develop and unfold.
Gifted Education Branch, MOE, 2017