A need or want (the bigger the stakes, the more interesting your character will be)
A strong point (i.e. a positive character or personality trait)
A fatal flaw (i.e. a negative trait that could lead to the character's downfall)
A story problem (what the character must overcome to get what they want)
***
I can't take credit for this plotting plan--Mary Kittredge wrote about this in an article called "Hot to Plot! A Plotting "System" That Works."
This system isn't the be-all-end-all to writing a book, though.
"Sure, you still need crisp dialogue, vivid descriptions, true-to-life characters, and more--because good writing, too, is a necessary element of interesting, salable fiction. But plot's the engine that revs your story up to racing speed," she says. "Plot keeps readers reading and editors buying; it's the solid technical element on which all your other skills must hang."
So . . . . need/want, strong point, fatal flaw, and story problem.
Do some brainstorming.
Dig deep.
See what you can come up with, then run with it.
Be Brilliant!
~Katie~
