Select or randomly pull two character labels, like cowboy and a college professor. Then select or randomly pull an issue that these two characters will clash with one another about. For example: an old cowboy and spinster kinder-garden teacher clash over the issue of how a child should be raised. Now put all that together to create a story.
Here are two lists to get you started:
Character Types Issue
1. Soldier 1. Baking the perfect cake
2. Busy CEO 2. Faith
3. Stay-At-Home Mom 3. Who gets the last seat to safety
4. Lawyer 4. Discovery of a dead body
5. Waitress 5. A monster among us
6. Homeless Man/Woman 6. Ownership of a dog that is found
* For even more fun, roll a die for random selection of characters and the topic.
Example: I had my son roll a die three times and generated the numbers 1, 3, and 6 – in that order. Using the chart, that gives me a soldier, a stay-at-home mom, and ownership of a dog.
See Spot Stay -
When the family pet runs away, a young stay-at-home mother clashes with a homeless vet over the ownership of the dog and eventually must decide whether her children or a friendless man deserves the dog most.