Luck

What kind of luck does your character have? Is s/he always in the right place at the right time? Or in the wrong one?

Flaws

Write down some of your character's flaws that annoy other people in the story. Then think about how those flaws affect your character's story, and if any of them might also be strengths.

Out of Control

For five minutes, write about a time when your character felt completely out of control, either emotionally or physically. How did s/he cope? Was s/he able to regain control?

Rumors

Has your character ever been the subject of a rumor? Or has s/he ever started a rumor about someone else? For five minutes, write about that experience and how it affected your character.

Bad Things

For five minutes, write about the worst thing your character ever did. How does s/he feel about it now? Does anyone else know about it? If not, will your character ever tell anyone?

Idols

For five minutes, write about someone your character admires and wishes s/he could be more like.

Reliving a Memory

For five minutes, write about a memory your character wishes s/he could relive. What was special about that time and place? What makes that moment worth revisiting?

Cringe-Worthy

For five minutes, write about a memory that makes your character cringe whenever s/he thinks about it.

Stinging Words

Write about the worst thing your character has ever said to anyone. Then write about the worst thing that has ever been said to your character. What were the consequences of your character saying/hearing those things?

Restricted

For five minutes, write about a time when your character felt restricted and confined. Then write about a time when s/he felt unrestricted and free.

Flow of Words

For five minutes, write about a time when your character couldn't stop talking. Then write about a time when s/he was absolutely speechless.

Stuck in a Room

For five minutes, write a scene in which your character is forced to be alone with someone s/he dislikes. How does your character act to this person's face? Why does your character dislike this person so much?

A Far-Away Place

For five minutes, write about a place your character has never been to, but that s/he longs to see. What about this place calls to your character? Why has s/he been unable to go there?

Memorable Gifts

What is the best gift your character ever received? What is the worst? What, specifically, made these gifts memorable, and (if they're objects) does s/he still have them?

Disguises

Thanks to Halloween, I've been thinking about disguises. If you (or your character) could become someone else, at least for a little while, who would that "someone else" be and why?

Secrets

Write about something your character has never told anyone. What would happen if someone else found out about this secret?

Lies

Everyone lies; some people just do it more than others. For five minutes, write about a time when your character wanted to, or had to, lie.

Fears

So many stories play out because a person is afraid of something specific happening. For five minutes write about what you (or your character) are most afraid of and why.

What If?

Pick any everyday situation (e.g. making a sandwich) and flip it on its head by asking "What if?" For example, what if I went to make a sandwich and found out that all the bread was gone? In fact, what if all the bread in the world was gone? What would I do then? For five minutes write about your own "What if?"

One day...

Stories tend to begin with a specific incident. Starting with the phrase "One day," write for five minutes about something that happened to you or to one of your characters.