Creating a Plot from Characters

Hi everyone, I have something I'd like to ask.

So most ideas come to me through the form of characters. It usually starts with one and then grows to a handful I believe play as the main characters.

My problem is coming with an actual plot to go with the recent cast of characters I've thought up. And for some reason, this cast is very hard to figure out. I have a vague idea of what they all want/are after, but not much more than that. I have thoughts of tossing them out altogether, but I think about these characters all the time, so I must really want to write them out. I'd just like help in getting the basics in forming plot out of characters, if anyone's ever tried it. So does anyone have any tips? I'd greatly appreciate any responses. Thanks!

-comrie

Well, if you have a specific idea you're thinking of, it might help to know what some of your characters want.

Although, to be honest, I'm completely terrible with character motivation myself. I feel like you're already a step ahead by at least knowing what your characters want. So if you know what they want, I guess the next step--without knowing any details--would be to ask:

1. How can they go about getting what they want?
2. What obstacles might block them from getting what they want?

Since the usual plot is driven by the push and pull of a character (or characters) pursuing some sort of goal and having to make it through roadblocks to achieve that goal.

Wow, those questions seem like a very good way to go about it. I think I can actually move forward trying to answer them. I like the second question a lot, which I think is funny because I have a feeling answering it for each, or at least most, of my characters may prove to be a bit more challenging. Because I'd have to really think about exactly what kinds of things would cause my characters to seriously stop in their tracks.

And who knows, maybe answering them will open up a whole other world of ideas I could implement.

Thanks a ton for the feedback!