Villainous Motivation Table

You've designed a compelling cast of central characters and arranged the setting elements impeccably. You hired an artist to put your villain on the posters as well. But what's this? You forgot to figure out why the villain is so bent on doing what he oughtn't, and the clock is ticking! What can be done? Grab a random number generator and let the internet tell you what to do, of course.

1. Power!
2. The prophecy will be realized by those with the will to see it through.
3. Take credit for my design, will you?
4. On that day, the flames were so beautiful . . .
5. The title, the estate, the revenues. All are mine by right.
6. The secrets of that planet are too much for lesser minds.
7. As long as I make good on these contracts, what does it matter how I do it?
8. Loyalty is a burden when the master doesn't understand what must be done.
9. Wow! A hundred bucks!
10. Lightning powers, in the end, look the coolest.
11. What more may be done with such a device, and would it not be wrong to stop now without ever learning?
12. There's a big space in my trophy cabinet.

Now all that's left is to question your own motivations. If you want. I don't think it's going to get you anywhere.

Semi-Important Location Table

You know where your hero starts the story (a farm) and where the final battle happens (moonbase), but oh no! You need a location for the hero to meet an informant or some junk like that. It doesn't matter enough for you to think about, so delegate that task to your favorite luck-based number selector and this handy list.

1. Upscale department store with employees who wear uniforms
2. Library
3. House of someone known to be out of town
4. The Crucible
5. Evening ferry
6. Vocaloid concert
7. Ferris wheel
8. Behind the kiln
9. Laundromat
10. Party celebrating noble's elevation to position of High Admiral
11. Executive washroom
12. Dream world

Important Location Table

You've come up with some arbitrary item of plot convenience like the best writers do, but oh no! You forgot you had to put it somewhere! That's no problem. Run to your favorite chance-dependent selection mechanism and prepare to have the work done for you.

1 Ruined temple
2 Evil knight's castle
3 Bank vault
4 The moon
5 Lakebed
6 Collection belonging to wealthy widow
7 Astral plane
8 Ghost ship
9 Fortuneteller's tent
10 The future
11 Giant's stomach
12 Child's Christmas stocking

This adventure is really heating up! What will our heroes do? What can they do?

Random Filler Table

Uh oh! You wrote a novel and forgot all the filler! How can you get up to 700,000 words that way? Don't worry, that's why erasers have pencils. Simply use the ideas from this list to start off your filler sections. Optionally, use a random number generator to determine the order, but you have to use all of them.

1 Feast description
2 A letter from home
3 A maid's perspective
4 Training montage
5 Town where something seems off (they're all in a cult)
6 Magic school!
7 Sea voyage
8 Dreams
9 Romeo and Juliet side plot
10 something something humans destroy nature how sad
11 My wallet/purse/bag was stolen!
12 Mansion where something seems off (vampires)

If you're writing book 2 or later of a series, feel free to make one of these ideas the entire plot.

Addendum

The Initial Villain Table doubles as a Protagonist Table in a pinch if the electorate starts getting on your case about recycling.

Starting Your Novel

Writing a novel can be an intimidating prospect, so here is a tool that will help you start on the right foot: The Initial Minor Villain Table. How do you get some sizzling conflict cooking from the very first page? With an initial villain, of course! The nature of your initial villain will determine much else about the setting and starting condition of your main character, simplifying the writing process greatly. If that sounds good, and I'm sure it does, grab your favorite random number generator and get ready to roll!

1 Barbarian warlord
2 Mean teacher
3 Slave overseer
4 Arrogant young master
5 Bad boy vampire
6 Father
7 Hooded figure
8 Megacorporation security chief
9 Rival athlete
10 Lieutenant questioning his orders
11 Thief
12 Clumsy maid

Now you're on your way, Mr. President!