Is your character stuck?

If you are stalled with your character and can't seem to get them up and going, ask yourself if your character is passive or active.

If your character is passive, things are happening to them; they are buffeted right and left and only seem to respond, never do.

If the character is active, they are the ones doing 'the thing,' causing the story to progress, not for them but because of them.

I just came across this in my own writing. It was an AHA! moment. My poor character seemed like a despondent lump of boring. I added a few sentences at the beginning of the situation, and suddenly, the world opened up. He went from boring to busy—real quick.