Oh Plot, where art thou?

Why is it so hard to come up with a plot? You'd think it'd be easy. The plot is what drives the heart of every novel. But here I have great characters, a great setting, and no plot. Plot plot plot plot plot, come to me.

Every day I try to come up with a plot for my novel. I ponder it as I make my 45 minute commute to work, and again as I return home (though my mind wanders often and I ponder many other things as well, and sometimes nothing at all). Sometimes I come up with more details for my characters, and I'm glad because I understand them that much better. And I think, even if I can't come up with a plot right away, understanding my characters will surely lead me to a plot. I am inching closer to an exciting, suitable plot every day.

I try to "sleep on it," as they say, but that's harder than it sounds. Your thoughts inevitably wander as you fall asleep. Even if you can keep your mind on track, the great ideas you come up with often turn out to be absurd once you're lucid. Sometimes they are good though, and you press it deeply into your mind, hoping that it will still be there when you wake up. Often, they are. Some of them are interesting little plot bunnies for other stories. Sometimes, they are interesting possibilities that seem ingenious, perhaps too ingenious. How can I weave such an ingenious idea into my mundane story? You muse over it, fail to come up with an answer, and realize, as ingenious as that idea is, it is still not the exciting, driving force that you're looking for for your story. But perhaps you are one tiny step closer to finding the ever elusive plot.