Well, I have some strange writer's block at the moment. I have (if I may say so) quite a vivid imagination, yet can't find any solid plot (or even a shell of one) for a short story or novel to try and write. I literally have absolutely no ideas at all.
I would say try some writing prompts or do the short story contest on this forum. It will give you a topic and it may help you get started writing something that might never have come to you otherwise. So of the best novels started out as short stories. If all else fails, do something this weekend that you have never done before. Nothing like a new experience to trigger some inspiration.
Maybe you don't start with a plot, maybe you start with a character or two and a setting, and see what happens. (Do I dare link to the most recent pantsers/plotters thread?)
Researching topics that I know little about generates ideas for me. Science magazines, social science magazines, or even just the international section of a newspaper might be good sources.
I always get the best ideas while sitting on the throne. No joking, for some reason when I'm going either #1 or #2 my mind frees up and I can think about almost anything. If that doesn't work for you, I say you should try doing something you have never done. Go to an Opera, if you are old enough go to one of those Drag Queen bars where they dress up and sing songs, just go somewhere that you will be around people you just don't usually meet. It will open up parts of your mind you have never used before and it will kick start your creative juices.
I have tons of ideas, it's just getting off my butt and writing them down is my problem. Inspiration is everywhere just no more sparkling vampires.... the world already has to many of those.
This is one I've contemplated but haven't followed through with: What if everyone would get one million dollars in their bank account tomorrow morning?
I'm in agreement with those who suggested newspaper stories. Do a 'what if' on any of them that catch your eye. Don't try to re-write what actually happened, think about 'what if' something else had happened instead. What if that lost child hadn't been found? What if that politician, instead of trumpeting his party line, suddenly spoke out against it? What if that famous person had died, instead of winning an award? What if the police chief had been arrested instead of retired? That sort of thinking should get you going.
Then go and do something else. Seriously. Why write if you have no ideas. Go off and do something else and when you get an idea, write then. Nobody, and I mean nobody, is sitting there waiting for your book. You have all the time in the world.
Simple. Money would be worth less and we'd have hyperinflation, leading to a similar buying power just with higher prices.
I'm pretty much in the same boat right now. Never thought this would happen, but it did. I do get the random idea, only to realize it's lame and discard it.
Heaps of story potential, in the short term chaos. People who think they're rich and quitting their jobs and then finding out how inflation works. Companies and people who were previously rich having capital wiped out by the inflation. People desperately trying to convert their cash into other investments before everyone figures out what has happened.
There's an organization called "Secret Adventures - London" http://www.meetup.com/secretadventures/ - I don't know whether there's anything similar where you are, but have a look at the stuff they do. Or how about, it's a recruiting arm for MI5?
I read a series of sci-fi stories (George O. Smith's Venus Equilateral series) in which something like this happens. Actually, what happens in Smith's stories is that some engineers invent a matter duplicating machine, and, or course, the first thing that happens is people start duplicating money. Gold. Diamonds. Anything of value, duplicated until it has no value. At that point, talent and skill is the currency. If no material object has value, then the only thing you have to trade with is your own ability. You'd better have some - a skill, a talent, an education, a strong back, anything that others need. Otherwise, you're out of luck no matter how big your bank account was before the duplicator was invented. Pretty interesting idea, actually.
Well, not really, because considering that in general you get paid according to the value of your abilities and skills, money is more of a battery. You already use your skills or talents or ability in order to purchase. Money and valuables store the benefits of your labor for use at another time, and not immediately. According to the above idea, how exactly would you be paid for your skill or talent if money had no value? Through immediate barter? That doesn't really work if the person does not have something you want or need, or if it is not on equal value, especially if it is only skill based. You'd need a form of exchange where you can get what you want in exchange for your efforts or skills, and then you end up with money again.
Yes, you're right. Thanks for carrying this idea to its logical conclusion. Now I'm curious. @minstrel ...how did this problem get solved in the Venus Equilateral series? If objects have no value, how do people get paid?
