three things: random inspirations

Block, burnout, call it what you will, there's a time when expression just doesn't quite cut it, the imperfect beast isn't running. You're stuck. Here's three tools to get you unstuck.

Oblique Strategies - From the mind of Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt comes a number of random inspirations that he's used while composing and producing. If it's good enough for REM, it's good enough for you. A shiny web-based version can be found at joshharrison.net as well.

Abulafia Oracles - The game In A Wicked Age uses a pack of cards and a series of tables as an oracle to suggest plot arcs. Abulafia, home to many random generators has compiled a very useful set of genre-specific oracles to work with. You can also use the original four oracles here.

Rory's Story Cubes - Yes I know this isn't recession-proofed but these are pure. improvisational. dynamite. If you can't link even two of these, then take a shower or a walk somewhere colourful. Props to Greywulf for spotting these and to Vulcan Stev for mind-melding the blog post series out my head. Damn due diligence!