Writers Block! I Need a good conspiracy theory to base a new novel on?

Question

It needs to be some theory partially based in scientific fact or myth of a combination of both. Something that I can research thoroughly

Plum Island Mass?

And I like the stem cell comment also. Preferably looking for something witha little more history to it.

Answer 1

Not completely origional- but the History channel really likes doing stories on conspiracies, government conspiracies, ect. One in particular that interested me was the story of the secret "Skull and Cross Bones" fraternity at Yale that seemed to draw students from prosperous political families and further promote the students through life and possibly in connection with the free-masons.

Answer 2

OK dude: I'm gonna turn you on to a SWEET plot outline that I was gonna write a short story on. But I've since decided on something else, so I'll give it to ya, but I want my 10 points!
Global Warming. The scientific evidence pretty much all agrees it is happening now, but in my story, it HAS been happening, and for some time. But in order to avoid panic by the american public, the government has instituted a covert cover-up. It involves actually altering all the thermometers that are made, so they read a few deagrees cooler that it really is. The mercury in them is diluted. But the digital and mechanical ones are altered too. (You can figure out how this could be done yourself.) Also, Washington D.C. insiders have all "paid visits" to the TV and radio stations, instructing them to alter weather reports on daytime highs. If they don'y play along their FCC licenses will be revoked.
What's cool about this plot is: everyone always says how it seems like it feels hotter than it used to, even when the temp says it's not. This plot would explain all those feelings.
You can tweak the story any way you want. For my hero, (you have to have an underdog hero in a cosnpiracy theory!) I had this guy who worked as a production worker at a plant where they made the thermometers, and one night while he and a buddy were drinking after work out back they stumbled across some evidence. But this dude is a musician and a stoner too, so he's not exactly credible.
My working title on this was called: "Turn Up the Heat"

Answer 3

I prefer to make up my own conspiracy theories, and the few historical incidents I do think would make great novels--I'm keeping those for myself.

I recommend just reading through the conspiracy literature. But be sure to go way back. You want to find primary sources--books on which other conspiracy theorists base their work. Then apply those theories to current events.

The more outdated the source the better. I mean, you want to come up with ideas so crazy that nobody's come up with anything like it in a hundred years. You do not want readers comparing your work to that of another contemporary writer in the conspiracy genre (unless it's a conscious parody or the themes are universal, although you should be able to find primary sources if the themes are universal).

This is the same in any writing. Nobody's going to knock you for ripping off Shakespeare, but you want to avoid even a passing similarity to Dan Brown or whoever the big name is that everybody's ripping off.

But I'm assuming you're an unpublished author. Do you do this all the time and just want a fresh idea with which to knock out your next novel? If that's the case: Morgellons.

Answer 4

Stem cell research has discovered the ability to split genes and form two exact cells , now they are able to further split the cells and create multiple duplicate cells . The possibilities are endless what can be done. Animal mutations , human mutations , the perfect race ???

Answer 5

Ever heard of Plum Island? Plum Island as in bio-warfare....definite conspiracy theory here both fact and myth, or is it?

http://www.gene-watch.org/genewatch/articles/14-3plumisland.html

http://www.rense.com/general27/livingnextdoortoplum.htm

Answer 6

Try the link below. They've got links to all sorts of conspiracies - from the totally crazy to the just plain odd. Hope you can find inspiration there.

Answer 7

That we didn't actually ever land on the moon, that the government filmed it all in a studio.