The Writers' Block

[Australian rePublic]

No issues about diseases. What about issues about panic buying? Are they okay?

[Frieden-und Freudenland]

No issues about diseases. What about issues about panic buying? Are they okay?

I suppose you would need to justify why people are panicking, but once you can establish that, I suppose it can be OK.

I think you could perhaps focus on people buying medication (for wrong reasons) that they don't need and thereby depriving the patients who need them of essential medication? You could write this without mentioning a pandemic. Something like the following.

1. A famous health "guru" suggests that taking acetaminophene (or paracetamol, or whatever it is called where you live) regularly helps one lose weight

2. People ransack pharmacies to stock up on acetaminophene

3. People who actually NEED acetaminophene as a fever reducer or pain reliever cannot get it.

-------------------

Maybe something like that could work?

================

Or another line of story could come from "perceived scarcity."

Suppose a merchant of doom says that @@NAME@@ was getting most of toilet paper supply from Blackacre and due to the recent deterioration of diplomatic relations between these two countries, Blackacre will probably no longer export toilet paper to @@NAME@@.

And people are plundering supermarkets like crazy to purchase toilet paper. I dunno.

[Australian rePublic]

No issues about diseases. What about issues about panic buying? Are they okay?

I suppose you would need to justify why people are panicking, but once you can establish that, I suppose it can be OK.

I think you could perhaps focus on people buying medication (for wrong reasons) that they don't need and thereby depriving the patients who need them of essential medication? You could write this without mentioning a pandemic. Something like the following.

1. A famous health "guru" suggests that taking acetaminophene (or paracetamol, or whatever it is called where you live) regularly helps one lose weight

2. People ransack pharmacies to stock up on acetaminophene

3. People who actually NEED acetaminophene as a fever reducer or pain reliever cannot get it.

-------------------

Maybe something like that could work?

================

Or another line of story could come from "perceived scarcity."

Suppose a merchant of doom says that @@NAME@@ was getting most of toilet paper supply from Blackacre and due to the recent deterioration of diplomatic relations between these two countries, Blackacre will probably no longer export toilet paper to @@NAME@@.

And people are plundering supermarkets like crazy to purchase toilet paper. I dunno.

I was after the toilet paper angel. Thanks!

[Purple Rats]

I have an idea, I am not sure is it done already, so correct me, if it is:

Issue about too old politicians. There was some issue about mentally ill politicians, so it could be too similar, but still:

There would be some old politician, who does not make any sense, so result of issue could be: a) everything is still the same like before, b) There would be age limit for politicians, c) politicians of certain age can continue, but they have to make test after certain years to be sure they are still "okay in head"

[SherpDaWerp]

I have an idea, I am not sure is it done already, so correct me, if it is:

Issue about too old politicians. There was some issue about mentally ill politicians, so it could be too similar, but still:

There would be some old politician, who does not make any sense, so result of issue could be: a) everything is still the same like before, b) There would be age limit for politicians, c) politicians of certain age can continue, but they have to make test after certain years to be sure they are still "okay in head"

#054 Time To Put The Older Senators Out To Pasture?
#639 No Country For Old Men

[Trotterdam]

I think you could perhaps focus on people buying medication (for wrong reasons) that they don't need and thereby depriving the patients who need them of essential medication?

We already have something similar about gluten, as well as painkillers.

And gluten-free food is at least harmless, even if you don't have a medical condition that makes you actually need it. Most real medicines have side effects that make them actively harmful to ingest if you don't actually have the condition they're meant to treat (and sometimes, even if you do have that condition, the medicine is just a lesser evil), and/or over-using them contributes to the evolution of medication-resistant diseases. A further issue about misuse of medicine should probably address this.

I also read an article recently (although that was pandemic-related) about someone ingesting a poisonous substance because its chemical name shares a few syllables with that of a medicine (while not actually being the same chemical). Self-medication is dangerous for people who don't have the patience to read the full label.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

Hold off on pandemic-related issues, including the idea about panic buying. We're saving up all those ideas for a possible future issue chain.

[Nation of Quebec]

For the past year and a half or so I have been struggling with a severe lack of motivation regarding NationStates, writing, editing. You may have noticed there have been hardly any issues edited by me recently. These past few months have been particularly stressful for me in real life and I did not want to continue with a voluntary job that was bringing me little joy. It's been an interesting ride, but for the sake of my mental health, leaving this job seemed necessary.

I'll be spending much less time on NationStates. I want to thank everyone for the good times.

Live long and prosper.

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

It'd be my personal inclination to hold off satirical pandemic-inspired issues for the most part until the pandemic is over. It just seems in poor taste right now, like writing comedies about the Holocaust at the same time as the trains are running to the death camps.

I'm thinking when all this is done there's been enough pandemic-related topics come up to make a kick-ass issue chain, but that's something for the future, when all the death and suffering is done.

This isn't a blanket ban on pandemic-related issues, just a plea to all to remember that this is a real life situation that people are dying of right now, and to be tasteful.

Are the ones more serious in tone still allowed? I was considering making a pandemic-related issue about the economy being affected by disease and lockdowns.

[Purple Rats]

Maybe it's better to wait with pandemic related issues. until this pandemic is over.

1. We would get inspiration more, as now nobody knows how it will affect us in long term.
2. there are players who play it to get their mind away from the hell outside.

[The Free Joy State]

It'd be my personal inclination to hold off satirical pandemic-inspired issues for the most part until the pandemic is over. It just seems in poor taste right now, like writing comedies about the Holocaust at the same time as the trains are running to the death camps.

I'm thinking when all this is done there's been enough pandemic-related topics come up to make a kick-ass issue chain, but that's something for the future, when all the death and suffering is done.

This isn't a blanket ban on pandemic-related issues, just a plea to all to remember that this is a real life situation that people are dying of right now, and to be tasteful.

Are the ones more serious in tone still allowed? I was considering making a pandemic-related issue about the economy being affected by disease and lockdowns.

For clarity, you can still write issues on other more serious subjects -- as long as you can handle them in an NS appropriate manner -- but please do not write any issues that are in any way related to the pandemic.

[Phydios]

For the past year and a half or so I have been struggling with a severe lack of motivation regarding NationStates, writing, editing. You may have noticed there have been hardly any issues edited by me recently. These past few months have been particularly stressful for me in real life and I did not want to continue with a voluntary job that was bringing me little joy. It's been an interesting ride, but for the sake of my mental health, leaving this job seemed necessary.

I'll be spending much less time on NationStates. I want to thank everyone for the good times.

Live long and prosper.

Thanks for your work. Hope to see you come back sometime.

[Fauxia]

For the past year and a half or so I have been struggling with a severe lack of motivation regarding NationStates, writing, editing. You may have noticed there have been hardly any issues edited by me recently. These past few months have been particularly stressful for me in real life and I did not want to continue with a voluntary job that was bringing me little joy. It's been an interesting ride, but for the sake of my mental health, leaving this job seemed necessary.

I'll be spending much less time on NationStates. I want to thank everyone for the good times.

Live long and prosper.

I’ll miss your issues. While it would be great to see you come back, frankly, with your body of work, you’ve more than done your part on this game. Good luck in real life!

[Jutsa]

Oh shoot! Sorry to read, NoQ D:

Take care of yourself. Thank you for all you've done, including your 83 authored issues.

[Chan Island]

For the past year and a half or so I have been struggling with a severe lack of motivation regarding NationStates, writing, editing. You may have noticed there have been hardly any issues edited by me recently. These past few months have been particularly stressful for me in real life and I did not want to continue with a voluntary job that was bringing me little joy. It's been an interesting ride, but for the sake of my mental health, leaving this job seemed necessary.

I'll be spending much less time on NationStates. I want to thank everyone for the good times.

Live long and prosper.

Nuuuu, now you're the most accomplished non-editor. ;-;

All jokes aside though very sorry to hear that. Look after yourself mate, recover from this time and most important of all- have fun. Even if this is the final swan song, you can hold your head damn high for your many, many, many accomplishments on this site.

Live long and prosper indeed.

[USS Monitor]

For the past year and a half or so I have been struggling with a severe lack of motivation regarding NationStates, writing, editing. You may have noticed there have been hardly any issues edited by me recently. These past few months have been particularly stressful for me in real life and I did not want to continue with a voluntary job that was bringing me little joy. It's been an interesting ride, but for the sake of my mental health, leaving this job seemed necessary.

I'll be spending much less time on NationStates. I want to thank everyone for the good times.

Live long and prosper.

Take care of yourself, NoQ.

[Candensia]

For the past year and a half or so I have been struggling with a severe lack of motivation regarding NationStates, writing, editing. You may have noticed there have been hardly any issues edited by me recently. These past few months have been particularly stressful for me in real life and I did not want to continue with a voluntary job that was bringing me little joy. It's been an interesting ride, but for the sake of my mental health, leaving this job seemed necessary.

I'll be spending much less time on NationStates. I want to thank everyone for the good times.

Live long and prosper.

Thank you so much, NOQ.

[Nazbeth]

Wow, my first Forum post. I’m new to this, so sorry if I’m not doing this right.

Anyway, I was wondering. Is there an issue about establishing a dictator’s cult of personality? Because if so, that could be interesting to write. Thanks.

[USS Monitor]

Wow, my first Forum post. I’m new to this, so sorry if I’m not doing this right.

Welcome aboard. Come in and look around. There is definitely room for new people.

Anyway, I was wondering. Is there an issue about establishing a dictator’s cult of personality? Because if so, that could be interesting to write. Thanks.

There are some options that do that, such as #243.5.

You are still allowed to write about dictatorships and cults of personality if you can find a fresh angle on it, but the most basic question, "Do you want a cult of personality?" is already covered.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

For the past year and a half or so I have been struggling with a severe lack of motivation regarding NationStates, writing, editing. You may have noticed there have been hardly any issues edited by me recently. These past few months have been particularly stressful for me in real life and I did not want to continue with a voluntary job that was bringing me little joy. It's been an interesting ride, but for the sake of my mental health, leaving this job seemed necessary.

I'll be spending much less time on NationStates. I want to thank everyone for the good times.

Live long and prosper.

Good luck with wherever life takes you, mate. Seems to me that RL seems to be a more unrealistic simulation of life than NS is these days. RL could use a good edit, someone needs to have a word with real life's Admin.

Case in point, a few hours ago my GP colleague was admitted with severe respiratory problems -- a young guy with no health problems. This COVID-19 thing is pretty awful...

Y'all stay safe now, and stay happy. Mental composure and contentedness, they're the most important things in a time like this.

[Australian rePublic]

For the past year and a half or so I have been struggling with a severe lack of motivation regarding NationStates, writing, editing. You may have noticed there have been hardly any issues edited by me recently. These past few months have been particularly stressful for me in real life and I did not want to continue with a voluntary job that was bringing me little joy. It's been an interesting ride, but for the sake of my mental health, leaving this job seemed necessary.

I'll be spending much less time on NationStates. I want to thank everyone for the good times.

Live long and prosper.

Good luck with wherever life takes you, mate. Seems to me that RL seems to be a more unrealistic simulation of life than NS is these days. RL could use a good edit, someone needs to have a word with real life's Admin.

Case in point, a few hours ago my GP colleague was admitted with severe respiratory problems -- a young guy with no health problems. This COVID-19 thing is pretty awful...

Y'all stay safe now, and stay happy. Mental composure and contentedness, they're the most important things in a time like this.

Someone needs to have a word with real life's admin? You mean God?

[Australian rePublic]

When we're allowed to write pandemic related issues again, here's an idea for 'ya. The effects of pandemics with relation to urbanisation. Everything from virus spreading in densly populated areas to rural hospitals' lack of equipment

[Ender VI]

Hello! Lurker of five years here. I've always wanted to write an issue, and coincidentally, I have much more time at home to work on one. I used my first post to put up a draft of an issue idea: https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?ns=1&f=13&t=483095#p36929924. It's the Teapot Dome Scandal + Edward Snowden + Drones, and I'm using my second post to tell you about it. I welcome your critique!

I respect the moratorium on Covid-19 related issues. My initial idea was to write about how the pandemic is affecting students and teachers, as I am one, but I'm more than happy to just toss it in the chain issue pot. I could also turn it into an issue about teacher pay in general if (when!) I'm finished with the Teapot Drone. Teachers in my state staged a walkout last year, so it's of some relevance to me, if you all feel it wouldn't overlap too much with issues about educational funding or industry workers striking (you've edited a couple of those, Candlewhisper Archive).

[Sedgistan]

Anyone remember when we used to post these?

Got Issues Update no.7

• Issues added since last update: 517!!! Years since last update: 2.5
• We've had four recent retirements from the team: Nation of Quebec (editor of 133 issues, and probably the longest-serving member of the Issues community on this forum), Altmer Dominion, Frieden-und Freudenland and The Grim Reaper.
• Gnejs has been dragged out of his short-lived retirement.
• Similarly, I returned from a 2.5 year absence just in time for Christmas to present myself to the Editing Team wrapped in a festive bow. After repeated demands to put some more clothes on, they eventually accepted me back.
• There's now 14 of us on the team, but with varying activity levels, we're potentially on the lookout for new Editors.
• Did someone say Issues Contest?
• Player-authored issues remaining in the Pool: 55. We're actually running short of issues to edit - please submit some more!
• I'll cover this one off quickly - we're not accepting any Coronavirus/Pandemic related issues for the time being. Please don't submit them. There is likely to be a chain based off it in the future, but that's next year at the soonest once things have returned to normality. Now is not the time.
• On the topic of chains, this is where I usually allude to secretive plans by Editors to bring you new and exciting chains to battle you way through. Well yes, Pogaria is doing just that - he's got one chain that currently stands at 29 issues, and has hinted of another which will contain around 50!
• Industry reform - still an ongoing project, nothing is going to happen with this any time soon.
• Exciting new technical stuff - nothing in the works at present. We did finish off an old project to ensure every issue has custom newspaper images (aside from two).
• Valentine Z has taken over curatorship (is that a word?) of the Issues Spoiler list from Jutsa. Thank you both for your work on this.
• Estimated time until next Got Issues update: 6 months.

[Fauxia]

A chain of 50 issues?!

Holy... You know I’m freaked out when I capitulate and use an interrobang.