Novice Game Master looking for advice

[RobJN]

Greetings and well met fair adventurers! I'm new to this forum and rather inexperienced in the art (and science) of GMing. I recently purchased a copy of Dave Arneson's Blackmoor and after having read it am very anxious to get a campaign going, though I'm feeling short on inspiration, but very much want to create my own adventure to start with. I was wondering if anyone would be willing to help me out by telling me how you (personally) come up with ideas for good adventures and stories. How do you guys kindle the red hot flames of inspiration, and once lit how do you keep it burning steady and bright?

I usually start with a situation (something that needs fixing) or question that needs answering:

Say, for instance, "What would happen if Blackmoor's anti-demon weaponry were turned against the Empire?"

After that, it's just a matter of coming up with the adversary's plan, how that presents itself as adventure hooks (how the PCs get involved), as the plan unfolds in the background and those adventure seeds get dropped, how the PCs can pick at those threads, and then map out where those go as they unravel.

From the example above, the PCs didn't just stumble into the Ministry of Defense, or get summoned by the Regent's Council, they simply attended a crystalview broadcast in downtown Blackmoor City, where cultists attacked a performer bearing a remarkable resemblance to the ancient first King's daughter, who'd just made the revelation that she was Uther's daughter reborn...

The PCs embark on adventures to keep her safe and investigate her claim, to determine the truth of her statement, or discover the truth behind her uncanny resemblance...

... which leads to them fending off attacks by government kill squads and defending Castle Blackmoor against a sudden surprise attack by the Egg of Coot...

... getting teleported halfway across the world, to the decadent outpost at the edge of the Empire, where an ancient evil from the beginning of the world slumbers, and awakens...