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Ideas
Many writers answer this rather airily, waving one hand and saying "Oh, ideas are everywhere." I'm going to try to be more specific. The most important thing I ever learned about writing a short story or a novel is that the whole thing doesn't suddenly appear in the writer's mind. It starts off with a small spark. It might be an overheard phrase or sentence. I once wrote a short story for Good Housekeeping magazine that began in my mind when a woman said in my hearing, "Well, he's very romantic, but it never occurs to him to carry out the trash."
Thank about that for a minute. A few words, yet there are two characters there--probably a husband and wife; there's conflict, there's a theme--romance versus practicality.
I have written novels that started in my mind with the following tiny sparks.
"What if there really was a perfume that would make a woman irresistible?" (What would happen?)
"Is there anything to reincarnation?" (Maybe I should research the theories behind it.)
"I'd love to go to Bermuda." (I usually go to places where my stories are set. Sometimes when I go there, I find a story waiting for me.)
"I love reading English country house murders." (So maybe I should write one?"
"I ought to do a ghost story, just for fun." (What kind of ghost?)
In each case, the second thought--the one in parentheses--followed on the first. And then more thoughts came. When I run out of thoughts, I do some research into the story--English Country Houses, perfume, ghosts, reincarnation, Bermuda.) And more ideas come out of the research. Characters begin to take shape in my mind. As they acquire occupations and characteristics, my storyline starts to develop.)
So don't wait around for some huge book idea to strike. Watch for a spark of an idea passing through your mind. Write it down right away so you don't lose track of it. Poke it, prod it, see if anything else comes out of it. Keep on doing that and pretty soon you'll have a whole story.