I have a working sketch, however whenever I enter the extrude window the only extrude option available to me is cut. This is my only sketch/plane/object at the moment, but it refuses to let me make a new object. Does anyone have an idea of what is going on?
If you have no parts and no geometry in the file I expect you started with an assembly .iam template.
You can construct parts here in a top down fashion but since you only registered today and first post, I'm assuming you are a newbie.
Therefore I would suggest you close the assembly .iam and start a new part .ipt from the template.
The tutorials are quite good in Inventor and I suggest you follow a few and this will get you going quickly without too much random clicking and frustration.