The thought of having a new and original idea keeps many authors up at night. They want something fresh and exciting that will take the world by storm, thinking this is the way to become popular and widely read. The truth is, however, just as the biblical author wrote in Ecclesiastes hundreds of years ago, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun” (Chapter 1, verse 9).
Let’s bring it closer to modern times. Mark Twain, a celebrated American author, is also quoted as saying, “We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope.” He explained that because of the variety of combinations, the old ideas seem to be new but they’re all just “the same old pieces of colored glass that have been in use through all the ages.”
“Surely,” I can imagine you saying, “this was before the amazing advancement of technology and AI so these writers didn’t know what they were saying!”
Well, let’s consider that for a moment.
What are all these new tools and gadgets meant to do? When you think about it, what you end up with is this: they solve the same issues and accomplish the same things as before, perhaps just faster and more efficiently.
So, an electric or solar powered vehicle is still a means to move from one place to another. The modern cell phone is still a means for human beings to communicate with each other, whether it is to send or receive data.
The point is this: even though the packaging is different, the core of the matter is that what we’ll be using the innovation for has not changed.
And that’s not a bad thing.
In fact, it’s actually a good thing because at the center of all writing is an author sharing something with a reader. That reader, being human, has feelings and ideas of their own which are being supported or challenged by what they’re reading. The best way to stir a human being is to get to the middle of who they are…which has been and will continue to be the same for generations.
If you’re still not convinced, think about the Hallmark Christmas movies, or any movie on the Lifetime Network. They are formulaic to the point of predictability…and the people who watch them don’t care! We [yes, WE] know it and watch them still once the acting is good and the visuals are great.
You see, it’s not really the idea that has to be original or different. Readers have their own expectations of how stories should unfold, and those who read a lot can tell you from the beginning where a story is going, even if they’ve not read the story before. But guess what? They’re going to read it anyway, to confirm their suspicions or find out if there’s going to be a twist or surprise at the end.
What’s more, if you select a genre and deviate too much from expectations of readers your book will not be anywhere near the best seller’s lists. Many readers will be confused, reviews will reflect that, and only the brave will venture into the pages to find out for themselves.
Your job as a writer is not to convince a reader that your idea is innovative (unless that’s what your book is about, and in that case, good luck).
Your job as a writer is to educate readers about the selected topic or to entertain them.
Your idea doesn’t have to be original in order to entertain someone. And it doesn’t have to be original in order to educate someone. There are lots of people who have not been exposed to the ideas you want to share the way you want to share them.
All readers want to see is your perspective.
That’s it.
So stop thinking about making your book original and different. Start thinking about how to get your book done.
And, as always, happy writing.
