What Makes A Write (un)Original?

Discussion and Opinion.

Since the beginning of writing, we've been given various ideas on which we base our writes. Love, heartbreaks, romance, erotica, children, horror, serial killings, humour, and a lot more others. 

What makes a writing style unique is not what you have as an idea, but on the way how you present it. There have been numerous of us writing romantic stuff but only few make it accountable to the reader. The idea itself is stale or unoriginal but should we stop writing romance? Should be that we present new ways to portray it. 

Same goes for any serial killings as the main factor in a novel. We've seen those countless times in movies/novels but that doesn't lessen its charms, rather it's the writer's skills which adds creativity to it (that is if the writer has creativity).

So, the end point: none of the ideas we write on are original but neither are they unoriginal. 

Be creative. Originality stems itself. 

Author's Note

This is probably an opening for a debate. Feel free to come up with a counterargument. I would love to hear them. And... don't take it personally ;)

Reviews

[BBP]

Yumna, this was not original! :) hahahahahaha

So true, its like saying that the love of your life really isn't special because people have already fallen in love.

That the spaghetti at a diner is the same as a little old lady making it in Italy.

Everything can have a unique twist, just like people all have unique taste.

Without all of that our world be a boring f*****g place!!!!!!!!!!

[matrixmark]

Funny but True.

Mark.

[Dr. YumnaKay]

I thought so that you would say that 😂😂
Well it's a garbled mixture of conversations and comments between me, Mark and you lol so of course it's not 'original' 😛😂

And yes! I totally agree. Interesting point! Let's stop falling in love because it's so unoriginal hahaha

Thank you, Bev, for adding your thoughts here! I appreciate it 😊

[BBP]

You knew I would!!!!! hahahahaha

[Dr. YumnaKay]

Yeah I think I know at least you hahah 😛😂

[MsJewel]

I agree with you. Writing about love, romance, life - really writing about anything isn't original - it's the poets unique way of painting the picture, evoking the feeling in the words they write. It's what makes us unique, it's what makes us artists. :) Julie

[Dr. YumnaKay]

Exactly yes. Thank you for adding your thoughts here, Julie. I appreciate it 😊

[Shy Joe]

First off, I have not read through the comments before me, so if I sound unoriginal....:P

I don't believe in originality. I believe in evolving ideas. There is no reason to be first. It's all about pleasure. And when it comes to that you don't want to be the first :P. If I said it once I will say it again. "When you do things of passion, you do them to please yourself." If you are putting others before you, it will not be worth it.

The creator creates his/her creations for him/her, hoping others will admire the work. Why do it any other way?
Just my view on it.

[Dr. YumnaKay]

Joe, your view is my view on it too. To me, creativity and doing what we feel is good is what matters the most. If we go on banging about originality then there won't be any writing left to do.
Thank you for your thoughts here. Truly appreciate it 😊

[William Liston]

Taken broadly, I agree with you point. Every emotion and virtually every plot line has been done before, so it's more about putting different angles on those topics rather than creating a new one all together. Also, to me, the way a piece is written is more impressive than the actual content. Even if a story is more original than others, it isn't necessarily good. Take this "short story" for example (made off the top of my head):

I was in then country farming. Then I got a million dollars. Then, I became a cartoon character. Then I got abducted by aliens. Then my mother ate my heart. Then my son, an alien named Zymus, became a movie director before he realized he had a snake trapped in his foot. It was fun living on clouds.

Though that thing above (I would call it a short story, but that'd be rather insulting) is more 'original' than a lot of stories, it certainly isn't well written. It's boring as hell and the repetitive syntax, overall lack of continuity, and lack of substance make it so.

Since writing (and creativity in general) is an adventure, I don't think one should ever force originality. Just read, and it will come. As for my writing, I like to explore different avenues. I have a mental list of the things I still want to do in my poetry. I get a lot of inspiration from this site, perhaps more than I get from the published poets I read.

Thanks for posting this thought-provoking write.

- William Liston

[Dr. YumnaKay]

Thank you, William for your insight here. I can not agree more on this. Like I said, creativity, not originality..
And I agree about this site being my inspiration too 😊

[Michael G. Smith]

I agree with all that you state. My peeve is that some writers tend to use the same tired and repetitious words and lines. There is no wrong or right in poetry but when you lack originality in presentation your audience will quickly leave you. When I read someones poetry and there are such unique lines, phrases or verses I anticipate the authors next creations. I also want to add I've joined numerous poetry sites but Writerscafe is by far the most superior.

I often ponder the fact that there has to be millions of poems written about love for over many centuries and we are still writing thousands more each day. Now what does that say about love? Or poetry?

[Dr. YumnaKay]

True. It's not only for poetry but for other works of fiction as well. Originality stems from being creative. If you aren't that, then there's no point in continuing further.
I totally agree on what you say about WC. I'm quite fond of it despite all the peevishness haha 😛
Thank you for adding your thoughts here, Michael 😊

[Dr. YumnaKay]

Hmm I think it's because love is a vast emotion which covers everything. One can't just stop writing about it...

[Stacy Purvis]

Some would say that love and romance are antiquated ideas, but poets have been writing about them for ages, and will continue to in the future.
In short, the writer is in complete artistic control in reference to what they write, which leaves the reader choices: to read or not to read?
That is the question.

[Dr. YumnaKay]

True. That is a question indeed. Still you can as a reader choose not to read but can not regard the writer as being unoriginal, can you?
Thank you for adding in a new perspective here, Anastasia. I appreciate it 😊

[Stacy Purvis]

I believe the idea of unoriginality to be of individual perception and not a general or broad one.
I encourage everyone to write anything to their own heart's content.

[Dr. YumnaKay]

Ahh I believe the same, Anastasia. Does this give off the opposite effect?

[Stacy Purvis]

No...you are stating an individual opinion and inviting the reader to as well.

[Dr. YumnaKay]

Yes. That is what a debate is all about 😉😊

[Tony Jordan]

Then we can all become master-debaters !!
*sniggers*

[Dr. YumnaKay]

I already am, Tony 😉😎

[Tony Jordan]

Well if you are admitting to being a master-debater then you win...lol

[Tony Jordan]

and anyone out there in TV land who thought I was a gentleman can start to boo and hiss lol

[Dr. YumnaKay]

Hahaha you are a gentle man 😂😉

[Surya]

Am l'll weak in debates...
But yeah I agree with your words, it's not about the genre, it's all about the writer and how he presents, how he creates scenario's, how he plays with words...That's all makes the difference regardless of genre...:)

[Dr. YumnaKay]

Thank you for agreeing, Surya. It's what makes the difference, so very true :)

[Surya]

You are welcome Yumna, Pleasure is mine participating in you debate, haha..:)

[Dr. YumnaKay]

hahah if only you had come with arguing, would have been more fun :p ;P

[Sir Drift & Mr. Pulse]

Well... Actually... There are always new ideas... Lol. Its the way you craft them and the way you build it. Don't believe me? Philosophy says an idea is the rejumping of ones mind. If ideas were repetitive there would be no new inventions in the world. We just have to look at things at a different angle. And as I say... A coin has two faces but one middle, squished where no one tends to look. And if you happen to split it right in through the edge, you will see 2 more new faces. There 2 dark sides and 1 light middle. Go check it out 😉

[Dr. YumnaKay]

Still, the ideas evolve from previous ideas ;) But you say it yourself.. it's the way you craft it that does the job ;)
I will check it out for sure ;) :)

[Sir Drift & Mr. Pulse]

https://m.youtube.com/?reload=7&rdm=2isbpb423#/watch?list=PL8dPuuaLjXtNgK6MZucdYldNkMybYIHKR¶ms=OAFIAVgW&v=3SJROTXnmus&mode=NORMAL

😊

[Coyote Poetry]

You are right my friend. Each of us had lived a different life. Can change a normal scenery to our view. This is what make writing so interesting. Thank you dear friend for sharing your words and thoughts on writing.
Coyote

[Dr. YumnaKay]

So very true. Thank you, Coyote, for adding your thoughts here. I appreciate it 😊

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome my dear friend.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Our materials as humans are those within our grasp and those who can think best how to carve them into shape are good artists. Most people can throw a pot! Only a few can think beyond to create a unique piece of art or science, much as Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, Jules Verne or Arthur C Clarke etc

[Dr. YumnaKay]

True. I can not agree more. Thank you for your thoughts here 😊

[John Alexander McFadyen]

I guess the rest of us must do it for pleasure and along the way, if we please others, it is a bonus! I like to try different forms. I have written a novel which is based on fictionalised fact, An erotic novella which I think takes a creative approach, Short stories, including a children's tale and one hundred word stories, and may poems of different forms. Most very satisfying.