There Are No New Ideas
Just New Perspectives
I’ve only been writing for a few years now and, throughout this time, I’ve noticed something a little unusual.
Writers (and other creative professionals) wear struggle as a badge of honor.
They take pride in the self-induced despair that comes while trying to write the next great American novel or sharing something truly unique with the world. Writer’s block seems to be a necessary evil on the path to glory.
If you ask me, this is complete bullshit.
This expectation is the very reason so many writers will never actually share their writing with others. There is nothing admirable about procrastination or waiting until inspiration strikes.
I can’t help but agree with Steven Pressfield and his book The War of Art when he shares that:
“The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.”
Sitting in front of your computer with a blank screen isn’t trying. Giving up and watching Netflix instead isn’t trying. Even productive procrastination like laundry isn’t trying.
I’m not blaming others for having trouble. Everyone has trouble. People become handicapped because we all want to say something new.
We have to remember that there are no new ideas — just new perspectives on the same old ideas.
Take a second and really think about this.
How many coming-of-age stories have been told? The Catcher in the Rye? Boy Meets World? Hell, even the Harry Potter series falls into the same vein albeit with a little more magic.
And what about the “quirky-group-of-friends-living-in-New-York” experience? Friends, How I Met Your Mother, Girls, the list goes on and on.
As similar as these stories are, they each have one monumental difference:
They are the same idea shared with a different perspective.
If I had to guess, there will always be a show about growing up in New York. After all, the city is a breeding ground for quirky characters, relatable plots, and enough circumstantial humor to span countless centuries.
We have to keep this in mind when sitting down to create. Instead of leaving the page blank, try sharing your perspective on a story that already exists.
What unique insight can you bring to age-old concepts like love, hate, friendship, belonging, coming of age, and other universal themes?
Remember this and you will never let writer’s block, or any block for that matter, get in the way of sharing your work with the world.
Do you put too much pressure on yourself to share something new? Have you tried simply sharing your own perspective? Share your thoughts in the comments below or on Twitter at @williamfrazr.
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