I like to think of myself as being a creative soul, though many might disagree and say that I am delusional, which is probably true. I want to be a writer and artist except with the capabilities of keeping food on my table (a problem I have yet to find a solution.) Besides the starving artist aspect, there is this whole idea of having to be original. After all, who likes a copycat?
But after living a quarter of my life, I find that originality is an outdated and over-glorified concept. There is no truly original ideas left, if there are then they are far and few. What is left to be discovered are the approaches to grasping existing concepts.
It is very much like the idea that there are only oh so many original plots in the literary world (the actual number is up for debate, but the fact is that there IS a number). If there is a limit then who are there best-selling authors that are able to just WOW us, the readers, into going “HOLY SMOKES!” or some other exclamation of awe?
Like I said, it isn’t the originality of the plot, but the beauty of their writing style, voice, and break down of the idea. Or that’s my opinion.
Now don’t think that I’m being pessimistic, I’m not. I’m just analyzing my useless efforts to be original, when all I need to do is just do everything my way and that would be original enough. Right? I mean how many people can claim to be me?
Well… minus the creepy stalkers and invisible wanna-be’s (I don’t that I have any), there is only ONE me and that in itself is original. So here is to me forgoing originality in my creativity and just trying to write, draw, and live as I want and like.
Stephanie
/ June 16, 2010Sounds like a good plan to me.
I don’t think very much about originality so much as if it’s a new spin on an old idea, or a different way to look at things. There are untold numbers of perspectives so we might as well tap into that.
Ongaku
/ June 18, 2010I would have to agree that being original is completely over rated. It’s all about how you can pull it off. XD
Still, sometimes it isn’t just that and things get popular even though they suck. I have read a number of books that are only so-so but get a lot of media and popularity for it. No special writing talent or originality. I’m trying to figure out why. LOL Stupid masses.
Jenny
/ June 19, 2010There is no such thing as 100% original in my opinion, because everyone is getting inspirations from different things, so the end result is always a combination of influences from different sources. Like you said, it really comes down to how you execute it.