One thing some authors will struggle with for many days (or years) is trying to come up with an “original” story idea. Authors debate why they should or why they should not bother being original–but is the quest for originality worth the headaches and heartburn?
When it comes to writing an “original” story, people are cynical and say that there is nothing original left to write, everything has been done.
Possibly…
This may be true when it comes to general themes found in a story, but there is plenty of material available to develop an “original” idea. I love to read stories that leave me thinking: “Wow…I wish I’d written that!”
It’s not a new concept. Romeo and Juliet is a love story about sixteenth century teens in Italy, and centuries later, their tale gets a face lift and becomes West Side Story about twentieth century teens in New York City.
For example, say that you want to write a story from the point of view of a cocaine “tooter,” those thin, little pipes that addicts use to snort coke. Look at these two samples:
- She sticks the cocaine tooter—a tooter is slang for those little tubes used for snorting coke—into her nose and snorts a line of coke. It’s dark and wet and sticky inside here. I don’t like being a tooter. I don’t like the feel of boogers on my body.
- She strokes my hard shaft and guides me inside her where I shoot her with my white stuff. She takes what I deliver deep into her body and sighs in ecstasy. She loves me. I could care less if she lives or dies. I’ll just move on to the next one.
Which would you rather read? Which of the above samples compels you to read more to find out what is going on? Not only that, which one doesn’t have a POV shift? It’s not enough to have an original idea if the writing is poor or bland or unimaginative.
Granted that you may or may not be able to support a whole novel or series from such a viewpoint, but you see how it is possible for you can take something totally mundane and create a story that’s original.
Try it. Leave a comment with your original idea.
