Put Yourself Into Your Writing

The poster above refers to artists but we writers are artists who paint with words. The quote made me think about finding topics to write about. It often seems that whatever we consider for a story plan or an essay or a memoir has already been done. And done and done! 

Let's face it. There are only so many story plots, only so many life problems to write in a memoir, only so many essay subjects. Yes, readers are looking for something fresh and new. We writers are also looking for a never-been-done-before topic to write about. 

We can give the readers that 'fresh and new' by pursuing a topic already written about by others but using a new angle or a different perspective. We do that by using our own voice, not copying what another writer has done. 

We dig deep into our own soul to put our own nature into the piece of writing, just as the quote for today tells us. Line up twenty writers, give them a topic to write about and you're going to find twenty different stories, twenty different approaches, twenty different viewpoints. 

Many contests ask participants to write to a theme. Each entrant will interpret the theme using their own experience and imagination--those same two things I talked about yesterday when doing a photo prompt exercise. Each writer will put something of herself/himself into the entry. It's up to the judges to determine who has done it best.

Some of you are going to think that, if this or that successful author has already written on a certain topic, what makes me feel like I can do it better? Maybe it doesn't need to be better. It might work because you have a different experience than that popular writer; you have your own voice; you have creative abilities that others do not. 

Go ahead and write on any topic putting yourself into what you produce. Don't skim the surface. Instead, really look into your own soul and bring it to light through what you write.