Done Before? Not By You!

 

There are only so many topics we can write about. Novels are written with the same basic plots with many contrasts. Some reference books will tell you there are only seven, another says twenty. No exact number, but it does show us that there are basic plots, and each author writers their own variation.

Our photo quote today has some good advice. Asha Dornfest says "I think new writers are too worried that it has all been said before. Sure it has, but not by you." That goes for more experienced writers, as well. We each put our own stamp on what we write.

When writing articles about health or travel or investments, we are bound to repeat information that others have already offered, but we can add something new, a different angle, another perspective on the subject. 

Consider poetry. "In Flanders Fields" is a well-known poem about WWI. That doesn't mean you can't write one, too. You can do so using your own observations, your own words, your own feelings. 

We put our own personal stamp on everything we write. Our voice comes through, and it is different from the voice of many others. We write with our own viewpoint on a topic, perhaps because of an experience we had. A person who has gone through a heart transplant can write a completely different kind of article on same as a reporter who is only interviewing and observing. 

Writers learn early on that we don't parrot other writers. We write our own thoughts and feelings. We tell our own stories, and we do it in a way that is personal to us. 

Don't hesitate to tackle a topic that has been 'done before.' Find some new way to approach the topic that will appeal to readers. Yes, it will take a great deal of thought and perhaps several drafts to find what you hope is a new perspective on an old topic. Consider it a challenge and start writing!