(Look for this week’s #WeeklyWriterWisdom questions after the jump.)
This Week’s Questions: Have you ever worried about whether your story “has been written before”? Are you concerned that your ideas are not original, the fictional world you’re building is too similar to others, and so on? Reverse that perspective for a moment. What about your work (the WIP itself, the world-building, the characters, etc.) is unique? What do you hope to bring to your writing that is authentic and distinctively you?
Follow #WeeklyWriterWisdom at the blog on select Tuesdays. Feel free to spread the wisdom and creative energy by reblogging this post, writing your own post on this topic, or sharing the quote image on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.
Sara Letourneau 
Oddly, of all the things I worry about, this is not one of them. Here’s the simple reason why. Each person is built from a multitude of experiences layered over each other that impact how we react to future experiences. Many of these experiences are similar to other people’s experiences, that’s what makes our writing and stories relatable, but ours is stacked differently than anyone else’s, which is what makes it unique with a perspective gained from having that specific set of experiences.
As a writer, I enjoy listening and sharing the struggles and successes of writing, and while there are so many areas where my journey is similar to another writer’s, there are even more ways that it is different.
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With every story I write, I feel like it’s been done before. I think it’s so hard to come up with something original with so many stories out there. But I like the quote, and I try to remind myself of it every time I feel like I’m just repeating what someone else has already said. That no one has lived my life or sees through my eyes. therefore no one can tell the story I am telling.
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No… I don’t worry about whether my stories have been written before, because I know that all plots have already been written – but THIS particular tale wasn’t written by ME. Yes – I know that sounds arrogant and I’ll put my hands up to that one. But I think all authors and artists have to have a bit of arrogance or we wouldn’t be driven to share our work with the rest of the world.
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This has definitely been a fear of mine in the past. I’ve seen either this quote or one similar to this and it definitely brought me comfort.
storitorigrace.blogspot.com
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I’ve felt this same thing, very relatable.
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I got over such fear. Sure, my stories will have things in common with other stories, but as you say: there will be something unique about them. And I’ve yet to come up with an idea I’d discover to be identical with someone else’s concept, so I’m comfortable with “just similar”. 🙂
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This is so inspiring. Thank you! Exactly how I felt before I jumped in and realized that people want to hear what I have to say!
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You’re welcome! Glad you found some validation from that quote. 🙂
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