The pursuit of originality is often viewed as the cornerstone of creative writing. Writers, particularly young ones, are encouraged to strive for complete novelty, creating works that are entirely unique and unprecedented. However, the idea of absolute originality is, upon closer examination, largely a myth. Throughout literary history, narrative forms, themes, and motifs have evolved through intertextuality, influence, and adaptation. Instead of aiming for unattainable originality, writers should recognize that their work is part of a larger literary tradition. This recognition does not diminish creativity but rather enriches it, allowing writers to engage in a dialogue with the past while expressing their own distinctive voices.
The notion of originality as an absolute quality suggests that a work can exist in isolation from all preceding literature, culture, and experience. This perspective overlooks the fundamental interconnectedness of human expression. Literature, like other forms of art, develops through a process of accumulation and reworking of ideas, narratives, and themes. T.S. Eliot addressed this in his essay "Tradition and the Individual Talent," where he argued that "no poet, no artist of any art, has his complete meaning alone" and that new works inevitably enter into dialogue with the entire history of their form (Eliot, 1921). Originality, in this sense, is relative and emerges from the way a writer reshapes existing material.
One of the clearest examples of this phenomenon is the use of myth and folklore in literary history. Many foundational stories in Western literature are retellings of classical myths or legends. For example, James Joyce's Ulysses (1922) is widely regarded as a groundbreaking modernist novel, yet its framework is a direct reworking of Homer’s Odyssey. Joyce's innovation lies not in inventing a new story but in transforming an ancient one into a contemporary setting, exploring modernist themes of alienation and consciousness through the lens of myth (Joyce, 1922). His creative achievement illustrates how great literature often builds on established forms rather than starting from scratch.
Moreover, even the most revered original works are deeply rooted in literary traditions. William Shakespeare’s plays, celebrated for their inventiveness and complexity, frequently draw on existing stories, histories, and earlier plays. Romeo and Juliet, for instance, is based on an Italian tale that had been told and retold in various forms before Shakespeare adapted it for the stage (Shakespeare, 1597). What Shakespeare brought to the tale was his mastery of language, his ability to develop compelling characters, and his nuanced understanding of human nature. His genius did not lie in creating an entirely new story but in the way he rendered a familiar one with depth and beauty.
The concept of originality also raises questions about the role of influence in the creative process. Writers do not create in a vacuum; they are inevitably shaped by their reading, their cultural context, and the works of other authors. Harold Bloom’s theory of "the anxiety of influence" suggests that writers are often driven by a desire to distinguish themselves from their literary predecessors while simultaneously being influenced by them (Bloom, 1973). This dynamic tension between influence and innovation is at the heart of much great literature. Writers like Jorge Luis Borges, who openly acknowledged his influences, viewed literature as a collective endeavor, a "labyrinth of interrelated texts" in which originality comes from recombining and reinterpreting existing works (Borges, 1964).
It is essential to recognize that storytelling itself is built on recurring structures and archetypes. Theorists like Joseph Campbell and Christopher Booker have identified common patterns in stories across cultures and time periods. Campbell’s "monomyth" or "hero’s journey" structure, which appears in texts as diverse as The Epic of Gilgamesh and Star Wars, underscores the shared narrative frameworks that underpin much of human storytelling (Campbell, 1949). Christopher Booker’s The Seven Basic Plots further illustrates this point, arguing that most stories can be categorized into a limited number of archetypal plots, such as "overcoming the monster" or "the quest" (Booker, 2004). These recurring structures do not diminish a writer’s creativity but highlight the universality of human experience, which literature seeks to explore.
The myth of absolute originality often overlooks the importance of variation within established forms. Many innovative works of fiction push boundaries not by inventing entirely new forms but by subtly altering existing ones. For instance, postmodern novels often play with narrative structure, using fragmentation, unreliable narrators, and metafictional techniques to challenge readers’ expectations. Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children (1981) blends magical realism with the historical novel, creating a rich narrative that interweaves the personal and the political (Rushdie, 1981). While the novel’s form and content draw from earlier literary traditions, its inventive style and narrative voice demonstrate how originality can emerge from reworking familiar materials in new ways.
In today’s creative landscape, the rise of genre fiction further underscores the collaborative and iterative nature of storytelling. Science fiction, fantasy, and mystery genres, for example, often rely on shared conventions and tropes. What distinguishes successful works in these genres is not their departure from established formulas but how they engage with them. Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower (1993) is a dystopian novel that follows many conventions of the genre but subverts expectations by focusing on issues of race, gender, and community in a post-apocalyptic world (Butler, 1993). Butler’s engagement with social issues within a familiar narrative structure demonstrates how writers can innovate within genre conventions.
It is also important to consider how contemporary technologies and cultural phenomena have reshaped notions of originality. The internet has democratized access to information and increased the speed at which ideas circulate. In this context, the boundaries between originality, remix, and adaptation have blurred. Concepts such as "sampling" in music or "fan fiction" in literature illustrate how creative works are often a synthesis of existing material. In her book Steal Like an Artist, Austin Kleon argues that "nothing is original" and that creativity often involves "remixing" ideas from diverse sources (Kleon, 2012). This perspective aligns with the postmodern rejection of fixed hierarchies of originality and authorship.
Furthermore, the global nature of contemporary literature challenges the notion of originality as tied to a single cultural or national tradition. Writers today often draw on multiple cultural influences, creating hybrid works that reflect the complexity of the modern world. Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things (1997), for example, blends Indian social and political realities with modernist techniques and global literary influences (Roy, 1997). The richness of her novel lies in its ability to navigate these multiple contexts, illustrating how originality can be a product of synthesis rather than isolation.
In recognizing the myth of absolute originality, writers should not feel discouraged or constrained. Instead, they should embrace the idea that their work participates in a larger literary tradition. As Jonathan Lethem eloquently puts it, "most artists are brought to their vocation when their own nascent gifts are awakened by the work of a master" (Lethem, 2007). This process of awakening involves imitation, adaptation, and transformation—practices that have long been central to the creative process.
Aspiring writers can benefit from engaging deeply with literary traditions and finding their own voices within them. By understanding the ways in which previous writers have navigated similar challenges, they can develop their unique perspectives and contribute to the ongoing evolution of literature. Rather than pursuing originality for its own sake, they should focus on authenticity, striving to express their own experiences, ideas, and emotions in ways that resonate with readers.
In conclusion, the idea of absolute originality is a myth that overlooks the interconnectedness of literary tradition and human creativity. All writers, whether consciously or unconsciously, engage with existing narratives, forms, and ideas. Originality emerges not from the rejection of the past but from the innovative recombination of familiar elements. Young writers should take comfort in the fact that their work does not need to exist in isolation to be creative or valuable. Instead, they should view their writing as part of a dynamic, ongoing conversation that stretches across time and culture. By embracing this perspective, they can approach storytelling with both humility and confidence, contributing to the rich tapestry of human expression.
References:
- Bloom, H. (1973). The Anxiety of Influence. Retrieved from https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/338996/the-anxiety-of-influence-by-harold-bloom/
- Borges, J. L. (1964). Labyrinths: Selected Stories & Other Writings. Retrieved from https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/227605/labyrinths-by-jorge-luis-borges/
- Booker, C. (2004). The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories. Retrieved from https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/the-seven-basic-plots-9780826452092/
- Butler, O. (1993). Parable of the Sower. Retrieved from https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/571448/parable-of-the-sower-by-octavia-e-butler/
- Campbell, J. (1949). The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Retrieved from https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/625860/the-hero-with-a-thousand-faces-by-joseph-campbell/
- Eliot, T. S. (1921). Tradition and the Individual Talent. Retrieved from https://www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/69400/tradition-and-the-individual-talent
- Joyce, J. (1922). Ulysses. Retrieved from https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/601731/ulysses-by-james-joyce/
