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What makes your writing original when your story idea isn't completely new? In this episode, I explore why 'original fiction' isn't about having an idea nobody has ever had.

I'll use Pokémon to show how influences can pass through one creator and become something new. Then I give you a simple exercise for finding the fingerprints already present in your own fiction.

Most importantly, I make the case for why the fiction only you can write is worth making and putting into the world.

In this episode, I answer questions like:

• What makes your writing original if your story idea isn't new?
• How do I know if my story is original enough?
• What truly makes one writer's work different from another's?
• Do fiction writers need completely original story ideas?
• How do your influences and personal experiences shape your writing?
• How can you use creative influences without feeling like you're copying?
• How can you find what is uniquely yours in your own writing?
• Why can two writers start with similar ideas and create completely different stories?
• Why does your individual perspective matter as a fiction writer?
• Why is the fiction only you can write worth finishing and sharing?

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Fiction Writer's Toolshed -- Episode 26