The Case For Writing What’s Already Been Written
The Case For Writing What’s Already Been Written
by Yashaswini Sharma
There comes a point in every writer’s journey when it is understood that nothing truly original can spring from us. We are the by-products of everything we’ve consumed—all the movies, songs, books, art, and TV shows we’ve spent time with have shaped who we are as writers and artists. It is, therefore, unreasonably cruel and foolish to expect oneself to churn out something that’s never been seen before.
New writers, like me and you, who aren’t experienced with the strict requirements of the publishing industry may wonder what to write in order to get noticed. The common pains of a writer include, most prominently, the inability to craft something ‘original,’ AKA, something that is fresh out of the oven; something the world has never seen before. The wish is to turn readers into fans; to spell out magic with your words. But, inevitably, there comes a point where wishing and hoping doesn’t cut it. When the realization that every plot you could ever come up with has already been written, every movie you want to write has already been made, every song you want to create has already won a Grammy hit, it induces a sickening pallor in all of us.
I, myself, have spent nights (and days) on the verge of tears thinking of how I pale in comparison to Joan Didion, or Slyvia Plath, or Simone de Beauvoir. However, after yearning and learning, I’ve come to realise that it truly doesn’t matter. Because we can’t change the past, and we can unwrite what’s been written. Thus, all one is left to do is move forward. Write what you know, and write often. Read your favorite genres and explore others you haven’t. Watch films—a lot of them. And listen to all the music in the world. The more art you consume, the more you realize our lived experiences aren’t all that different. Once the realization strikes, the process of creating turns from an individualistic one to a communal attempt. You strive to create art that resonates with those who’ve had similar experiences, instead of searching to be unique. If anything, it’s a wonderful feeling to be the same in a world that attempts to make us different.
