I don't fancy myself a great storyteller in some aspects. One of the reasons is that I have often said that i don't believe in original ideas anymore, only original combinations of ideas. As the old saying goes, "There is nothing new under the sun," and I'm inclined to agree. Sure, the world changes a bit. New technology and what not. But for the most part, the world seems pretty cyclical. There will always be times of war and times of peace. Companies will be born and fail, empires rise and fall. We are are all essentially part of a living, breathing organism that has its ups and downs.
So when I think of stories, I realize that someone else may have come up with the idea I had, it's just that perhaps they didn't write it down, edit it, publish it, and market it to the masses. Here are the two fundamentals to get you started if you're ever thinking of writing a story.
1.) Criticize your idea, asking yourself if you've read or heard of something like it before. If so, then add your own spin or twist to it to make it yours.
2.) Publish.
The second part is key because the main thing keeping people from seeing if their ideas have any merit is simply executing. You can edit and revise a manuscript for twenty years, waiting for that perfect moment, but little did you know that someone with the same idea as you published a book that's similar a decade ago and they're a blockbuster success. We are not entitled to anything, and the world waits for no one. Hard work almost always beats talent so oftentimes, the main enemy is yourself when it comes to your and your success.
And success means many things. It could be having a friend hear your story being told. It could be finishing that chapter you've put on hold for several months. Whatever that victory is, achieve it and then strive for the next. Eventually, you will have accomplished what you've set out to do.
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