You dash into the pyramid, certain this is the place where you’ll find it – the elusive idea. You must find this gorgeous golden trinket, or else die of idea-less-ness. You dodge some poison darts and tiptoe around a path of sleeping snakes. Then, you spot it, shimmering under a ray of light. You lean over and snatch the idea, reading each amazing word. It’s wonderful. It’s…

The same story you read yesterday.

Writer, do you ever feel like this? How many “good night” board books have you read, wondering if there is any place for your precious story? How many times have you seen a new middle grade novel on the market just to discover it’s another variation of Harry Potter? How many times have you had a glimmer of hope that the latest Disney live-action remake has some potential, just to find it’s the same old story with a shoddy CGI coat of paint?

There’s nothing new under the sun, as Solomon says. I discovered this for myself as a teenager. When I started writing, I was determined to come up with ideas no one had ever thought of before. I naively thought my ideas were somehow different than the rest of the world’s. I strived to avoid clichés and write bigger, bolder stories. But no matter how hard I worked, I would find some line or element I had borrowed from another story. A Phineas and Ferb reference here, a Doctor Who plot line there. Writing something truly original was an impossible task.

Here’s the thing: good writers borrow from other writers, that is, they gain inspiration from them. J.K. Rowling wouldn’t be who she is without C.S. Lewis. Lewis wouldn’t be who he is without J.R.R Tolkien. These authors borrowed elements of other stories to create brand new stories, throwing in their own experiences and creative sensibilities to make something magic. There’s nothing new under the sun, but there are ways of telling a story that are unique to you. You bring your own life experience, hopes, and dreams to a story. That’s why it’s worth telling.

“But I want to be different,” you say. Great! You’ve got that part in the bag. God has given you a life that is different from anyone else’s. Some parts of your life are universal – for example, you probably have a family, an education, a job – but parts of your story are unique to you. Maybe your grandparents helped raise you while your mother worked. Maybe you were homeschooled or dropped out of school to support your family. Maybe you train dogs or have a side hustle baking cupcakes. Your life is special because God gave it to you, whether it is quiet and simple or loud and complicated. Your experiences can fuel an original story idea.

Praying over your writing can also inspire original ideas. I began praying over my writing sometime last year. I hadn’t considered it before, but it made sense; I want everything I do to point to Him, so why not ask for His help? As I continued this practice, I became better at coping with writer’s block. Writing became an act of trust that He would bring me the right words at the right time. Today, I pray over everything I write. Whether it’s a devotion, a script, or a short story, I want my stories to honor God, and I bet you do, too.

If you want to pray over your writing but don’t know where to start, here’s some suggestions. Ask God to open your eyes to new ideas, to guide your characters where they need to go. Tell Him what’s working and not working in your story. Acknowledge that all good ideas come from Him and not from you. Remember that He is the author – you are just His vessel.

Another way to come up with “original” ideas is to let go and listen to your characters. Don’t force a trope or characterization on your character if they start telling you otherwise. If you write something down that surprises you, lean into that. It’s often a little nudge from God. For example, I once wrote a story about an extroverted character. I forced some phrases onto him that I had heard other extroverts say, but I just couldn’t get inside his head. I thought this character was annoying and naïve because that’s how I viewed his personality type. The story only clicked for me when I stopped to listen to this character. Once I did, I learned he was very smart and not annoying at all. If I was going to write a fleshed-out character, I had to set aside my own feelings. Otherwise, my story would’ve become cliché and even offensive. It’s hard for us to lean into new characterizations, especially if it means you must rewrite the plot, but taking these risks can make your story so much better. Don’t be afraid to listen to your characters, even if you disagree with them at first!

While there is nothing new under the sun, there are plenty of wonderful ideas out there just waiting to be written down. Even if your story includes familiar tropes, your writing style, experiences, and personality make it unique. Don’t worry about being completely original; trust that God will give you the right words to tell your story. With His help, you will write something amazing!

Do you have any advice for writers struggling to come up with original ideas? How about a favorite trope or a least favorite cliché? 😉 Let me know in the comments!

Happy writing! 😊

Image credit: Nenad Stojkovic on Flickr.