I used to put great weight in originality, until I realized everything is original by default. (Even if there’s seemingly a repetitive event, nothing has occurred in the exact same universal configuration of particles and energy). So i shifted focus to whether something felt personally engaging–whether its tone and delivery sparked inspiration and resonance. Who cares if something is original, if it’s completely lifeless and devoid of spirit?
Maybe everything has happened before. Maybe it hasn’t. I’m not concerned. I’ll leave the tallying, scorekeeping, and justifying to someone more fussy.
Dirty Sci-Fi Buddha 
Right you are. Life is way too short to get caught up in the details.
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Good thoughts, Kent.
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I like this perspective, so true!
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To be engaging is a good goal. Almost e writhing has been done at least once. Our perspective is the unique.
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Engagement is the key
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I kind of wish I could see things as if they’re fresh, like a child does, but I’m hardwired to categorize most things I see under things I’ve seen before many times. Once in the ’90s or early ’00s I had a dream where a friend of mine told me I shouldn’t regard everything as “tropes.” Anyway, I say I “kind of” wish because, while it may be too cerebral and deadened not to see many new things anymore, at the same time, if I just ignored all those things I was already aware of in order to treat each experience like it was unique, I think I’d be less intelligent.
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There’s definitely a balance–I think the flow state can be a rough indicator of novelty and recognition.
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They say there’s nothing new under the sun. I’ve just published a romantasy which is a bit of a Romeo and Juliette story without the tragic end.
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Cool! I never liked how it ended, which is why I’m a fan of Warm Bodies. They reinterpreted it without the sad ending.
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So true! We could start with the same character archetypes and the same plot premise and end with two completely different novels.
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True, because in story telling, there are no truly original stories.
The Odyssey is the same as my own Four Seasons series where the protagonist is on a journey along with his side kick. American Psycho is as engaging as Poe’s Pendulum or my book I Albert Peabody. And To Kill A mockingbird dredges up the same themes of racism and social justice as my telling in A Man’s Passion.
Your books are retelling of the same stories of past books as well.
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Indeed! The hero’s journey always appeals (to me, anyway).
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Very good musing! People talk about having read or heard something before, but everything is unique in a different way.
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There is a dusty old tome from about the 3rd century BCE or older that says there is nothing new under the sun…. so this isn’t new either. 😉
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2000 years later they’ll be referencing my dusty ancient laptop, lol!
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