Some people say there are no new ideas under the sun. And when I see photos of Justin Bieber and Donny Osmond side-by-side, I’m inclined to agree.
Anyone involved in creative pursuits is somewhat invested in being original.
Imagine the disappointment of the person who had written a series of children’s books involving a boy with a zigzag scar on his forehead, who happened to be a wizard, when she discovered that a gal named J.K. had done the very same thing.
I was devastated to say the least.
My point is (and God forbid I could get to it right way), that in today’s world, you want to indulge in a bit of due diligence as a writer before you leap into a new “original” project.
I’m working on something right now where I’ve discovered that a few of my top title choices were already taken. Infidels! Wait. That’s when I’m mad about something else.
But it reminded me of the days when the intrawebnet was new, and we all used to just give a creative project the old college try without knowing what else may be going on in the world.
Years ago, I was struggling with infertility (go ahead and laugh Catholics who have a baby every time you stay home from Mass. We know why you stay home!). Despite my tendency to get all Marx Brothers about most things, I didn’t find any of it the least bit funny.
So to soothe my jangled nerves I took to writing depressing tomes about unrequited desire for a child; the loneliness of my path etc…
I wrote what I felt was an extremely moving essay comparing what I was going through with planting a garden: all your neighbors have beautiful gardens. They make it seem so easy. You try and you use Miracle Grow, and have cute gardening clogs and a big fat nothing!
It was a lot more poignant than that.
But I really felt I had a gem on my hands. Now remember this is “pre” all kinds of modern conveniences (like at-home DNA tests), so I relied on the annual Writer’s Digest to look up the submission guidelines for various publications.
Just wait until Parent Magazine or Woman’s Day got a hold of this.
I was soon to discover that in the guidelines of multiple parenting and women’s magazines it actually said, “Please, no pieces on infertility making garden analogies.”
What! My newfangled idea was so common it had to be forbidden in the guidelines? It was so egregious a common theme, that it had to be actually highlighted? Wow. I was way more uncreative than previously feared.
Is it any wonder that I abandoned creativity for years in favor of writing about serious topics like Holiday china and changing bedding linens with the seasons?
Seriously, Victoria Magazine was my best relationship as a freelancer for a long time. It’s hard to imagine me writing for a magazine that featured leg o’mutton sleeves on dresses and cameos pinned non-ironically on overcoats. (I got your cameo right here, mister! That’s how I roll).
Thank God my son Larry was finally born and I could put all that seriousness behind me.
I just forge ahead with projects knowing that I may find out my super original idea has already been super done. I came up with a phrase that kind of captures that idea, “Been there, done that.”
It’s pretty catchy, don’t you think?