What does it take to write an original story? This is a question that must bother every writer out there. Anyone can write a book but not all books turn out to be bestsellers. For a book to become a bestseller, it must have ingredients that stand out from the rest. Your story has to be unique; something that has not been written before, something that has not been read before. The reason why most of the books cannot do well in the market and fail to make a space in the hearts of the readers is the excessive use of cliches in them. These writing cliches may appear as a similar murder mystery plot or a love story you can find at every corner. These cliches can also be rooted in the portrayal of characters, which is to say if writing lacks in terms of strong characterization, it cannot carry an impact.

To imagine a unique and original story, think of a book you have read that has left a lasting imprint on your mind and has impressed you beyond measure. This will help you understand what an original plot is and how characters are made eternal. Your writing skills definitely make a huge difference but the originality of the idea counts just as much. Make it real, make it impactful. If you are wondering how, let us guide you through.

Resist the urge to make it overly happening

It is very natural to buy the common perception that an action-packed book or movie is applauded a great deal by the audience. To conform to this assumed demand, writers often try to make their stories very happening and sensational. Now pause and reflect on the surreal literature, bringing to mind its popularity. You will conclude that an ordinary story of everyday life wins over the highly dramatic plots. So, stop feeling this pressure and bring action to your plot only when it is required.

Characters should not be extraordinary

Remember that most of your audience are ordinary people living ordinary lives. The characters in your book should correspond to these real people. You do not have to attribute extraordinary traits to your characters unless it is a fantasy that you are writing. The characters do not have to fly over the world; they can simply walk on the earth as usual people do. It is, however, their feelings, their everyday encounters, their worldview that will make the characters infinite in the minds and hearts of the readers.

Avoid a lot of melodrama in the plot

Writers who are mindful of the age in which they are situated can be better expected to write innovative stories. Melodramatic plots were a key feature of classical writings. But a lot has changed since then. It is essential that as a writer you understand what genres are relevant in contemporary times and what writing techniques are rewarded.

Keep it slow, keep it real

Creative writing is a slow process. Just as much as we try to rush through this slow cycle, we are more likely to impart the same mood to our plot. Remember that reading is a leisure time activity and people do not like to rush through their leisure hours. A plot that takes them through everyday struggles at an everyday pace is more likely to bring them comfort. They will feel more heard and seen.

Divert your mind from stereotypical images

A love trio, a love-deprived child turning into a sadist – these are two of the many stereotypical images that show in our literature. You have to avoid these. Originality can come from the dissection of a stereotypical image and not from reinforcing it. Your writing must serve a purpose and the purpose can be transformative. Transformation requires debunking stereotypes and myths. How you break or turn a stereotype upside down will be a test of your creative ability. 

Avoid story ending cliches

A happy-ever-after comes to mind as we begin to talk about story endings. Do you know why? Because it’s a cliché. This is not to say that a story cannot end on a happy note. But the happiness you portray as the story’s end must be original in its own way. We are not ruling out ‘comedy’ altogether. A bunch of readers do not prefer tragic ends and only take pleasure in happy endings. So, it has to be both happy and original.

Overcoming language cliches

This includes cutting down the use of phrases that have been excessively and repeatedly used in literary jargon. This also includes words and vocabulary which has become outdated or does not serve the purpose of representing the idea it claims to represent.

Draw inspiration from your lived experience

Your voice will never fail you. Something that you have lived through is the most original story that you can offer. Always infuse your experiences into the story. This doesn’t require you to write in the first person. Whatever is the narration style, your plot can always benefit from the feelings that come from inside you. Pay attention and make it original.

Merge the genre boundaries

Originality also often lies in crossing the set boundaries. As a writer, you can cross the lines that separate one genre from another. Genre mergers are most apparent in crime thrillers where both crime and thriller imply independent genres. Such mergers open up a lot of possibilities for a plot.

Let subplots complement the main plot in originality

Sometimes your main plot appears very much similar to other stories that have already been written. In such cases, the subplots can be the saviours. Your approach to an apparently cliched plot can turn the direction of your story altogether. By approach, we mean subplots.

Following the writing advice we rendered your way will take you closer to penning down an original and inventive work of fiction or non-fiction. We hope this is useful for all the writers.

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