“There is nothing new under the sun.”

We all know this is true. Oh, sure, they make things shinier and put more stuff together.

Have you seen the new Kindle Fire- I’m super excited!

However, the point is that things are put together in new ways but we repeat the same things over and over. Canoes, bikes, wagons, cars, trains, and space shuttles are all transportation. Not a new idea. People have always wanted to go from one place to another and to go as far and as fast as they can. Yes, these are unique, but their basic idea is the same. It is the person making the item that makes it new, exciting, and original.
Cake has been around for centuries. However, an individual can make a basic vanilla cake something extraordinary.

This is true in writing. Joseph Campbell talks about how there are basic archetypal stories that we keep telling and retelling. This isn’t a bad thing; obviously people like these story archetypes, because we keep buying books.

So what makes something unique? You do. The author, artist, cook, speaker, teacher, poet, designer, builder, or storyteller. What makes what you do unique is you. Your perspective, vision, choices, it’s all about you.

So don’t worry if ‘it’s been done before’ we all know it has been done before many, many times. Gather up that basic structure and put your unique self into it.