: As a writer, should I be upset because I couldn't think of an idea? I've just been struggling recently with this doubt that I could never think of ideas I've seen written on my own. If that

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Inspiration is inspiration and it comes in many forms.

Let's say I go on holiday to a nice sunny place and see, first hand, the 'story' of poor local people trying to survive by competing for the tourist dollars that come each year. I may use that as inspiration for a story.

Instead of going away I could holiday at home and a read a book ( or watch a documentary) about poor local people trying to survive by competing for the tourist dollars that come each year. I may use that as inspiration for a story.

As long as I'm telling my story and it's interesting enough for people to want to read it does it matter which of the two scenarios above were the inspiration?

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Absolute originality is a myth. Everything that can be written has its roots in something that was written before. Unless you have spent your entire life isolated from the works of every writer who ever lived, your works will parallel and build upon everything you have read.

Absolute originality is also unavoidable. No idea is so simple or obvious that it can't become original and unique just by being spoken in your voice or written in your style. You couldn't exactly clone the writing of another if you tried, so stop worrying about doing it by accident.

Original ideas are in limited supply. The big, story sized ones have each been beaten into the ground by thousands of authors who chose them before you came along. Choose any one of them and then add originality through your characters, their thoughts and through the perspective of your POV character or narrator.

Tell an old story in new way and the story is no longer old.

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