Coming Up With An Original Narrative

by Jay Donnelly

An original narrative is out there for you to write; all you’ve got to do is put it together and write it! However, the journey can be a little long and take a lot of effort, and there’s plenty of cross referencing you’re going to need to do along the way. But don’t worry, this post is here to help you out with coming up with your original narrative, and being the kind of author you’ve always wanted to be, so be sure to start with the points we’ve listed out below.

Smash Some Ideas Together

If you want an original narrative on your hands, then it’s time to take parts of one genre you’d like to write for, and smash them together with another genre you enjoy very much. For example, it feels like fantasy stories have been done to death, but if you smash some of their tropes together with those from Sci Fi, you’ll have something a bit more unique on your hands! So feel free to pick and choose as you please. 

Write What You Want to Read

You need to write for you, and no one else, when it comes to crafting an original narrative. Don’t think about the people who may potentially read your story one day, and definitely don’t think about what they’re looking for in a character or a setting. Write for yourself, and write what you want to write, because you definitely have some unique ideas up there in your mind!

All you need to do is unlock them and put them out on the page, because once you do, you’ll have something no one else has ever written before. Plus, it usually works out that if you want to read something exactly like what you’re writing, hundreds of other people out there do as well. You’ll be able to much better find your audience when you’re authentic with your narrative, and work with a style you’re comfortable with. 

Literally Make it Up

Of course, if you’re writing a fictional story, you’re going to be making everything up. However, you don’t have to use words and phrases that already exist in the English language – you can make up some of your own. Using something like a random word generator can go a really long way in making your narrative feel original and fun. 

If you’ve got a quirky character that lives by their own rules, why not give them some very unique dialogue? If you’re writing a fantasy story set in another world, why not make up some place and character names that you’ve never seen before? Just make things up as you go along! 

If you want to come up with an original narrative, you really are going to have to look up what’s come before you. Take their ideas, tweak them, and do something different. Mix and match, and don’t be afraid to subvert the usual themes or tones. This is your narrative after all! 

Find more writing and publishing tips at Nothing Any Good