The Importance of Creativity

                Creativity is slowly dying. It's depressing but true, more often than not I see more and more talented individuals falling into the same endless cyle of rehashing used ideas but suger-coating them with various "herbs and spices" to make it seem original. As I writer, I know it is difficult to find origial ideas for story concepts, poems, short stories, novellas, etc. However, this is no excuse for laziness. We must work together as a unit and family of like-minded writers and creators to help each other create masterpieces of our own design, not rehashed clones of another's hard work. If you are having trouble coming up with a completly original idea, then ask others for help and support, friends and family are great sources of ideas for you to brainstorm about. As a dedicated writer, nothing angers me more than plagiarism, if you cannot come up with an idea of your own, then why steal from someone else? I would much rather come up with a terrible story idea and get it shot down than to steal another's amazing idea and take credit for it. The very thought makes me sick. If all else fails, try to find a support group in your community to help edit and brainstorm ideas for a story idea that might be formulating inside of your head. Remeber, however, to not take too many ideas to heart, even if it is a close friend whose opinions you trust, the story is YOUR piece, not theirs, so remember to make it your own. Give it your own flavor, your own spunk, if you will, and always remember to have fun with it, why write if you hate the idea your working with? Cheers - The Illusive Writer