Firstly, there are no new ideas, and no, that's not a statement intended to provoke you – well, maybe just a little bit.

Every story, poem or writing you've made was inspired —albeit a little or a lot—  by something you've heard, read or seen. There isn't anything under the sun that is new, the world has existed for a long long time and everything there is to see, hear and imagine, has been seen and heard and imagined. Every story has been told already, every lesson has been taught, and since more than multiple persons share similar experiences, even your own life's story has probably been told also. 

But we do want to be original. We want our writings to be truly ours, we want to create art out of our imagination that no one has done before, so we are either sitting in front of the computer or the pen and paper, waiting without end for the brand new never–before–seen writing idea [that won't come] or we are getting rid of ideas we already have because they are all similar to already existing ones.

Well, here's some good news: you can attain originality in your writing. But how? By writing those existing ideas in your own voice, in your own way. 

This article will focus on originality in creative writing and how it can be achieved by writing in one's own voice. 

Creativity is not writing new ideas. It is writing old or existing ideas in new ways. 

When I say originality in writing, I refer to a different narrative or a unique interpretation of familiar concepts. Hence, the originality lies in you, the writer; and not the writing. 

Since storytelling on its own has a specific structure that the writer must follow; namely, a sequential plot, characters, theme(s), and so on, it bears importance to distinguish one's writing from a host of others, in the voice and style that they use. 

Writing in your voice means you write with and in your artistic expression. Your voice is not something you find or something you adopt, it's already in-borne.

Finding your voice is not a complicated, nerve-racking process because first of all, your voice is not missing or hiding. You already have a voice by being you, your voice is exactly how you sound when you speak and when you think, it is the words that you use and the way you use those words. Translating your speaking and thinking voice into text is what I think people mean when they say you have to "find your voice". Your voice is your personality in text, it is everything from punctuation, sentence structure and arrangement, and word choice. If you are looking for originality in your writing, staying true to how you sound is a sure way to achieve that.

Do you talk with short-winded sentences or do you like lengthy descriptions? Do you like to go straight to the point or circle the idea before hitting the point? Do you use figurative language? Are you loud and expressive or light-hearted and quiet?

You can narrow down your voice in speech by jotting down things you notice about yourself every time you talk. 

If you like to read novels, then you know that authors may write similar themes and tropes but they make a deliberate attempt to be distinct in how they write. Dan Brown, for instance, is not the only one who writes gripping thrillers following the themes and storylines that he does. There's John Grisham, Alan Jacobson, Jon Land and so many others. However, you probably like Dan Brown not just because of the books he's written, but how he writes his books. 

Apart from using your voice, you can show originality in your writing by writing in unique ways. One such way is by combining genres. 

For instance, if I were to write a story following the overused trope of love triangles, I could create a fresh perspective by combining romance with crime and comedy, and maybe set my story in prehistoric periods with real individuals in history as characters. All of these will combine to present an uplifting, new and interesting perspective to the derived story idea. 

You can also warp an existing idea to create an original story, and a good way to do it is by telling it from a different perspective like telling a story from the villain's point of view. 

Keep in mind though, that being able to tell a story in your unique voice and in your way does not guarantee engagement. You just might suck at it. However, like with any other skill, your writing can be honed by continuous practice and reading.

Ensure that you are not so focused on originality that your writing lacks efficiency or impact. 

Your readers want to see your unique perspective in whatever you write, yes, but nobody will read a piece that does not give what it's supposed to give. 

Infuse originality in your writing by all means but follow the rules of writing. Keep your mind on your purpose and keep your readers in your mind.

Being a good writer takes time so enjoy the process and let it flow, because if you are not enjoying what you are writing, you should not be doing it.

Want to improve your creative writing skills? 

Here's a creative writing course you should sign up for. This course/workshop is perfect for every writer, whether you are a beginner, intermediate or professional. You will learn about the details of creative writing and storytelling, and how to write with flair.