As they say, there is nothing new under the sun. When you look at the millions of books, blogs, podcasts, and magazine articles that have been created, what could you possibly say that is unique?

The answer is simple. What makes your writing unique is not that you’re writing about something new. It’s the fact that it’s you who is writing it. You are the unique factor in the equation.

Unique means “one of a kind.” And there is only one of you in the world.

Your unique combination of skills, experience, and viewpoint is what makes your writing worth reading. You might be writing about the same things as a hundred other people, but they’re not saying it in the way you say it.

So, how does this inform your writing? The novelist Barbara Kingsolver has the answer. She said, “Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.”

Well, as it turns out, the only thing you have to offer is also the best thing you have to offer. There will only ever be one of you in the world. There is only one person who can speak with your voice.

Don’t waste the opportunity to let us hear it.

Today’s Challenge: Ask yourself if you’re holding back because you mistakenly believe you don’t have anything unique to share. Be honest.

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Nothing could be further from the truth. Every single day is unique. It will never come around again. You only have this one shot, this one opportunity to live these twenty-four hours. So, you must treat today like the gift it truly is.

As a result, we have to treat our audience the same way. We have to show up every day, ready to write, ready to create, ready to serve. They deserve the best you can give.

The legendary singer Tony Bennett said, “If you walk out there like it’s just another night, the audience is going to treat you the same way.” Wise words from a man who has been entertaining and serving audiences for decades.

Daily Question: Are you treating this day as the gift it truly is?

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As writers, sometimes we see another person’s success and believe we should have it as well. But when you stop and think about it, the logic doesn’t add up.

Creativity is like a thumbprint. Everyone has creative gifts (whether they realize it or not), and everyone has something unique to offer the world. Creativity is like the thumbprint of your soul.

You may not believe you’re unique, but you are. You are a one-of-a-kind combination of personality, experiences, gifts, and passions that hasn’t existed before, and will never exist again.

So, if you don’t believe you are a unique creation, and you don’t use your writing gift as the limitless potential it truly is… you are selling yourself short.

Where do we get tripped up? It happens when we see others writing about topics that are similar to ours. It’s easy to think, “That person is writing about the same topics I write about, and he or she is more successful, so that invalidates my writing.”

This is good news because it proves that there is an audience for your writing. You should never worry about creative competition. Two people can take the same topic, or even the same basic story, and write two completely different things.

Look at it in terms of music. How many songs about lost love have you heard over the years? Probably thousands. They all focus on the same subject and use the same twelve notes on the musical scale. The vast majority of them are in 4/4 time and use a variation of the rhythm section: bass, drums, guitar, keys. Some will throw in horns or strings.

Yet we never complain about the similarities between songs. Why? Because there is an infinite number of variations on the same theme, using the same basic creative tools (instruments).

The same is true for writing. There is an infinite number of variations on the same themes and topics. Don’t worry about another person’s strengths and success. They are traveling on their own writing journey. Don’t spend your life trying to sing someone else’s tune. Trying to copy another person’s success makes about as much sense as wishing you had their thumbprint.

Instead, focus on your own unique journey and how you can bring more of your writing, and your own story, into the world.

Daily Question: What is a unique perspective that you, and only you, can bring to your writing?

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Everyone feels writer’s block sometimes. The next time you aren’t sure what to write about, try combining two things you love.

If you love teaching and movies, write a book about how to use movies in the classroom, or write a series of blog posts on famous classroom scenes from the movies.

If you love science and gardening, write about the science behind how to make a home garden successful, or write an article for a science magazine about new methods of gardening.

If you love technology and marketing, write some articles or blog posts about different technologies the best marketers use today.

If you love children’s books and running marathons, write about how families can run together, or write a children’s book about running.

Author Dan Miller writes, “Passion is the intersection of multiple curiosities.” You won’t find your passion by following someone else’s path. Follow your curiosities and blend them in interesting and unique ways. You’ll not only stand out among other writers, you will also feel more excited because you’re approaching everyday topics with your own special twist.

The post What Should You Write About? Try This. appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

From the time we are kids, our parents and teachers told us to be ourselves. That is great advice to be sure. It is especially important in your writing, where it is critical to develop your own unique voice.

It can be confusing when you are trying to build your writing career, because you must fit into a category. We don’t just write for ourselves. We also write for an audience. Readers expect our writing to fit into certain pre-existing categories. They also expect that a book will fit certain conventions as far as page count, length, and divisions into chapters.

So how do you balance between these two things—your unique voice and the expectations of your readers?

We can learn a lot from other creative fields. Musicians have distinct voices and write unique songs, but they also fit into an overall genre, whether it is pop, rock, country, jazz, or something else. They also use the same twelve notes that all Western music has used for a very long time.

Actors face the same situation. They need to speak the lines in the script, but their delivery, body language, and interpretation are their own.

The expectations of readers are not a limitation; they are a sandbox where you can develop endless variations on your voice and the themes you write about.

The author Rita Mae Brown said, “The reward for conformity is that everyone likes you but yourself.” It’s important not just to like yourself, but love yourself—your voice, your uniqueness, and your one-of-a-kind contribution to the world.

But when you can accept the limits of the literary sandbox and give your readers something new and fresh, while also meeting and exceeding their expectations … they will love you as well.

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Have you ever wondered if you were doing this whole writing thing the right way? 

It’s easy to feel this way when you are constantly exposed to other successful writers and “experts.” Some say you should write more books, some say you should focus more on marketing, and some say you should focus on things like videos and podcasts.  

After a while, you start to wonder if you’re doing anything right. Just as soon as you feel like you have a handle on things, another expert tells you to pivot. 

Here’s the truth: there is no right or wrong way. There’s only the way that is right for you.  

No one else has your unique perspective, experience, or opportunities. The trick is to find what works for you and go in that direction.  

The actor Nicholas Cage has been doing his own thing for decades. He is known as an actor who doesn’t play by conventional rules. He said, “There’s no right or wrong with art. There’s only creative expression.” 

We writers do this by writing and publishing consistently. Those are the real difference-makers in this game we call writing. Don’t be distracted by what everybody else is doing. You’re not in this game to beat anybody else. The only person you’re competing against is yourself, so run your own race and run it well. 

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