Of Trends and Individuality in Writing
Hey there, Neophyte. Today, I want to dive into a personal topic, something that nags at me in the realm of crafting stories and the folks involved in it. Now, I have a laundry list of things that bug me, but this one hits close to home because, at one point, I was on the brink of losing myself in it: the perilous path of erasing your uniqueness for the allure of a trend.
Sure, I’ve said it before—I enjoy not starving. I reckon most of us humans share that sentiment. But sacrificing your creative voice just to ride the wave of success some work or author has managed to catch? Well, that’s just plain foolish.
I get it, wanting to ensure a bit of security is only human. But here’s the kicker—there’s no certainty in this game. If you’re pouring your time, energy, and creative mojo into pursuing safety just to hush those nagging insecurities, you might end up with neither success nor safety.
Even worse are those who chase trends and trendsetters, often driven by the almighty dollar. These money-centric individuals prioritize their bottom line without bothering to grasp what made something successful in the first place. Now, I’m not about to join the camp that romanticizes the “starving artist” trope—catch me dead before you catch me there. I’m talking about those who see every creative endeavor as a “money-making opportunity.” The corporate types who’ve lost touch with their humanity, their souls devoured by their suits. The ones who think they’ve cracked the code of creativity after a few boardroom meetings, attempting to turn a chaotic process into a linear formula. To truly ride a trend, Neophyte, you’ve got to be in a damn good position and rely heavily on the serendipity of life.
Honestly, in this age where we seem to rely heavily on external factors, we’ve forgotten that the only dependable factor is ourselves. The more we externalize everything, the worse off we’re going to get.
Your own self, your individuality—how marvelous and unique. I’m not talking about the cliché “I am special” trope. I mean who you genuinely are, the sum of everything up to this point, soon to become part of the ever-expanding tapestry of your future, Neophyte.
At the end of the day, sacrificing more than necessary for the sake of something, as long as that something isn’t vital, is a mistake. As a writer, you need to be mindful of what readers want, what the story demands, and all the myriad elements you must juggle. But carving chunks out of yourself to fit a mold, especially if that mold is a trend, is a mistake, Neophyte—a mistake against yourself.
Because things like trends are but a fleeting moment in time. They come, and they go. I can almost hear the bitterness in the minds of those who tried to catch the “Twilight” train and missed the departure time. They saw only the money, the chance at quick success, not the opportunity for lasting work. They’re not really authors; they’re ambulance chasers.
Have some self-respect. Work as you would naturally work, and then maybe, just maybe, you’ll achieve something meaningful in the craft. Sure, making a Star Trek clone might net you some dollars, especially from those generating social media content out of the hate you’d receive. But in the long run, that’s no better than clocking in at a 9-to-5 job you absolutely detest.
I’ve said it before: you have to learn to tolerate a lot of things that wear on you in the long run. That involves dealing with a manuscript so many times that you might feel like you’re going insane by the end of it. If you’re doing it just for the money or to catch a trend, then I’m sorry, but you’ll despise yourself before long. You’ll be frustrated, sad, and angry.
Neophyte, never erase yourself for the sake of something external—never, not in the craft, not in anything else.
Until next time.
