on originality, and my lack of it

I reckon I've had two decent ideas on this blog.

The first was a bit advertising focused. It was the advice, somewhere on a YouTube video, that if you really wanted to influence creative people you had to surrender credit for your ideas. To get your ideas into the process you have to convince the creatives they were their ideas. Not a big thought in the scheme of things but decent advice for a junior planner. And then, the other day, re-reading Jon Steel's Truth, Lies And Advertising, I realised that he gives precisely that advice. That must be where I got it from. (I guess me assuming it was my idea is testament to his skill as a planner.)

The second was the central point to the most popular post I've ever done - How To Be Interesting - which seemed to be taken a lot more seriously than I'd intended.

It was the idea that 'the best way to be interesting is to be interested'. I thought that was pretty smart. Then, this weekend, I was leafing through Paul Arden's It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be, at the checkout at Borders, and I realised that it's right in there, big and bold as a very big, very bold thing. I don't think I've ever bought a copy of it but it's definitely my favourite book for leafing through in Borders. I feel like I should get a copy now, since I've obviously, unconsciously, purloined it wholesale.

I don't really have a point to make. Other than that originality is hard. Certainly harder that I thought. And to apologise for the thievery. And to fess up since that Interesting post seems to be getting popular again.

Comments

[Ben Fulton]

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes)

[Michael Melnick]

Hi Russell,
I feel the same way lately, as if there are no more new ideas out there...everything has already been said or done in the past. So I take comfort in the words of Picasso:
"Good artists copy, Great artists steal".
Cheers
M

[David Airey]

Just ordered Paul Arden's book. Thanks for the signpost, Russell.

[andy]

at the risk of appearing brown-nosed, I'd say what you do better than most is present familiar ideas in a new light. Even a subtle variation in hue can be enough to make someone see differently. Enough metaphors.

[lauren]

i'm going to blatantly brown-nose: i've got mr arden's book. and love it. a lot. but when i think of 'the best way to be interesting is to be interested', i think of mr davies. [and not the one on the bbc, or the dr w_ one.] maybe because your picture was a better illustration of the point, but mostly because you actually illustrated it through your actions.

[david cushman]

From the BBC's chat-up guide (yes, surprised me, too http://www.bbc.co.uk/relationships/singles_and_dating/techniques_chattingup.shtml)

tips for success (no.2)

1. Avoid cheesy chat up lines and focus more on 'approach scenarios'.

2. Ask questions and show a genuine interest in what the other person is saying.

3. Match your listener's mood.

Of course we'll run out of 'new ideas'. Originality is in their application.

And there you scored extremely high.

[Rick Liebling]

Yes, there is something to be said for being original, but only one person can be first. There are a lot of people left not being original.

But, having passion, trying new things, not being afraid... Those are things anyone can do, yet not everyone does.

I applaud your efforts not because they are (or aren't) orginal, but because you say, 'screw it, let's try something fun!' and I think that is maybe more important than being original.

[andrew]

The secret of originality is concealing all sources.