What makes writing original? Is it language or is it the story? What if it’s neither but once you combine the two together as something that you think is right, that’s what makes it original. Think about all the times you read a story and think ‘that reminds me of something’ do you mind? Or is it a nostalgic feeling?These sorts of issues that rise when you write a story are called Intertextuality. And no, it’s not plagiarism, it’s simply a statement of truth, that no idea in writing is ever original, it always comes from something else, but does it make it original if we change some things around? Make it a new story? Pick things out to make it our own? Or are we all a bunch of copy cats? Its quite depressing, I find, when you read something and think ‘oh that was so my idea!’ or even ‘gosh, why didn’t I think of that!?’ and worse ‘I think I’ve read something like this before…’ but then again I find it kind of nice because it makes me think I’m on the right track, it helps with my writing skills, and helps me throw ideas around easily. It’s kind of like recycling writing, taking out things that you want and making some use of it in your own way.
The reason why I am pointing this out to you is because I found it a really helpful exercise today in writing class when we had a lecture about it. I was always so depressed about my ideas coming from other ideas from movies I’ve seen or TV programmes etc but really…everyone does it! And it’s lovely, don’t you think? I like it, because I know people do it all the time. Even with a whole genre. A writer once said to me that the reason a book is slotted into a genre is not because the story sounds like another, but because it follows the structure of that genre. I remember Tory telling me that she felt that her genre Fantasy was ruined because once you know the structure; you can’t read it, because you know it so you can guess what happens. I felt the same way about Young Adult books when Penni Russon said “young adult books are easy, because they’re all about identity and belonging” gee, thanks!
But now I see it! I get it, because Intertextuality has a name and a structure of its own to it. It’s still difficult to write, no doubt about that, because it’s still writing, but it’s still interesting and original all the same! It’s so nice to say that, that I can still be original in my own way.
There are three different ways you can go about Intertextuality:
Collage
Found text
Recycling as writing
The first one is the one I used in the exercise, and it’s taking fragments from unrelated authors to create new meaning. Placing it in new situations and combining works by myself, and existing texts. Here is my piece:
The cigarette snapped between her fingers as she tossed is away violently. She said
“Many of the disappearances were actually suicides” it took them almost half an hour to reach the spot that she had indicated, having had, at various points, to drive over piles of debris. As they were heading toward the site of the shooting, he said
“You never know. Here, look at me. I’m not doing too badly. I signed up, had my ten years and here I am. Not bad” she said
“You were prepared to commit murder?”
“Yes”
“You are prepared to commit suicide?”
“No” they got out of the car once they reached the site. He put his hands in his pockets and grinned slowly
“Well here we are. I told you, that if we met again it would be here”
“I never expected you would be right” she said. Neither of them felt like talking, and fifteen minutes passed in silence as they took in their surroundings. Hundreds of dead bodies lined up, some piled on top of each other. And the smell.
“Watch where you step!” a man shouted at them from a far. She was right to call her husband here. She knew they still existed.
And if you were wondering, I used the following books:
Earth is Room Enough - Asimov
Nineteen Eighty Four – George Orwell
The Shape of Water – Andrea Camilleri
Did you notice? I bet you didn’t!
Try doing this yourself just to throw around ideas! I feel very in the mood to write, I’m not as depressed about it anymore. That lecture was really inspiring. It was lovely to feel like writing!
Inspiringly yours,
Jinx xx
