The Writer's Dilemma

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I have great respect for anyone who publishes a novel. Dedicating the massive amount of time and energy required to bringing an original work to completion is almost enough to win my envy.

Or scorn. It's true that writing a book is an impressive accomplishment, but don't waste my time. Novels built on the weak foundations of overused, formulaic writing serve no purpose. A book like that adds no more to the knowledge of the universe,  or the entertainment of humankind,  than does an instruction manual for a chocolate kettle. (Actually, that might be a fun read.)

The problem, though, is that novels and stories have been around since, approximately,  the beginning of time. It's difficult to come up with something new. The human race has heard it all before. We are savvy story-listeners. And we are clever.

Whether we realize it or not, people are excellent at predicting outcomes. Some of us are better at it than others, but we can often spot a punchline a mile away.

Herein lies the writer's dilemma: the writer has to be smarter than the readers. It's like a magic trick; pulling a rabbit out of your hat is no longer enough. To impress, the tricks need to constantly get bigger and better.

Why am I in awe of excellent writing? An author who has overcome the writer's dilemma has staved off a future devoid of original content, for one more day.

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