In the Alaska dog racing biz, there is a prophetic expression: “unless you are the lead dog, the scenery never changes.” But that’s more than just a dog racing adage; it’s an aphorism for life.  Without a spark of originality, you are just one of the herd. This is particularly true in writing. Anyone can write a romance novel, murder mystery or thriller. And, if you stay within the envelope of ‘what sells,’ you could do very well. But you are not producing a unique product. You are just selling popcorn. My personal motto, in writing and life, is “If you do not have something unique, you have nothing.” I want every one of my short stories, novels and nonfiction work to be ‘different.’ ‘Different’ takes time to become popular but the spark of originality could set a fire which could burn for decades.  Ian Fleming passed in 1964 but the world is still gripping the table for the next installment of his creation.  https://www.authormasterminds.com/steve-levi