I listen to music while I work and enjoyed Grooveshark.com before the site went dark. Now, I’ve settled on Pandora. Many of the artists blend together with my suggested band and often there is little distinction.

Have you ever had that experience?

This can be true for novels as well. You see people following someone else’s formula or ground breaking achievements and instead of producing a work that only they can produce, they write recycled stories.

The book might sell, but it’s a fad and not something that will be remembered in fifteen years.

Then there is that magical time, when I am in the middle of filling out an Excel spreadsheet and I freeze. The music and lyrics are fresh and new. A chill runs down my spine and I forget to click the thumbs  up button because I am enraptured.

Have you ever had that experience? Where you are pulled out of the monotony and surprised by a book or a song that instills wonder and captivates you? I hope we all strive for that kind of uniqueness in our work.

One of my favorite podcasts is by Todd Henry founder of Accidental Creative. His closing quote is always the same “Cover bands don’t change the world, don’t be a cover band. You need to find your unique voice if you want to thrive.”

Create your art. Don’t get distracted by other people. Write what matters to you. Write the sort of book you’d like to read, the type that sets trends and stands alone.