One universal writing advice is to identify and develop your own writing style. Writers are encouraged to tell stories using their own styles. Your style is how you tell a story. The way you put together the words to narrate a story. We all have distinct styles. It is what differentiates one writer from another.
Another common writing advice is to read a lot. Expose yourself to different types of good writing. This will inspire and influence you to become a better writer. It is accepted that the more you expose yourself to good writing, the more you pick up good storytelling approaches by osmosis. You are the product of your major influences.
Quentin Tarantino is a man with many influences. This is evident in his films. He takes all these influential styles and incorporates them into his own unique style. You know a Quentin Tarantino movie after watching it for a few minutes even if no one tells you who the director is. He has his own style. Tarantino isn’t a clone; he is a filter.
I believe that this principle applies not only to creative writing but also leadership.
Ghandi had his own leadership style and though Martin Luther King Jr was influenced by Ghandi; he also had his own unique leadership style which worked for him. Martin Luther King Jr didn’t try to become another Ghandi; he tried to be the best Martin Luther King Jr he could be. He learnt some things from Ghandi and incorporated it to fit his own leadership style.
Beginners in any field start off imitating others in that particular field but they need progress from mere imitation over time. They can’t afford to simply become clones of their influences. They need to be the best versions of themselves. They need to be originals.
You aren’t meant to be a clone. You are a filter. Use your influences as the inspiration to be influential.
