REINJUFO - IT'S ALL ABOUT CHANGE AND CREATIVITY

A discussion came up at a recent Writing Forum I attended, on the fact that there is nothing new for writers to write on. They only recycle old subjects and ideas.

Some agreed, some did not.

My take on this was, there is nothing new under the sun and I quoted Ecclesiastes 1:9. The fact that you have not heard about it does not mean it has not happened.

So what new things can writers write about?

My answer is, “probably nothing.”

All you need do to be convinced is google any idea or issue you think is new. You will be amazed at how long it’s been in existence.

So from where or how do we get the original?

How do we generate new things to write about?

I left that enriching meeting thinking and came up with REINJUFO. Don’t bother to check the dictionary; it is not there. Reinjufo is my own acronym for Reinvent, Rejuvenate and Reform.

It’s all about change and creativity. 

Amala with Okro and Stew, a traditional Nigerian dish. Pix from nairaland.com

That’s what it takes to turn an old or existing topic into an interesting one. You want to tell your readers, “Hey, I’ve got another angle to this or there is more to this than you know about.” 

In my culture, one of the ways to know a prudent wife is her ability to rehash left over meals. I learnt from my mother how to turn left over foods to new. It doesn’t matter how old the food is, as long as it is still good, you can turn it into something tasty and sometimes, more delicious than when it was freshly cooked. Just put it back on the stove, add a few condiments and it’s as good as new. Nutrients don’t matter. The focus is on taste and satisfaction.

You can apply the same principles to writing by applying the REINJUFO process.

REINVENT

The Microsoft Encarta dictionary 2009 defines reinvent as, “to change radically the appearance, form or presentation of something or somebody; to bring something back into existence, use or popularity, after a period of neglect or obscurity.”

There are many old but ideal methods of doing things that modern technology have pushed aside. You can decide to write about these and bring people’s attention to the benefits of the obsolete. That it’s obsolete does not mean it’s bad; it’s just no longer fashionable. I think some of the things we regard as unfashionable hold more healthy benefits for us than the up-to-date. This fact is good writing topic and I'm already thinking about it.

REFORM

You can improve on an existing concept or topic. Some of my articles were actually a reform of other articles I had read. The internet is full of junk writing. Sometimes, I read articles or even books that are not worth publishing; full of faults and inconsistencies. Facts are watered down, contents, not well thought out and the message messed up. Don’t stop at just critiquing and condemning such works, do what you think the author didn’t do. Write on that topic and do a good job.

Don’t plagiarize; simply write a new article, from your own point of view, devoid of the faults  and inconsistencies you noticed in the other one.

You can also reform your own works. An article you wrote several years ago will definitely need to be revisited with the rate of change that occurs.

I first wrote my book, READ in 2009 when electronic reading, though on, was not as popular as it is now. When I wanted it published on the web, I had to work on it to make it relevant for today’s readers.

You can write about an old subject, in the light of modern technology and values.

REJUVENATE

I read an article by Megan DiMaria titled ‘Refreshing Your Creativity.’ She said, “writers can get overwhelmed trying to find a new way to communicate the ordinary and everyday moments that make up life…True, there is nothing new under the sun, but you can make a concept feel new with your particular way of communicating an idea.”

You can rejuvenate an old topic by adding new and noteworthy information. If I choose to write about the Dangers of Eating White Sugar now, I will rather talk to people who are suffering from diseases caused by White Sugar or relatives of victims, and write my book or article from that angle. Firsthand accounts make your writing authentic, engaging and effective.

You can also refresh an old idea by doing a survey on the topic. Sometimes I throw a question on an idea I’m musing on to my writing group. By the time we discuss, argue and brainstorm on it, I have a fresh outlook to the issue.

So many books and articles have been written on the benefits of drinking water. One would think all that has to be written about water has been written, but you never can tell. I saw a 2012 book, titled, “How To Drink More Water Daily” by Derek Brower. I almost didn’t read it, but the reader in me insisted. Guess what? I discovered  new things about drinking water and how you can really achieve drinking enough daily, for your well being.

The world changes every day and with it everything in it. So there will always be a new angle to any issue. You only have to stir up your creativity to see it. 

Yes,there is nothing new under the sun, but with our creativity, we can make anything new.

Grace is a Writer, Editor and Proofreader. She teaches Writing Classes and motivates young writers to write and publish their works. Her passion is to empower people through knowledge sharing. She is the initiator of the Christian WAR Forum.

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