Do ingredients make the cake? No. They don't.

I love music. Couldn’t live without it. Okay, maybe I could, but I really don’t want to.

Lately I’ve listened to Mad World on repeat and I thought I’d share it with you.

This song has evolved quite a bit. Here is the original:



This is the Gary Jules version:


The two versions are completely different, even though the cords and lyrics are the same. Click here for the version I’m currently listening to. It's got a more rythmic feel.

Mad World by Gary Jules was in the movie Donnie Darko*.  I love both the movie and the song and they are both intrinsically linked in my mind.

Each of these versions has their own appeal. I’m predisposed to the Gary Jules version, because I heard that one first. But the different versions just go to show that even though the ingredients are exactly the same, the result can be very different.

This is also why I try not to worry about whether or not my story is original or not. It doesn’t matter. Chances are that every story that could be told has been told, in some form or another. But just because a version of my story exists out there, doesn’t mean that I’m wasting my time.

Some might worry that they never have ideas for stories. But really. It’s not the idea that makes the story. It’s not even the characters or the plot. All that is just the ingredients.

What makes the story, are the words you choose to put down on paper. It’s the way you tell the story.

So I'm going to go now and put some more words down on paper.



* If you haven’t seen the movie, you should. Really. I can’t tell you too much about what the movie is about, as it would ruin the experience for you, but trust me it’s good. It’s dark, twisted and hopeful at the same time.