#20 Imitation Precedes Creation (Stephen King)

Mastery, in any field, is the ability to transform a thought, an idea, into a reality.

But we must remember that creation never comes from a complete void. As Mary Shelley said: “Invention, it must be humbly admitted, does not consist in creating out of void but out of chaos.”

And that is because: ‘creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected.’ Our work, or creations, our innovations, are only possible because we are connecting, bringing new order, to the work of the greats who came before us.

As Isaac Newton said: “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” 

And the best way, actually perhaps the only way, to create, is by first copy the greats and their work. And that is because, imitation precedes creation.