How are you supposed to tell if a story's worth writing before you write it?

[Cyan]

The same situation applies to anything media related, including news and the new phenomenon "fake news". If you feel strongly enough about your topic, do your due diligence and figure out what is out there (if any). Even if there isn't an exact comparable idea, there maybe parallels. Academics writing a thesis for their phd probably struggle with the same issue before they decide to embark on a long journey to research on an "original" subject. At least for writers if you figured out halfway through your writing that someone else wrote something similar, you have the opportunity to change direction or simply embrace your peer book/article.

An easier way to consider this topic is think about YouTube vs TV & movies. When Psy made Gangnam style he may not have expected the worldwide success. What he did wasn't anything ground breaking or very original. Many catchy songs had been made before him and marketed through traditional media. He's not particularly attractive unlike mainstream music artists. If you take his scenario as an example, perhaps one can say "complete" originality does not matter.

[Anne]

The idea grabs ahold of you and won't let go until you get it down on paper. Start writing, and then you find out whether it wants to be a novel, a short story, a poem, or an essay.

[Don]

I think what finally prompted me to write my first book was when I would talk about things that happened at my job. Friends kept saying that I should write a book about my job.

After enough teasing and daring, I finally did. The book turned out okay. So my answer is to ask your friends. A good friend will give you and honest answer.

Of course my friends are daring me to write another book about my flying adventures. I do think that they just might like to torture me. Oh well. Back to the Lap Top.

[Kathleen]

Seems to me, it depends on your perspective as to whether or not writing a story is worth it. It's an arduous task to write a book. Numerous hours a day for months. Then the proofing and revisions. The marketing and praying for good reviews. It takes stamina and persistence. But it's darn worth it from a personal perspective.

On the other hand, someone who sees writing as a cushy job, thinking of it as an easy way to make fast money, wouldn't last long even if he or she had the stamina to complete a book. Good or not.

For me, it's worth it. And I hope I'm getting better with each story I write.