How do you stay original in a world full of content?
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Every day, thousands of new posts are shared, millions of words are written, endless opinions are voiced. Everything seems to have been said, done, or designed before. And yet… somewhere you know there’s something inside you that is unique. Something that hasn’t been said in that way, in that tone, from your perspective.
In a world that’s becoming increasingly crowded with content, originality isn’t found in volume or speed, but in authenticity and attention.
I hear you thinking...but how?
Originality arises the moment you stop producing for an algorithm and start creating for yourself. When you ask yourself: why do I actually want to say this? Instead of: does this work well on LinkedIn?
It requires honesty. Not the perfect, shiny version of your story, but the messy, often uncomfortable version. The version in which you did something wrong, doubted, felt something. That is exactly what makes you recognizable. Human. And that is precisely where the power of something that stands out lies: not because it screams, but because it resonates.
Maybe that’s why print suddenly feels relevant again. In a world that revolves around speed, scrolling and shouting, print forces you to slow down. To make choices. To be careful. You think differently about your words when they appear on paper. You know that someone will physically hold them. That they won’t just evaporate in a feed, but maybe, if you’re lucky, stay on a desk, or go with you in a bag.
The physical presence of print makes your story tangible. You feel the weight of paper in your hand, see how ink settles in fibers. It’s sensory. And precisely because everything is digital these days, something printed suddenly feels exclusive. Different. And therefore: original.
Print also asks you to think about form, rhythm and ritual. What do you want people to feel when they open your publication? How do you want them to experience it? You can briefly free the reader from the noise. Take them along at your own pace.
The great thing is: it doesn't have to be big or commercial. A small print run, a handmade zine, a collection of essays or illustrations, that can be enough. It's precisely that intimate character that makes an impression. And it doesn't have to be separate from your online world; print can be an extension. A deepening of what you share digitally, or perhaps even the starting point for something new.
True originality is not in coming up with something that has never been done before. It's in the way you look, feel, tell. And how you choose the right form for that. Sometimes that's a video, a newsletter or a podcast. But sometimes... it's paper. Quiet. Sensual. Attentive.
Perhaps, in this day and age, that's the most original choice you can make.
