Blasts From Your Past

How Reviving Old Content Can Inspire New Creativity

This is part of my “Art of Noticing” series, in which I learn, find, or discover the things around me that usually go unnoticed and turn them into an endless source of creative inspiration.

Today I re-read an old viral blog post of mine and found that I still liked it and audience who’d missed it before might like it, too. It reminded me that just because content is old doesn’t mean it’s relegated to the past.

In 2012, I wrote a blog post called “The Universe Doesn’t Give a Flying Fuck About You.” I wrote it, posted it … and then it went crazy viral.

Seriously: Crazy. Google for it, and you’ll find it reposted all over the place.

The blog I’d written it on died of technical difficulties, so I retired it years ago. But I still had the Word document, so I reposted it on this site, backdated accordingly.

I thought to read it. Found it still pretty damn poignant. Still pretty punch-you-in-the-stomach-in-a-good-way. Still made me feel like wasting minutes on stupid shit was … well … stupid.

So I shared it again a bit, as if it was new. And surprise surprise … people liked it as if it was new.

We creators tend to be most engaged by what’s new. Because of it, we often neglect their old work and forget that our past work still has tons of value. If we were to actually appreciate and re-share them, we could even get some fresh interest in them. But there’s more: I’m not going to return to the world of a random blog post … but if it were a story, re-reading it might have me thinking “sequel.” No need to come up with a new idea, because I could just use the old one again!

Art and writing aren’t really tied to the specific year in which we made them, even though we sometimes act that way: What’s old is over; what’s new is all that’s here. Those old works still contain the potential to inspire, reach new people, and even reinvigorate our own creative spirit.

Here's how this "noticing" can benefit my stories and art:

Old Meets New

I usually try for timelessness, but then forget my old work. Kind of dumb. That’s what timelessness is about, after all. An old photograph can be repurposed in a modern collage. A forgotten story character can be resurrected in a new adventure. Timeless creation. Get it?

By combining elements from past works with fresh perspectives or … or whatever, we can generate a sense of nostalgia while pumping life back into work you’ve already done. Talk about time savers.

Nothing Has to Die

The internet is forever, so your work can be, too.

An old blog post can be updated with new insights or just shared de novo, like I said above. A retired art print can be sold as a limited re-release, or a previously unpublished story can be serialized online.

Old work can still be new work, to audiences who haven’t seen it before. It might even re-engage people who've followed you for a while. Hey: This might even be a chance to demonstrate your creative evolution through side-by-side comparison with your past self.

Engaging Across Generations

My blog post was “gone” for 12 years, but what if it were 20? Or 30?

One of the most fascinating aspects of art and writing is its ability to bridge generational gaps. Reintroducing an old work can not only catch the eye of those who missed it the first time … but also act as a point of connection between different age groups.

The same piece of writing can provoke a discussion between a teenager and a retiree, each bringing their unique perspectives. Something like it has already happened with my book Fat Vampire, about which I’ve heard people say, “I read that when I was kid!” I forget that people who are 25 now would have been kids 12 years ago.

Good art and writing is often timeless, so don't hesitate to revisit your old works! They’re not just remnants of your past, but also potential seeds for your future ideas (or sequels!)

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