What’s the difference between a copycat and a shadow?
Copycats are those who attempt to steal your work. This isn’t the same as taking influence from another source. This is blatant and wilful. They might not be as crafty as they think; it is intentional plagiarism.
Shadows, on the other hand, are those who imitate or replicate others. For them, it’s like being mentored from afar. They might not have a personal connection to you, but they admire you well enough to adopt elements of what you do.
The latter is much more complimentary. It is not a violation copyright law or a moral stance. With digital media enabling everyone to publish content in various forms, it is easy to get caught up with the overwhelming volume. It’s hard to publish something that is completely unique as everything is inevitably influenced by its predecessors.
However, instead of lurking in the shadows, the innovators spin things around. Instead of following trends, they aspire to start them. This is how they overshadow others.
How Do I Know Of I’m Either?
First of all, everyone borrows ideas –– that’s how culture is shared. Keeping that in mind, you could say that we all ‘shadow’ those we admire. It is a method of adaptation, and in the best cases, improvement.
How Do I Step Out Of The Shadows?
First, you need to make sure that you aren’t stealing (intentionally or not). You also need to get creative with the way you think. There is no set way to make things unique. It all comes down to interpretation and execution. Understanding what you want to do and how to do will make you accessible. All you need to do is inject honest parts of your personality.
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