Try writing a poem. Mine were so obviously regurgitations of past material consumed that I realized that to output anything original, I had to develop an individuality by starving the creative neurons, so to speak.
Of course, this is only restricted to fields where one would like to produce novel output. You're free to read academic papers, etc; But if you want to write original sci-fi, start by not reading sci-fi.
Novelty is not born in a vacuum devoid of input. It comes from internalizing/assimilating a whole lot of concepts/ideas only after which can you manifest new things from it.
In Martial Arts (also applicable to other fields) there is a saying;
In the beginning the student knows nothing and hence can move freely but not effectively; as he starts learning he is confused/all-mixed-up and cannot move freely nor effectively; but finally when he masters the movement, he has internalized it and hence can move freely and effectively.
In philosophy too a "Master of Wisdom" is said to revert to "the original child-like state" (but with the knowledge of the world in hand).
Try writing a poem. Mine were so obviously regurgitations of past material consumed that I realized that to output anything original, I had to develop an individuality by starving the creative neurons, so to speak.
Of course, this is only restricted to fields where one would like to produce novel output. You're free to read academic papers, etc; But if you want to write original sci-fi, start by not reading sci-fi.