"Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don't bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: "It's not where you take things from - it's where you take them to."" -Jim Jarmusch
the point here is that it is completely legitimate to be influenced by different kinds of things, as it is (almost) impossible to create something entirely new; what's important is that you don't just copy an existing film, but use elements of a film, a book, a play or whatever that "speak directly to your soul". the story you write should have a great deal of yourself in it, not necessarily you as a character, but single aspects of your personality; or, as far as the story itself is concerned, your ideas or feelings or whatnot; something you care about, and not a story anyone else could have written.