Making Old Ideas New

Everyone has had that one pair of shoes that even though you have worn them a million times, and they are obviously falling apart, you still keep wearing them. They are comfy, and snug, and you don't want to find something else, since new shoes always hurt your feet until you get used to them.
That's kind of how I feel about writing. When I have a project that I know isn't working and I still keep trying to make it work. When do you abandon it? Do you work on something else and come back to it? Or, when you think you should write in a certain genre, but no one seems interested in what you have to say, but you. Do you try something else?
There are so many story ideas out there that are similar, but every one of them have something different in them. A different twist to the story, yet they are a lot alike. The mysterious pale guy who starts high school in the middle of the school year. The young guy/girl who finds out he/she has to suddenly save the world. Forbidden relationships. So, how do you write something and make it your own?
One genre always has the same story. Fairy tales. Now, who doesn't love a good fairy tale retelling? I love them! But, how do you make that same plot, and same story into something new?
Take a deep breath and just write. Use experiences from your own life to incorporate in your story. Make it interesting. Not everyone has the same story to tell, obviously from the fact that there are so many books in the world.
There are so many ideas out there, things writers haven't even thought of yet, and it's up to us to take off our worn shoes and start with some new ideas. Giving the characters their own unique voice, and letting it go from there. I for one, love a pair of new shoes, don't you?;)