Writing Technique Question

[FS]

I can actually strongly relate to that. Every time I've tried to write something "serious" (in length), and I read a book or see a movie that has something extremely cool in it that relates to my writing, I've found myself strongly tempted to implement it into my story. It's really annoying, because it can cause me to completely lose interest in the actual story I was doing as I bend the concept to fit in this "extremely cool thing".

I have this in many creative things I do. More often than not I'm inspired by something and end up feeling like I've ripped it off. I don't think it's arrogance, rather lack of confidence.