It's been done before

When I talk to people about writing, and specifically when I talk to them about ideas to write about, one of the common criticisms that I often hear is "it's been done before" - which they often assert as a reason not to pursue the idea at all. The problem I have with this is the idea that innovation is the only valid form of production, which is inherently flawed as an argument.

You tend not to think of writing as a production process, due to the industrial connotations of the word. You tend to think of production as something that is reserved for factories that produce physical products for consumers. The reality however is that production in and of itself is a much broader concept. Production is anything that results in a product. That product is anything that can be consumed. Consumption can be defined in a wide variety of ways. It doesn't have to be something you can eat, drink, or wear etc. It can be something you watch, read, look at, or even something you just think about. Movies, books, artwork, and even simply ideas are all products to consume.

Originality, however noble by intent, is restrictive. If you are not able to use what already exists as a foundation to build on then you will literally back yourself into a corner where you have to constantly reinvent the wheel. Taking an existing idea and developing it helps to evolve the concept. If you restrict a concept to that of its inception you effectively halt evolution.

You should not be afraid to take an idea that has been done before and use it, provided you have something new to add to it. If you can evolve the idea then do so; as with evolution in the physiological sense only those advancements that prove beneficial are retained. So too with your work, it shall be retained and grow, if people like what you do with it.