There are just so many plots and themes for fiction writers to use. And, yes, new and other writers sometimes have a concern that what they write will be too much of what has happened in other stories.
It's almost impossible to write something that no one has ever done before, something that is 100% fresh. That's not to say it's alright to copy what another writer has given his/her readers.
We can write similar kinds of stories, but the important thing is to look for a new twist or turn to the tried and true. Make it all your own using your 'voice' not that of some famous writer whom you happen to admire. Using your own voice will make a familiar tale appear altogether different.
If you love the kind of story that Danielle Steele writes, and you want to write similar novels, that's fine. But add your own bit of personality to the story. If you're a fan of John Grisham and hope to write just like he does, that's alright, but put your own stamp on the story. You don't want to be known as a John Grisham look-alike. Nope, you want to be you and no one else.
If you write personal essays, you might fear that an editor is going to tell you that they've already published something similar only months before. If your essay appears too much like someone else's, then you need to do some revising and add a new perspective.
Write How-To articles? There are thousands of them. Read several on the topic you have chosen, then look for a new way to present the material or some new direction that was not brought out in the already-published articles.
None of us can write something that has not been done before, but we can definitely write it in a different way to make it our own. Don't fear being too much like some other writer as long as you're not making a carbon copy.
Great advice!
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