McKee on what makes a unique story

A story is not only what you have to say but how you say it. If content is cliche, the telling will be cliche. But if your vision is deep and original, your story design will be unique. Conversely, if the telling is conventional and predictable, it will demand stereotypical roles to act out well-worn behaviors. But if the story design is innovative, then settings, characters, and ideas must be equally fresh to fullfil it. We shape the telling to fit the substance, rework the substance to support the design.--Robert McKee, Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting