A copy of a copy of a key starts sticking. So does a personality copied from someone else’s copy.

Each round of imitation loses a little information. Copying somebody who was copying somebody else leaves you holding the shape and none of the reason, which is why borrowed styles feel slightly off and stop working under pressure. The original had a source. Two copies later nobody involved knows what it was for.

When you catch yourself imitating this week, go back to what you actually liked about it and find your own version of that. Ask what you would do if you had never seen anybody do it. The answer will be rougher, and it will fit.