Being a little different is good.
One of my favorite lyrics from my song Night Train is “People are so weird, there’s never two the same”. Songwriting is all about coming up with new ideas and something that is different from the norm. You will never break out of the mold by doing things the same as everyone else. Sure, there will be some common components to your song, but change it up.
Take a common phrase and be creative with it. Write down a bunch of story concepts that turn that phrase into something different. Your weirdest idea may be the best approach to making a song that is fresh, new and memorable. You can do the same thing with the chords that support the song. Even though there are only so many chord progressions, you can still make it different. Try changing the order of the chords to be a little unpredictable. Use chord substitutions to alter the sound.
To branch out even further, create a unique strumming pattern. I would suggest recording your little improve session to capture everything, the great and the not so great. Go off the beaten path and do something new. I did this for my song End of Time where I just stumbled upon a very unique rhythm for the guitar. This one is a lot of fun to perform live.
Melodically, do something unique. Keep it simple and singable. Make it addictive by really integrating it into the lyric line and make it memorable. They say, the melody is what we remember the most from any song. Strengthen it with the instrumentation for the song. Maybe it’s two guitars in harmony or perhaps a strong piano riff over the chords. Couple that with strong lyrics and you’ve got a winner. Think out of the box and stray from the normal.
Be different and be weird. You have the chance to make something truly special. Happy songwriting. Have an amazing day.