Avoid Them Like The Plauge

cli·ché

noun

a trite, stereotyped expression; a sentence or phrase, usually expressing a popular or common thought or idea, that has lost originality, ingenuity, and impact by long overuse, 

(dictionary.com)

Here’s the thing about clichés… they’re easy. Normal. They’re so comfortable and feel so completely natural, especially in dialog.

 

 And that’s exactly the problem.

I’m not usually one for hard and fast rules ( <-  and I like clichés, sometimes.) But with fiction, things get stickier. You could even argue that people in real life use cliché phrases all the time and fiction is replicating real life, right? That’s a decent argument, I might have even used it a time or two, but there is a reason we use them in speech all the time. And it not an answer you’ll like.

They’re easy. And easy is just another way of saying

LAZY.

Yup. That’s problem #1 with clichés in creative writing. It’s lazy. Take every single cliché phrase you’ve ever written and find a new way to get that point across. I guarantee, you can find a way to do it. So stop being lazy and DO IT. Think about what that phrase really means, what you want it to mean to a reader, and rewrite it. It might look nothing like the original phrase. It might even be an action instead. It doesn't matter as long as you convey your meaning in an original way, because the last thing you want is to have an agent or and editor or a reader look at your writing and think it’s lazy.

On to problem #2 (hint: it's in the definition above.) The phrase is so over used it has lost its meaning. Another thing you don’t want, is to have someone reading your hard work and then find a phrase like “Not a care in the world!” and start thinking about how their grandmother used to say that all the time. Now you’ve lost them. Their mind is somewhere else.

You’ve fought hard for your writing, your story, so don’t let one (or several) little phrases hurt your chances of achieving your goals.

(I swear I came up with this blog post title before I saw this picture! You have to believe me!)

Now we come to a new problem…. How do you know what’s cliché? Honestly, it’s hard to notice them sometimes, especially in your own writing. They’re sneaky little buggers. And a phrase that might seem fine to you might be completely cliché to someone else. (One person’s treasure is another person’s trash, I always say)

In this, you’ll have to have a little faith. Trust yourself. If something feels a little *off* about a phrase, change it. Even when it’s difficult and you like what’s being said… change it! Kill those darlings! I bet you can find a better way. And, if this is something you think might be a problem for you, ask your beta readers to keep a look out for anything cliché. (hint: the phrases tend to come up most of the time in dialog.)

As with all rules, there are some exceptions. It might be totally fitting for one of your characters to use cliché phrases. But BE CAREFUL if you go that route. Don’t overdo it. Don’t make it overly cheesy. Like all rules, it’s best to know the rule before you break it. So go through your writing and look for these little buggers. Squash them with all your might!

I came across this site that has some great examples of some of the most used clichés so check it out and see if any right a bell! http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-cliches.html

4 Healthy Ways to Expand Your Story

A lot of writers tend to overwrite their first drafts. As an engineer, I tend to do the opposite. I often try to get my point across in as few words as possible. Sometimes I’m very successful, but when it comes to first drafts it often creates confusion for the reader. So I have to look for healthy ways to increase my story without adding words just for the sake of inflating my word count.

Character development

When writing characters, you want them to have more than one dimension. You want them to pop off the page and feel like real people, even your minor characters. Some questions to ask yourself when developing and expanding on characters:

• What does each character want?
• What are they hiding?
• What are they trying to discover?

Think about where your characters are at the beginning of the book, their thoughts and feelings, then think about where you want them to be by the end. Then as you write each scene consider what the character feels, thinks, and wants. Also think about how your character would act in certain situations, everything from facial expression to how they might walk. Are they the kind of character that flies off the handle easily or do they go with the flow? What are the good traits of your characters and what are some of their flaws and shortcomings. No one is perfect and your characters shouldn't be either. If you are able to show all that then the reader will have a much better understanding of your character.

Plot

Each scene should add to the plot. Take a look at each scene and determine what the purpose is. Are you introducing a character? Finding out new information? Are your characters hitting an obstacle? Whatever it is, every scene should have at least one plot advancing reason for being there. Think of each scene as a mini story. It should have a beginning, middle, and end. Start it late and get out early. If each scene doesn't have a way to advance the plot consider editing so it adds to the story arc or consider cutting it. 

Conflict/Tension

Add tension and conflict to your scene. Are there things your characters need to learn? These may be things you used to define your character and their journey initially. What obstacles can you throw in their way to make it more difficult on them? Are there other characters that wish to withhold the information? Are there physical obstacles keeping your character(s) from getting where they need to go? What other tension can you add on the quest for discovery? Answering all these questions will help add layers to your scenes and your overall story arc. It may also help you build in smaller subplots.

Setting/World building

Determine what the reader needs to know about your world. Is there anything that is confusing readers? Are there things that are hard to visualize? Are there things that should be left up to the readers’ imagination? Setting can be as complex as another character at times, so consider what might need to be added to advance the plot and help add to the character's conflict.

Focusing on the above items can not only increase your word count in a healthy way, but can also increase the richness of your story. It will help draw your readers in and make them want to stay in the world you’ve created, which will ultimately make your story stronger.

What other ways do you add to your story when it seems to be lacking?