Here are three cliches I'm tired of seeing in stories:
- People's finger nails cutting into the palms of their hands.
As a dude, I keep my nails pretty short. Even if I squeeze my fist as hard as I can, my nails won't even leave a mark. Maybe it's different for those with longer nails. Either way, nearly every story seems to have someone doing this, and it's now a cliche. Stop it! Do something else! - Bile rising up into the back of someone's throat.
The only time this has ever actually happened to me is when I'm experiencing a bout of acid reflux. Maybe have your character pop some TUMS or visit their doctor? This isn't a natural thing that happens when someone is scared, at least not something I can identify with. Even if I came across a rotting dead body, my first instinct will be to hold my breath because, you know, that smell. Speaking of which... - Someone suddenly realizing they're holding their breath.
Maybe Freddie Krueger or Chuckie is right outside the closet where you're hiding, and you're afraid to even breathe. Even so, you'll be purposely holding your breath, terrified to make a single sound. This just comes across as your character not being in control of themselves. If that's the case, it would be more original to just have them pee themselves.
Anyone else have any ancient chestnuts they're tired of seeing in stories?
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"Whaddaya mean?" or any form of it
That's got to be the next worst thing to an info dump. It bothers me as much as, "As you know, Bob..."
"I heard someone screaming. Then I realized it was me."
Lips as a thin line. Ugh! Just listened to a brilliant book and this was in there, word for word, three times. It makes bile rise up in my throat for sure.
I took a class/session with Margie Lawson many years ago where we had to squash our cliches. This is why, I figure, I use so many similes, because we had to rewrite cliches as creatively as we could, with no word limit. So for me, it allowed my thoughts to wander and really write around the thin lines of cliches.
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I am proud to say I have used all of these in my writing ? ?
Maybe I should just post one of my stories here as a lesson in "what not to do..."
"...your motivations for wanting to write are probably complex. You may have a few great passions, you may want to be rich and famous, and you may need therapy."
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I am proud to say I have used all of these in my writing ? ?
Maybe I should just post one of my stories here as a lesson in "what not to do..."
"You can either sit here and write, or you can sit here and do nothing. But you can’t sit here and do anything else."
— Neil Gaiman, Masterclass
Drop me a line at https://morganbroadhead.com
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He put his pants on one leg at a time, just like everyone else.
Sometimes I put both legs on at the same time. Just to be persnickety.
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"You can either sit here and write, or you can sit here and do nothing. But you can’t sit here and do anything else."
— Neil Gaiman, Masterclass
Drop me a line at https://morganbroadhead.com
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@morgan-broadhead I usually give in to gravity and put them on lying down.
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You're all authors. Who are you kidding? Who's wearing pants?
@abeona I started a petition at work for us to not have to wear pants anymore, but so far they’re not budging. Stupid HR.
"You can either sit here and write, or you can sit here and do nothing. But you can’t sit here and do anything else."
— Neil Gaiman, Masterclass
Drop me a line at https://morganbroadhead.com
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They felt the blood drain from their face.
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"bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood"
Has anyone actually done this? BTW the above is a direct copy-paste from a Nebula nominee I was just reading
I knew using cliches was okay 😉
"...your motivations for wanting to write are probably complex. You may have a few great passions, you may want to be rich and famous, and you may need therapy."
- Dave Farland, Million Dollar Outlines
Writers of the Future:
2025 Q1 Here we go again 🙂
2024 Q1: F Q2: HM Q3:SHM Q4: SHM
2023 Q1: RWC Q2: SHM Q3: SHM Q4: R
2022 Q4: R
Submissions to other markets:
2024: 45 submitted 8 acceptances
2023: 74 submitted 13 acceptances
2022: 22 submitted 1 acceptance
"bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood"
Has anyone actually done this?
Not intentionally.
I can't think of any others off the top of my head, I guess because clichés generally are forgettable?
Perhaps those where it seems easy to come up with something more original like "it was as black as night."
Clichés feel almost necessary sometimes - like there are only so many ways you can describe fear? So if the "heart races" here and there, so be it. I try my best to avoid them in the openings of my stories and to not use them often.
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I completely agree with your points on cliches in storytelling.
I think somewhere cliches are necessary in storytelling to keep readers engaged and surprised.
"When he woke up" during the "dark and stormy night," he realized that he was "not in Kansas anymore."
I once wrote a short in which giant space aliens took Kansas away as a pool table. It didn't sell because Kansans would never allow anything exciting to happen to their state, so the editor couldn't suspend disbelief.
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