Cliches that should...
 
Notifications
Clear all

Cliches that should be put to bed...

17 Posts
11 Users
28 Reactions
555 Views
(@morgan-broadhead)
Posts: 467
Gold Star Member
Topic starter
 

Here are three cliches I'm tired of seeing in stories:

  1. 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!
  2. 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...
  3. 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?

"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
SFx1
HMx5
R/RWCx5

 
Posted : December 27, 2023 5:18 am
Sherri Morris
(@abeona)
Posts: 61
Bronze Star Member
 

"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..."

 

 
Posted : December 27, 2023 8:43 am
Morgan reacted
Gene Louviere
(@emlouviere)
Posts: 38
Bronze Star Member
 

"I heard someone screaming. Then I realized it was me."

 
Posted : December 27, 2023 2:45 pm
Dustin Adams
(@tj_knight)
Posts: 1432
Platinum Plus Moderator
 

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.

Career: 1x Win -- 2x NW-F -- 2x S-F -- 9x S-HM -- 11x HM -- 7x R
Like me: facebook/AuthorTJKnight

 
Posted : December 28, 2023 3:03 am
Sherri Morris and Morgan reacted
Gideon Smith
(@gideonpsmith)
Posts: 374
Gold Member
 

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."
- Dave Farland, Million Dollar Outlines

Writers of the Future:
2025 Q1: P Q2: WIP Q3: TBD Q4: TBD
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

http://www.gideonpsmith.com

 
Posted : December 29, 2023 8:09 am
RETreasure and Morgan reacted
(@morgan-broadhead)
Posts: 467
Gold Star Member
Topic starter
 

Posted by: @gideonpsmith

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..."

laughing

 

"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
SFx1
HMx5
R/RWCx5

 
Posted : December 29, 2023 11:39 am
storysinger
(@storysinger)
Posts: 1543
Platinum Plus
 

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. 

Today's science fiction is tomorrow's reality-D.R.Sweeney
HM x5
Published Poetry
2012 Stars in Our Hearts
Silver Ships

 
Posted : December 29, 2023 11:50 am
(@morgan-broadhead)
Posts: 467
Gold Star Member
Topic starter
 

@storysinger

I usually have to do that hopping thing to keep from falling over. 
laughing

"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
SFx1
HMx5
R/RWCx5

 
Posted : December 29, 2023 12:21 pm
storysinger reacted
pdblake
(@pdblake)
Posts: 495
Gold Star Member
 

@morgan-broadhead I usually give in to gravity and put them on lying down.

R:6 RWC:1 HM:9 SHM:3
My Blog
Small Gods and Little Demons - Parsec Issue #10

 
Posted : December 29, 2023 12:44 pm
Sherri Morris
(@abeona)
Posts: 61
Bronze Star Member
 

You're all authors.  Who are you kidding?  Who's wearing pants?

 

 
Posted : December 29, 2023 6:44 pm
Robot_Drew, Ramya (Writhmic), storysinger and 2 people reacted
(@morgan-broadhead)
Posts: 467
Gold Star Member
Topic starter
 

@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
SFx1
HMx5
R/RWCx5

 
Posted : December 30, 2023 8:02 am
Ramya (Writhmic)
(@writhmic)
Posts: 108
Silver Member
 

They felt the blood drain from their face.

V39: -- / SHM / SHM / RWC
V40: HM / SHM / SHM / SHM
V41: RWC / HM / SHM / WIP

A product of sweat and tears: www.starspunlit.org

 
Posted : January 1, 2024 9:51 am
Todd Jones reacted
Gideon Smith
(@gideonpsmith)
Posts: 374
Gold Member
 

"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 laughing  

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: P Q2: WIP Q3: TBD Q4: TBD
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

http://www.gideonpsmith.com

 
Posted : January 5, 2024 5:55 am
Sherri Morris
(@abeona)
Posts: 61
Bronze Star Member
 

Posted by: @gideonpsmith

"bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood"

 

Has anyone actually done this?

Not intentionally.

 

 
Posted : January 5, 2024 9:00 am
Alex Harford
(@alexh)
Posts: 306
Silver Member
 

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.

35: - R R R | 36: R HM R R | 37: HM HM HM SHM | 38: HM HM HM HM | 39: HM HM HM SHM | 40: HM R SHM SHM | 41: R HM SHM R
5 SHM / 13 HM / 9 R

 
Posted : January 28, 2024 11:37 am
Morgan reacted
Olivia Rao
(@olivia-ava)
Posts: 14
Advanced Member
 

I completely agree with your points on cliches in storytelling.

I think somewhere cliches are necessary in storytelling to keep readers engaged and surprised.

 
Posted : February 26, 2024 1:29 am
Prate Gabble
(@kent)
Posts: 113
Silver Member
 

"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.

 

F x 3

 
Posted : February 27, 2024 9:07 pm
Morgan and Dustin Adams reacted
Share: