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Throwback Thursday #2

Writer's picture: 518pub518pub

CLICHÉ TO YOU

Originally Posted 8/5/2018

Writers have heard over and over again, don’t use clichés. That they’re old hat and authors need to nip it in the bud. But what is a cliché?

Clichés are overused expressions that have found their way into popular culture. There’s no rhyme or reason why people use borrowed words other than the fact, they’re familiar. However, the only bright spot about clichés is at some point in time, the words were original. Someone had to be the first to say it. I guess this is words going viral.

Authors try hard to reinvent the wheel when writing a story. There are trillions of word combinations, and in order to break from clichés, writers are constantly circling the wagon for new ways to say the same thing. It’s using due diligence to separate the wheat from the chaff.

I’m preaching to the choir, but here’s one way to avoid clichés. Figure out what the entire sentence is saying. Is there another word or combination that conveys the same meaning? For example, ‘It was par for the course for Rosanne to drive down Main Street.’ The cliché here is ‘par for the course’. Instead, try ‘Normally, Rosanne drove down Main Street. Or ‘Rosanne is constantly drove down Main Street.’ All three sentences deliver the same message.

So when it’s all said and done, writers must be mindful and use due diligence to avoid clichés. How’d I do? Did you notice something peculiar about the blog? Put your count in the comments, and we’ll see who’s as sharp as a tack. See you later, alligator.

​~Lizette

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