Understanding Clichés: How to Eliminate Overused Expressions and Tropes from Your Fiction
As a writer, people have likely advised you to avoid clichés in your work.
But what exactly is a cliché? How can you sidestep them effectively? Are there situations where clichés can be beneficial? Which specific expressions should you immediately delete from your writing?
Consider this sentence: "When he peered into her eyes as blue as the ocean, he realized he was head over heels in love." This sentence contains two clichés, both of which you've likely identified—equating the color blue with the ocean and using a highly familiar phrase to depict the sensation of falling in love.
A cliché is a phrase or an idea that was once deemed unique and inventive, but is now overused and stale. The first time someone uttered "Good things come to those who wait," it was likely a big hit. However, over time, so many individuals have employed the phrase in so many contexts that it no longer keeps the originality it once had.
Clichés can take various forms, including:
• Comparisons ("red as a rose,")
• Proverbs ("better late than never,")
• Phrases ("last but not least,")
• Metaphors ("at the speed of light,")
Many writers can identify a cliché when they encounter one because we're such avid readers that we can instinctively discern what's novel and what's not. However, that doesn't prevent us from incorporating clichés into our own narratives, which is why we also need to learn how to remove them when necessary.
Strategies to Avoid Using Clichés in Your Writing
While overused expressions and predictable tropes aren't inherently bad, there's a reason for their frequent usage.
However, they suggest a lack of originality, which may discourage many readers. So, it's crucial to eliminate most clichés from your fiction.
I say "most" because there are expressions and tropes that serve a specific purpose, such as:
• Engaging the target audience (for instance, certain generations can relate to specific phrases while some readers deliberately seek the same tropes and plot lines, such as the "enemies to lovers" trope)
• Depicting a character’s personality in more depth (a character who lacks empathy, for instance, may attempt to uplift their friend by saying “Look on the bright side!”)
Sometimes clichés just work. Therefore, it's preferable to examine each of your clichés in the story and determine for yourself whether you'd like to keep them.
Don't over-analyze it when drafting the first version. No one's first draft is flawless. In fact, many writers produce such disorganized first drafts that they are almost unrecognizable from the final product. Therefore, it doesn't really matter how many overused phrases you write during this stage, because you can always delete them later. What matters most is that you get the story down on the page. Substitute it with something more original. Once you start to revise and edit your draft, it's time to scrutinize your clichés and figure out the best way to replace them.
Often, simply cutting them out is sufficient, but if you want to convey the same sentiment using different words, try to think of less common comparisons and metaphors.
For inspiration, you can observe the world around you and see whether something comes to mind. Especially look at things like:
• Plants and animals
• Complex Machinery
• Gourmet Foods
• Inclement Weather
• Architecture
• Art and Culture
Solicit feedback from your friends or beta readers. Once you're ready to share your manuscript with others, note down the specific phrases or tropes you're uncertain about and ask your friends for their opinions once they're done reading (not before—this way, they won't look for it and will have an authentic reading experience).
Common Clichés: Examples
Virtually everything contains clichés, from specific phrases to dialogues and plot lines.
Phrases:
• "Actions speak louder than words"
• "All’s fair in love and war"
• "Think outside the box"
• "In the nick of time"
Dialogue:
• "I’ve heard enough!"
• "A penny for your thoughts"
• "We’ll laugh about this later"
• "You take my breath away"
Descriptions:
• "She released a breath she didn’t know she was holding"
• "The silence in the room was deafening"
• "Her heart skipped a beat"
Tropes:
• Love triangle
• Enemies to lovers
• Rags to riches
It's important to remember that one can absolutely write clichés well. Many writers put an original spin on it, so a simple love triangle can transform into an intricate and deeply psychological exploration of the human psyche.
Plus, some readers just really want to read a typical slow-burn "enemies to lovers" story, which is also completely valid. It all depends on how you approach clichés and whether you make them work.
Clichés can cut both ways (intentional).
On one hand, they can dilute your writing and make your story seem unoriginal or repetitive; on the other, they can be precisely what your target audience desires. Therefore, it's essential to always research your genre. And if you decide to use a cliché plot line, try to put your own spin on it so that your story is the perfect blend of something your readers will adore and something they won't expect.
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