I’ve been busy this week working
on a book proposal, critiquing, and generally sorting out my overcommitted
life. LOL. What about you? As you can see from the intro, we’re going to discuss clichés
this week in Writers’ Corner.
A cliché is any overused expression.
Because we have a tendency to speak with clichés, especially in the South, recognizing
them in our writing can be a challenge. There’s always a better way to express
your thoughts and those of your characters than to use worn-out phrases. An
editor might excuse an occasional slip-up, but repeated clichés reflect lazy
writing. The exception to this is dialogue, because as I stated above, real people
use them in speech.
Here are a few examples:
All in due time An
arm and a leg
As luck would have it Better
safe than sorry
Between a rock and a hard place Cool as a
cucumber
Cut to the chase Fit
as a fiddle
Keep your chin up He
keeps his cards close to his vest.
Knock on wood Lesser
of two evils
At the drop of a hat At
her wits' end
New lease on life Out of sight, out of
mind
See the light No
time like the present
Twist of fate Light
as a feather
Time will tell Live
and learn
Now, I’d like to hear from you. What
is your most frequently used cliché?
I don't know which one I use most, but I am afraid of overdoing it. Sometimes words flow so easily out of me that I wonder if they're cliche. I also wonder if I misuse cliches.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Tereasa. When you find yourself writing phrases you've heard repeatedly like the ones I've listed above, try to rework them. If you decide to use cliches in dialogue, use them sparingly and make sure they fit your character. If you're concerned you'll misuse them in this situation, don't use them at all. Hope this helps.
DeleteLaura,
ReplyDeleteI am mad as a wet hen at your suggestion that cliches in writing are a dime a dozen. Why, people as old as Methuselah and as wise as Moses use cliches successfully all the time. They're like money in the bank to a writer, as easy to use as taking candy from a baby. Why reinvent the wheel when an old faithful will do just fine? I think you need to come down off your high horse to the other side of the tracks and see how the other half lives. Not everyone can write original prose like you!
NOTE: For those of you who are literalists and struggle with a joke, please don't send me hate mail. I'm just joking and agree "with my whole heart" with Laura :)
That's hilarious, Lori! Just like Piper said below, you had me going at first. Then I realized what you were doing. You gave a good example for anyone who is unsure about cliches. I'm sure as an editor, you see many of these. It's difficult not to use them, and I catch myself doing it. Thanks for adding a touch of humor! I needed the laugh today.
DeleteSuch a fun response!
DeleteLOL great reply!
DeleteI'm glad I found this blog- looks like I've found a few kindred spirits here! I'm pleased as punch!
Emily
www.weakandloved.com
As I read through the list.... I chuckled... my literal 7 yr old son has asked me what some of those phrases mean.... like "cool as a cucumber" (well its pretty cool if it were in the fridges)"fit as a fiddle"(how fit is a fiddle, really???)
ReplyDeleteAnd Lori, your comment cracked me up.... I was thinking... really?? did she post this.... and by the time I got to the end... "I got it" !!
That's cute. My son took everything literal at that age, too. Lori had me going at first, as well. Good comic relief, huh?
DeleteCrystal clear! ;D
ReplyDeleteFunny! Thanks for chiming in, Wendy!
DeleteLori beat me to the punch. : )
ReplyDeleteShe beat everyone today! :)
Delete