Day Fifteen: Clichés

Attempting to get at truth means rejecting stereotypes and cliches. 

- Harold Evans

I would rather read a poorly structured story that has fresh ideas than a tightly structured one with cliches.

- Douglass Wood

...Last, but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.
~William Safire, "Great Rules of Writing"

 Avoiding clichés in descriptive writing is sound advice, although it can be very effective when used in dialogue to capture a character’s original voice. Many people sprinkle them into daily conversation. With that in mind, clichés make great writing prompts, because we’ve been hearing them all of our lives. The following was taken from The Writer’s Block e-zine website:

“Examples of cliches are similar to examples of idioms, but the difference lies in the idea that cliches are frequently used for concepts that can be considered predictable. The likelihood of them being predictable revolves around the fact that they tend to be based off of prior knowledge. For instance, "avoid it like the plague," is an example of a cliche. Notice that "the plague" is something that has happened in the past, hence the predictability of it being something bad, and moreover, something that should be avoided at all costs. Also, the cliche "what goes around comes around" relies on the principle of predictability, as someone must have obviously had something happen to them as a result of something they did.
It is interesting to think that cliches are based off of prior knowledge, as this lends even more imagination to your writing. You can use examples from the past (from your own life or somewhere else) to make your cliche stand out and become more comprehensive.
You may not even choose to use the actual wording of the examples of idioms and cliches that you consider. You may just use them as starting points to explore your writing in more in-depth, critical ways. This will create a more conscious effort on your part to use writing prompts, cliches, idioms, and phrases as just what they are meant to be -- motivators for further exploration of the intricacies of your writing.
The following is a list of idioms and cliches. Use these to help inspire creative writing on your part. To take it even one step further, you might try writing something that does use the examples of idioms and cliches listed below, or others you may find. Write a TV script or some other form of dialogue where people must converse either solely with idioms and cliches, or partially, but make the cliches work off of one another in a creative, impressive way. You'll only find out what you're made of if you try writing activities like this to get your writing ideas to emerge full force!”
A penny saved is a penny earned.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Let sleeping dogs lie.
Smell a rat.
You are what you eat.
Better late than never.
Easier said than done.
Gentle as a lamb.
Hit the nail on the head.
Shoulder the burden.
If none of these resonate with you, find one that does. 500 Words (or 20, or 2000!).
Remember to have fun!

Later

Exercise 15

by Laurie Guerin

Every fiber of my being screamed “No!”

Every fiber except for one, who whispered, “Don’t be so hasty.” 

The rest of the fibers turned to see who had spoken. It was Max. Some of the fibers groaned.

“Max,” said the Grand Poobah, “with all due…,” he paused, a painful smile on his face. The low roar of a collective chuckle arose.  “…respect.” The chuckle transformed into boisterous laughter, with all of the fibers elbowing each other and craning their necks to look at Max.

Max appeared unruffled, ran his hands down the front of his seersucker suit and waited. “There was a time,” continued the GP, “when we gave a great deal of credence to your input and look where it got us…”

“The poorhouse!” shouted a fiber in the back.

“Rehab!” piped-up one who wore knee socks and Bermuda shorts.

“Now, now,” The GP held up both of his hands. “Both of those are slight exaggerations, nevertheless, we are still feeling the after-effects.”

Max cleared his throat. “That was years ago. I would hope we’ve all learned from our mistakes, one of which…”

“We have indeed learned from our mistakes which is why you no longer have a platform, Max.” The GP banged his gavel. “Back to the proposed topic. All in favor?”

“Ay,” said Max.

“All against?”

“Nay,” said everyone else.

Max was a lot of things, but he was not a quitter. He began canvassing the neighborhood, going door to door with his clipboard.

“All I’m asking,” he said. “Is that we consider it. That we don’t dismiss it out-of-hand!” 
"Not interested!" The fibers slammed the door in his face. Max dropped brochures and coupons for free pizza on their mats.

 He called them at home during dinner hour.

"Not interested!" they said, slamming down the phone.

Max assembled custom gift baskets. Bombay Sapphire, raspberries and Fromage D'affinois for some, imported IPAs, mixed nuts and summer sausage for others. He delivered them with his card. On his card was a quote from Mark Twain:

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. 

TBC (maybe)