(Note: This entry deals with lines, not stories as a whole.)
Chao- It's easy to fall into clichés; they're not too hard to think, and many people are already familiar with them.
"The apple of my eye"
"Different strokes for different folks"
"As old as the hills"
Chao- What do any of these mean? Don't people write them because they hold truth? "Different strokes for different folks" means people like different stuff, like activities and interests. Why is it bad to write clichés?
YChao- Because it's cheap writing?
Chao- Actually, yeah, you are right.
YChao- I am? Yay, me.
Chao- Stories are meant to be original. Every word used must count. After all, for every cliché, there is an answer to them.
Cliché 1: The sky is the limit.
Rebuttle 1: We already made footsteps on the moon.
Chao- If you write cliches, it distracts readers from your original ideas. It's awesome to read original analogies or ideas.
Cliché 2: Criminals always return to the scene of the crime
Rebuttle 2: Not if they don't want to get caught
Chao- OBVIOUS! So how can a cliché be broken? Take this one:
Cliché 3: Yugi stared off into space.
Chao- One way to break a cliche is to understand its meaning. Once you do, it'll be easier to write the meaning in your own way.
Better: Yugi lifelessly positioned one hand underneath his chin. He tapped his pencil dully, creating the most interesting sound as oppose to his teacher's tedious lecture. His eyes crawled out the window. Even an empty view of a tree's leafy branches blowing in a gentle wind seemed more interesting compared to school.
Chao- This is just one way. It's nice, though, because it gave readers more a visual to a story rather than reading a single bland line.
Exception: Speech is different from narration. If a character decides to say it, it's fine because authors also allow them to speak in different dialects and phrases that are not grammatically correct. They may also be used for a theme or lesson.
Chao- Hope this helped those who are interested in improving their writing!.... Heh, the title for this entry is kinda funny. If there was a grammar show on TV, there would probably be a mock video of this to Breaking the Habit by Linkin Park.
YChao- For a kid's show?
Chao- Sure, just like Biz Kid$ or Bill Nye the Science Guy. Those shows rule!
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