That is such a cliche!

Started by Nolafus March 3rd, 2014 11:13 PM
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Nolafus

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Posted March 11th, 2017
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So how hard do you try to avoid cliches? How does a writer turn a normally cliched character or plot into a non-cliched one? How do you feel about cliches in both your writing and reading other people's work? Can they be utilized to your advantage?
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moon

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I'm starting to believe what some have said, that everything EVERYTHING has actually been written about at this point xD If you say you've found a completely original idea, I'd probably still be able to find traces of inspiration and similarities from other stories in yours.

So the thing with cliches is that they are cliches for a reason. Themes and stuff in stories that we know and actually like. It's how you use them, how you angle them and make them as unique as you can, that matters.

I'm not super sure what to count as a cliche though. Hrm. Care to give some examples? 8)
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Mana

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I quite like cliches, if they're uses in an endearing (or perhaps, sarcastic) fashion. I do think it can feel a bit like lazy writing though, and there is always another way to word something, so I use them minimally.

Nolafus

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Age 27
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Lost in thought... again
Seen March 3rd, 2018
Posted March 11th, 2017
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10.9 Years
I'm not super sure what to count as a cliche though. Hrm. Care to give some examples? 8)
Sure! There's the ditsy blonde, the super-tough chick, the bad boy turned sweet by love, and the dumb jock to give a few examples about characters. Plot wise, there's the Disney, "Only true love can save you" plot.

I struggle getting past them in my writing. I know how not to make a cliched character, but putting that into practice can be hard. You just have to find things only that character has, like little quirks. I struggle with that constantly. It seems that I have a hard time making my characters stand out.

As far as reading, cliches can still work, but they have to be done well. I really like it when a story follows a cliche, but then turns it around at the end. So you think you know what's going to happen, but then you're blindsided by the ending you didn't see coming.
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moon

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Aah, you mean like the ending of Frozen? 8) such a good movie, turning some cliches around. If I understand it correctly, haha.
Spoiler:
I mean, when true love turns out to between sisters instead or romancey stuff.
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Shhmew

Age 28
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Posted March 27th, 2014
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I have a hard time with cliches when I write. When I was younger I was under the impression that a "cliche" character meant they were too perfect (which I now know is a "mary-sue"), so I tried writing about people who were deeply troubled, with some sort of terrible thing that happened in their past, but then I realized that is a huge cliche as well hehe. I'm not very creative. ;c

I see women being very "woe-is-me" and helpless in many stories, so I tried to write about women who are empowered and determined to be independent. But... I feel like that's quite overdone these days too. *-* Blah.
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