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Alright, here we go:

cliché also cliche (n):

1. A trite or overused expression or idea; often a vivid depiction of an abstraction that relies upon analogy or exaggeration for effect, often drawn from everyday experience.
2. A person or character whose behavior is predictable or superficial.

For general lists of clichés:

• Westegg.com’s very helpful Cliché Finder
• Clichesite.com’s massive list of clichés

Here are some articles you may find useful on clichés:

• Avoiding Clichés in Writing: a concise article on kicking the habit of using clichés.
• What Is a Cliché?: an article on why everyone should avoid clichés like the plague.
• How to Avoid Clichés: Grammar Girl’s quick and dirty tips to rid yourself of clichés.

There is also the idea of writing clichés, which we will now define:

writing cliché or writing cliche (n): a piece of advice about writing that has become so overused as to be boring, silly, or otherwise undesirable.

Awesome articles on writing clichés can be found here:

• 13 Writing Clichés That Will Kick Your Ass: an article specifically about writing clichés, or clichés taught in schools about writing that you should just forget you ever learned.
• 10 Tips to Avoid Clichés in Writing: another article dedicated to “steering clear of cliché and its sappy cousin—melodrama”.

Clichés should not be confused with tropes. Where tropes are highly useful dynamic conventions in creative works, clichés are dull and boring. The two are polar opposites.

trope (n): a device and/or convention that a writer can reasonably rely on as being present in the audience members’ minds and expectations.

A list of tropes can be found here:

• Tvtropes.org

Don’t let the website name fool you. Tvtropes.org deals with tropes from all over the creative world, from movies to literature to video games.

In summation, clichés are clichés because they are overused. Whether it is a clichéd phrase or a writing cliché, they are a sign of thoughtless or novice storytelling and are to be avoided if possible.

Reblog - 1 year ago with 95 notes