Although some clichés used to be powerful writing tropes, they have become trite with age, bringing as much life to your story as a dead doornail. Writers are advised to avoid clichés like the plague, but don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. When manipulated properly, clichés can be worth their weight in gold.
A cliché is anything that has been overused to exhaustion and beyond: a character (the villain garbed in black who chuckles evilly while petting his cat), a plot device (the mentor who inevitably perishes), or a phrase/description/metaphor ("deader than a doornail") so timeworn that readers’ eyes glass over when they see it.
Why shouldn’t we throw out all hint of clichés and give our readers the unexpected? Because clichés are expected! Readers unconsciously think they know what will transpire in a story. By opening with a scenario that could become cliché and then diverting from that course, we can keep readers guessing.
In a mentor-apprentice relationship, readers will be prepared for the mentor to die, but what if the apprentice dies instead and the mentor is left to exemplify a truth that the apprentice has unwittingly taught him? Or perhaps there is a princess with an arranged marriage. Instead of running off with a stable boy or meeting the disguised prince and falling in love, suppose she commits to marry the prince and save both their kingdoms; then the bride and groom learn to love each other afterwards.
If most readers are like me, they enjoy trying to predict what will happen in a book. They are thrilled when they untangle a plot twist, and even more thrilled when the story surprises them in a logical yet unforeseen way. Clichés steer readers’ thoughts toward an anticipated end while building up to an entirely different outcome.
Clichés can also add humor—especially revamped expressions. Instead of writing "deader than a doornail," you could say "deader than a coffin nail buried for a hundred years, rusted through, and put on display as disintegrating evidence for some ancient war." That may be a bit extreme, but you get the idea.
With stereotypes, your options are endless. Here is a handful of bent clichés I've concocted or collected from others for amusement:
These are just a few examples of how you can freshen up a story. Take a character or situation, identify any clichéd elements the audience will subconsciously notice, and use readers' assumptions to your advantage as you twist the story to your own pleasure.
The grandmother one is the best.
Yes, I want somebody to write that one. And the dictator who works with the resistance is one that would be hilarious to write. Especially because the resistance would probably ask him to lead the rebellion…
LOL!
Love that one! It sounds so intriguing! *dark brainstorm clouds gathering overhead*
If I ever find need to be a rebel, I’m going to put the Latin graffiti one into action. It’s a good way of defeating the brainwashed-undereducated-homeschooler cliche :).
Ah, nice. Or graffiti in Old English. 😉
This article is rife with story material. Some of these should appear on our writing prompts for social media. 😉
Feel free. 😀 I’ve made most of them into prompts of my own for pinterest too.
I love this.
Proof that this works.
“A prince embarking on a quest for a sword, only to discover the weapon has no power.” Basically ‘Kung Fu Panda’, a fantastic movie. (Also, spoilers. Sorry.)
I love some of these ideas. Thanks for sharing them! 😀
Ha, yes. I have seen that. I came up with the prompt prior to that… It made me laugh. XD
I so get that. My WIP has had not one, or two, but /THREE/ major plots. All of them have been discarded because they have been so parallel to blockbuster films that I hadn’t seen when I outlined them. Thank you Inception, Jason Bourne, and Arrival. I hate you all. (Okay, so actually Inception and Arrival were great films………. but that was kind of the point.)
Ugg, I hate it when published books steal my ideas. Or my names. XD Sometimes I keep them anyway because hey, if the idea is basic enough, anyone can use it.
‘A hero and villain who collect stuffed animals and feud over who will control the city as well as obtain the most collector’s items.’
THIS. I need this.
Yes, I know. Can somebody please write this, because I don’t have time…
Petition to make @writefury do this prompt for her next serial?
YES
SOMEBODY TELL HER
XD
Wow, that’s a brilliant list!!! So many unique ideas, Hope.
Thanks. It is fun to make up. 😀
I love how you opened up with a bunch of cliches! 😂
Thanks. 😀 Yes, that was fun to do.
Would you believe that I’m already using one? XD
This one: A villain who loves butterflies and grows flower gardens to attract them.
HA! That is great!
I LOVE the grandmother one! There aren’t enough interesting stories about older adults.
These are great bent cliché ideas! Now the trick is tying them all together into one series and not making it overly complicated 😉
LOL. Yes. I love all of these!! Cliche bending is definitely one of my favorite things. 🙂 Great job as always, Hope!
Thanks. 😀
“A space pilot who can’t fly because he’s always used auto pilot”. That actually happened in the movie Planet 51 😀 Your fantastic ideas are already giving me the writing itch!
In the Floors series there was a butler (or some worker) that pretended to be a villian for one of the guests at the hotel. There was a another book called The Girl in the Tower (I think) where the villian wanted to see butterflies. And in One Hundred Dresses a character uses a butterfly (they’re a villian).
Fantasy where they journey to our world to save it. By Ted Dekkar, Circle.
Then we go, now you can read them. 😸
But… but… I don’t have time for more books. *wails* Do you have any idea how many books I have on my tbr pile as it is? XD
Ha Ha Ha! I love the examples. This is really awesome!