Cliches -- Brought on By Becoming Your Own Critique Partner

Someone once said "I've never met a cliche I didn't like." Not sure who but that's a true statement. I've found cliches useful when writing and also when doing crossword puzzles. The real problem with using them when I write is finding all and getting rid of them. There are more than those nice little phrases such as white as snow, or blue as the sky. Cliches come in other flavors. There are cliche characters, effects, scenes and plots.

Some writers have made great use of cliche characters. I know I have. The grouchy nurse, the kindly doctor, the tough detective. Perhaps if these characters are just background people they can remain as cliches. If they have a purpose in the story they need to have a bit of individuality and personality.

Effects are a character's reaction to an event or a situation. Take the character's reaction during a lovemaking scene. Like fireworks. Soaring to reach the sky. We've all used them. What about battle scenes. Gut clenched. Try using a surprise when a character reacts.

Scenes can become cliched. The first meeting of the hero and the heroine often rings with the same words or the same actions. Find a way to change this. Instead of having the meeting be a comedy or a tragedy look for a way to show the expectations skewed. Can be a lot of fun devising ways to show the discovery of a body in a mystery or the plague in a space opera or the magical events in a fantasy.

There really are cliched plots. Pick up a book and begin reading. All of a sudden it hits you that you've read this story before. While there are only so many plots and so many ways to reach the end what the writer has to do is put a personal spin on a story. Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy gets girl. We've read this story a million times but some writers find ways to make this seem fresh rather than cliched.

Finding ways to turn cliches from stale to fresh is the trick. When writing, remember the time, the setting and the genre and find that twist to make your story leave the road paved with cliches.

On Characterization -- the kinds of characters

What kind of people do you have in your stories. There are a variety of developments for story characters. Let's look at some of them.

Simple character - This character has one distinguishing trait. This doesn't mean he's just a walk on or a minor character. This is a character who has one passion, one goal and one way of obtaining this. When I was writing Obsessions such a character came into the story and became the villain. One trait an obsession with his mother leading to a desire for what he considered revenge. Every act of his in the book was aimed to that end.

Complex character has several characteristics and these can often be in opposition. This is a man or woman who is always at the center of the action.

The flat character has no distinguishing traits. While this is true he must be individualized in some way. Often this character plays a vital minor roll in a story.

The round character may be simple of complex. This is a character who is individual and has distinguishing characteristics. He or she will play a major role in the story.

The Background character is one who has a particular role to play. This character usually has no real traits and may not even have a name. The taxi driver who may or may not speak to another character. The messenger who brings a vital piece of paper.

For all characters except the background one not only must the author decide on their distinguishing trait but this trait must be used to individualize them so the reader will believe they know the story person.