Comments on: Clichépalooza: Now Taking Requests http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/ The Fundamentals of Our Publishing are Wrong Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:37:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Marc http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-33147 Marc Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:47:26 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/#comment-33147 The "Individual Voice" has given up the ghost, as has momwhothinkstoomuch. Two down. The “Individual Voice” has given up the ghost, as has momwhothinkstoomuch. Two down.

]]> By: Marveen http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-1700 Marveen Fri, 31 Aug 2007 01:02:29 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/#comment-1700 My particular irk is something that undoubtedly turns up more often in older fics (like, 20 years back or so): the female protagonist who can reef, hand and steer (or whatever traditionally-male skill set applies to the story) but, as we are *always* informed at painful length, cannot manage any of the traditionally-female skill sets (can't cook, can't sew, handless at knitting, etc., etc.). Jeez, your feminist agenda is showing. Shut the fuck up about how horrible it was to be the only girl in Cowtown High who didn't like high heels and tell the story already. My particular irk is something that undoubtedly turns up more often in older fics (like, 20 years back or so): the female protagonist who can reef, hand and steer (or whatever traditionally-male skill set applies to the story) but, as we are *always* informed at painful length, cannot manage any of the traditionally-female skill sets (can’t cook, can’t sew, handless at knitting, etc., etc.).

Jeez, your feminist agenda is showing. Shut the fuck up about how horrible it was to be the only girl in Cowtown High who didn’t like high heels and tell the story already.

]]> By: A Mom Who Thinks Too Much http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-1618 A Mom Who Thinks Too Much Wed, 01 Aug 2007 16:05:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/#comment-1618 "When I was a child ..." openers in popular, usually women-authored, fiction. "When I was a child, I wondered around the meadows behind our house wearing a skirt on my head, pretending I was a nun." How special she was! How intricate was her childlike mind! Usually she has a bad relationship with her mother, another delightfully batty female who could have "been a contendah" back in her day (or whatever the female version of "coulda been a contendah" is). What will this narrator's wicked downfall be, caused no doubt by those in her life (especially a man or two) who do not realize her special greatness? “When I was a child …” openers in popular, usually women-authored, fiction. “When I was a child, I wondered around the meadows behind our house wearing a skirt on my head, pretending I was a nun.” How special she was! How intricate was her childlike mind! Usually she has a bad relationship with her mother, another delightfully batty female who could have “been a contendah” back in her day (or whatever the female version of “coulda been a contendah” is). What will this narrator’s wicked downfall be, caused no doubt by those in her life (especially a man or two) who do not realize her special greatness?

]]> By: the individual voice http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-1617 the individual voice Tue, 31 Jul 2007 23:32:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/#comment-1617 Cliche: "Slush Pile." Can't we writers come up with more creative alternatives? Cliche: “Slush Pile.” Can’t we writers come up with more creative alternatives?

]]> By: Euro http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-1616 Euro Tue, 31 Jul 2007 07:10:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/#comment-1616 The "dinosaur" renegade cop (about to retire) who breaks all the rules (despite being yelled at/threatened with suspension by his angry boss) to bring in the bad guy "at any cost". Most of the "cost" being damage to police vehicles and market stalls in Chinatown.<br/><br/>Oh yeah, and every Australian urban drama/comedy about "ordinary people" that celebrates mediocrity via a tired set of cultural cringe cliches. Working Dog, I'm looking at you! The “dinosaur” renegade cop (about to retire) who breaks all the rules (despite being yelled at/threatened with suspension by his angry boss) to bring in the bad guy “at any cost”. Most of the “cost” being damage to police vehicles and market stalls in Chinatown.

Oh yeah, and every Australian urban drama/comedy about “ordinary people” that celebrates mediocrity via a tired set of cultural cringe cliches. Working Dog, I’m looking at you!

]]> By: Ben in PDX http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-1615 Ben in PDX Mon, 30 Jul 2007 16:32:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/#comment-1615 I'm tired of trilogies. Just write a story without worrying about how many books it will be. <br/><br/>"A dangerous game of cat and mouse" - overused by every genre. If the best action you can come up with is a chase scene, you aren't creative enough to write. I’m tired of trilogies. Just write a story without worrying about how many books it will be.

“A dangerous game of cat and mouse” – overused by every genre. If the best action you can come up with is a chase scene, you aren’t creative enough to write.

]]> By: Lexi http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-1614 Lexi Mon, 30 Jul 2007 15:31:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/#comment-1614 The gorgeous, willing girl who exists for the hero to bed when nothing more important is going on.<br/><br/>She used to be quite dumb (like Bond's Russian blonde in 'From Russia with Love') but these days she is likely to come tricked out with a PHD or an area of expertise of her own. <br/><br/>Authors, funnily enough all male, seem to believe this makes her into a real character, as well as giving the hero added status for having a girlfriend with brains as well as beauty.<br/><br/>Grrr. The gorgeous, willing girl who exists for the hero to bed when nothing more important is going on.

She used to be quite dumb (like Bond’s Russian blonde in ‘From Russia with Love’) but these days she is likely to come tricked out with a PHD or an area of expertise of her own.

Authors, funnily enough all male, seem to believe this makes her into a real character, as well as giving the hero added status for having a girlfriend with brains as well as beauty.

Grrr.

]]> By: p.n. elrod http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-1613 p.n. elrod Sun, 29 Jul 2007 15:08:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/#comment-1613 I am wholly tired of characters tugging and smoothing their clothes so the writer can sneak in some description. <br/><br/>Unless that brown suede skirt she paid a fortune for at Saks is covered with blood and brain matter figure I really don't care.<br/><br/>Anyone have a character tucking a strand of (insert color here) hair behind her ears? Stop writing and buy some hair gel and a comb. <br/><br/>And I hate, really HATE eyes that float, dart, and otherwise whiz around like formation stunt planes rather than staying in their sockets.<br/><br/>Also: (insert color here) gaze. <br/><br/>"She looked up into his blue gaze." <br/><br/>What is that-- something lurking under a kilt? I am wholly tired of characters tugging and smoothing their clothes so the writer can sneak in some description.

Unless that brown suede skirt she paid a fortune for at Saks is covered with blood and brain matter figure I really don’t care.

Anyone have a character tucking a strand of (insert color here) hair behind her ears? Stop writing and buy some hair gel and a comb.

And I hate, really HATE eyes that float, dart, and otherwise whiz around like formation stunt planes rather than staying in their sockets.

Also: (insert color here) gaze.

“She looked up into his blue gaze.”

What is that– something lurking under a kilt?

]]> By: Paul Riddell http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-1612 Paul Riddell Fri, 27 Jul 2007 21:44:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/#comment-1612 Alien names (and this qualifies in science fiction <i>and</i> fantasy) that consist solely of consonants and apostrophes. Unless the character in question uses a whoopie cushion as a dictation machine, in which case it's barely tolerable due to its incredible silliness. Alien names (and this qualifies in science fiction and fantasy) that consist solely of consonants and apostrophes. Unless the character in question uses a whoopie cushion as a dictation machine, in which case it’s barely tolerable due to its incredible silliness.

]]> By: Ian http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/comment-page-1/#comment-1611 Ian Fri, 27 Jul 2007 21:25:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/clichepalooza-now-taking-requests/#comment-1611 "I will get you!"<br/>"No, you won't!!"<br/>"Oh yes I will."<br/>"Oh yeah?"<br/>"Yeah!"<br/><br/>and the phrase "Fuck a booty cop." “I will get you!”
“No, you won’t!!”
“Oh yes I will.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah!”

and the phrase “Fuck a booty cop.”

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