Comments on: Reason #15 Addendum: Clichépalooza! http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/ 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: Sean Lindsay http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/comment-page-1/#comment-40305 Sean Lindsay Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:08:21 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/#comment-40305 The cliche of the anonymous, whiny abusive troll is much more pervasive and damaging. This is what makes you a bad writer - you think I give a shit about your opinion. The cliche of the anonymous, whiny abusive troll is much more pervasive and damaging. This is what makes you a bad writer – you think I give a shit about your opinion.

]]> By: The Angry Optimist http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/comment-page-1/#comment-39429 The Angry Optimist Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:01:08 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/#comment-39429 Like the cliche character of the angry cynical hack writer who tries to make everyone feel as bad as he does? Yeah, I hate that cliche. Like the cliche character of the angry cynical hack writer who tries to make everyone feel as bad as he does?

Yeah, I hate that cliche.

]]> By: mickH http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/comment-page-1/#comment-11840 mickH Tue, 14 Oct 2008 21:08:47 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/#comment-11840 Wow! that's interesting about the elegant variation. "[...] The fatal influence [...] is the advice given to young writers never to use the same word twice in a sentence — or within 20 lines or other limit." I was taught this at school! I've learned something today But all those so called cliches in the lists, sounds more like a complete list of every plot device they could think of. Doesn't leave much does it. So only totally original plots are allowed to be a good writer? Sounds a bit harsh. Wow! that’s interesting about the elegant variation.
“[...] The fatal influence [...] is the advice given to young writers never to use the same word twice in a sentence — or within 20 lines or other limit.”

I was taught this at school!

I’ve learned something today

But all those so called cliches in the lists, sounds more like a complete list of every plot device they could think of. Doesn’t leave much does it. So only totally original plots are allowed to be a good writer?

Sounds a bit harsh.

]]> By: Writers At Play » Plot Perfect http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/comment-page-1/#comment-11067 Writers At Play » Plot Perfect Sun, 05 Oct 2008 18:14:16 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/#comment-11067 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] kind of mystery. Sean Lindsay over at 101 Reasons to Stop Writing has a fun post on what he calls Clichepalooza. The first commenter is from agent Nathan Bransford: “This post is better than an object [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> Kramer auto Pingback[...] kind of mystery. Sean Lindsay over at 101 Reasons to Stop Writing has a fun post on what he calls Clichepalooza. The first commenter is from agent Nathan Bransford: “This post is better than an object [...]

]]> By: The Kitchen Magician http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/comment-page-1/#comment-7738 The Kitchen Magician Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:33:32 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/#comment-7738 ... And it's WAY better than the Ordinary High School Student who gets a Mysterious Secret Power which he only confides in his two friends, one of which is a sarcastic, intelligent and studious girl, and the other of which is a guy who constantly complains about how he's not getting enough screen time. … And it’s WAY better than the Ordinary High School Student who gets a Mysterious Secret Power which he only confides in his two friends, one of which is a sarcastic, intelligent and studious girl, and the other of which is a guy who constantly complains about how he’s not getting enough screen time.

]]> By: The Kitchen Magician http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/comment-page-1/#comment-7736 The Kitchen Magician Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:58:27 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/#comment-7736 This post is better than the guy who goes back in time to prevent a disaster that ruined his life, only to discover that it was his going back in time to prevent the incident that caused it to happen in the first place. This post is better than the guy who goes back in time to prevent a disaster that ruined his life, only to discover that it was his going back in time to prevent the incident that caused it to happen in the first place.

]]> By: Sean Lindsay http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/comment-page-1/#comment-1803 Sean Lindsay Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:33:38 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/#comment-1803 "you used “preternaturally” twice in the space of three paragraphs." So? Both instances are referring to aspects of the same cliche: the too-good-to-be-true detective and the too-bad-to-be-true killer in post <i>Silence of the Lambs</i> crime fiction. Being afraid to use the same word again when the same word is appropriate is known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elegant_variation">the elegant variation</a>, a recurring problem among bad writers first observed by Henry Fowler in <i>Modern English Usage</i>. “you used “preternaturally” twice in the space of three paragraphs.”

So? Both instances are referring to aspects of the same cliche: the too-good-to-be-true detective and the too-bad-to-be-true killer in post Silence of the Lambs crime fiction.

Being afraid to use the same word again when the same word is appropriate is known as the elegant variation, a recurring problem among bad writers first observed by Henry Fowler in Modern English Usage.

]]> By: PANEL AND PIXEL > Post your cliches http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/comment-page-1/#comment-1801 PANEL AND PIXEL > Post your cliches Sat, 29 Sep 2007 16:30:12 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/#comment-1801 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] a funny little article about writing cliches: 101 reasons to stop writing - clichepalooza================================================================ TRANS GLOBAL TRANSGLOBAL COMICS AND [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> Kramer auto Pingback[...] a funny little article about writing cliches: 101 reasons to stop writing – clichepalooza================================================================ TRANS GLOBAL TRANSGLOBAL COMICS AND [...]

]]> By: Jason A. Quest http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/comment-page-1/#comment-1800 Jason A. Quest Sat, 29 Sep 2007 15:30:57 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/#comment-1800 Um... you used "preternaturally" twice in the space of three paragraphs. :) Um… you used “preternaturally” twice in the space of three paragraphs. :)

]]> By: Annie the Superfast Reader http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/comment-page-1/#comment-1607 Annie the Superfast Reader Tue, 31 Jul 2007 13:38:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/07/26/reason-15-addendum-clichepalooza/#comment-1607 This post is better than the plucky redheaded heroine who stamps her feet when told she'll have to sleep on the ground because her kingdom's been overrun by raping villains. This post is better than the plucky redheaded heroine who stamps her feet when told she’ll have to sleep on the ground because her kingdom’s been overrun by raping villains.

]]>