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Update: See Poll Results, with commentary.
Before 101 Reasons went dark (so I could gussy it up for the move) we were discussing clichés, and pondering which cliché might be the most despised of all. Well, I was pondering it, and if you weren’t, it’s only because you know you can only pretend to be a writer of original fiction if you pretend that no-one has ever written any fiction before.
Let’s face it. All the clichés on this poll are bad. The plot clichés are enough to sink your novel just on the summary. The writing clichés demonstrate a laziness that will make critics and fickle readers put your book down unfinished. We’re not looking for clichés that bother you — vote for the cliché that you want expunged from the fictional landscape for as long as you have eyes to read it.
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When I mention to somebody that I write, and they say, “Really? Me too. I’m working on a series” or even worse, “Cool! I have this great idea for a series,” I want to run. It used to be that everybody was writing a novel, or wanted to if they could find the time. Then it was a screenplay. Lately, it seems to be a series.
Even if I *were* working on a series, I’d probably only work on one book at a time, so I wouldn’t *really* be working on a series, would I?
Scott, it never gets any better, and any suggestions you may have that you’ve got something better to do will only antagonize the little darlings. I once worked with one such classic case who kept nagging me about the old “you write my ‘book idea’ and I’ll share half the money with you” routine, and when I asked him why I’d want to take half when I could keep all of the proceeds from one of my own “book ideas” for myself, he’d get aggressive. I was actually quite glad when he finally decided to quit, because I was getting sick and tired of the writing equivalent of “YES, WE’VE GOT A VIDEO.”
The idea of writing a trilogy (let alone a freakin series), especially when when the person has yet to write a single publishable novel, is a guaranteed, no-fail, 100% indicator of someone who fantasises about “being a writer” rather than writing.
Lively post and comments. Did all of you see the August 11-17 issue of The Economist http://www.economist.com (U.S. edition), which has a cover story called “The End of the Road for the Cliche”? It makes the point that increasingly cliches aren’t just lame but inaccurate because of technological or other changes: “Currencies fluctuate: the dollar looks less than almighty, at least for the moment. Populations evolve: Tom, Dick and Harry make for an unrepresentative trio of everymen today; Kevin, Chloe and Muhammad would be more accurate … Earnest environmental concerns are also starting to flip well-worn phrases on their heads. Putting new wine into old bottles is now to be applauded.” [Page 12]
In keeping with this site’s goal, I just had to select the angsty artist. The whole misunderstood-yet-brilliant artist is just so much damn masturbation it’s a wonder the manuscript doesn’t spontaneously combust from friction buildup.
The angsty artist cliché reminds me of one of my favorite sayings: “Just because no one understands you, it doesn’t mean you’re a genius.”
Another cliche I hate, that wasn’t included on your list, is usually found in YA. It’s the whole ‘loser girl becomes popular because it was her lifelong dream and then she finds out it actually sucks being popular and her old loser friends were way better than her new popular beautiful and fake friends’. Every story like that makes me think the author’s just trying to shove a moral down my throat.
How about a sleuth “haunted by demons from his past?” I just read a Donald Maass advice book that said if he sees this phrase one more time in a query letter, he’s going to set his hair on fire.
I say the sex scene one is the worst—it’s the most often published, as far as I’ve noticed. If you get rid of it, and you likewise get rid of the hot chick whose only purpose is to be in it, so you kill two birds with one stone. Some of those other ones at least occasionally have purpose.
And yes, I’d include a Mary Sue in the “potentially purposeful” category. I’m just waiting for someone to finish a satire of them a la Northanger Abbey! (I.e., to satire Mary Sues by writing a Mary Sue.)
I don’t mind trilogies. What I mind are books cut in half so they can be sold as two volumes, like the two Jedi Medstar books, to reveal how much of a Star Wars geek I am. (Though I am quite fond of the Jedi heroine effectively being ADD.) I do mind plot padding so it takes more books than necessary to tell. If a story stops at 50k words, leave it 50k words! Don’t force it into 75k!
When trilogies are used properly, either for divvying up a plot truly long enough to hold them or for potentially independent stories using the same characters, I rather like them. I’m considering writing the second type of trilogy myself, after I finish my novel, but I won’t decide that till I’m there. Right now, I just have a few lines of notes, and they’ll stay that way till I’m in a position to evaluate them for writing or tossing in my personal slush pile of story ideas.
Another cliché I tire of: Daddy being either dimwitted or tyrannical, but either way, he just doesn’t understand.
Ooo! And another: genius gals who also have all the guys after them. Guys don’t like it when a girl is so intelligent that she’s teaching them. It insults ‘em. No offense intended to the guys here; I’m speaking from personal experience as a female who’s had to tutor guys.
Isn’t “gussy it up” a cliche? I’m also working on a “serial story” on my blog. Didn’t realize until now that was a cliche. I thought I was being quite original, blogwise.
individual voice, you’re going to pick on me for using an old turn of phrase, yet you thought serialising a story on a blog was an original idea?
Scott’s talking about series novels, not serialised stories — specifically, where an untested author decides they will write a (connected) series of novels, without having demonstrated the ability to write one novel. Which is, in itself, a digression from the cliche of writing a “trilogy”, in which the untested fantasy author basicaly rips off the structure of Lord of the Rings, as well as the plot, characters, setting and themes.
Gotcha. A bit slow on the uptake here. Not a reader of fantasy/sci fi, but still like to visit your blog. It’s like a friendly slap in the face reality check that every fledgling writer needs now and then. Hope that’s OK.
As long as you stop writing.
[...] of cliches in writing. For a few of the more interesting discussions see Sean Lindsay’s Poll: The Worst Cliche over at 101 Reasons to Stop Writing (a site worth a visit in its own right) or try out Steven [...]
Believe me, Sean, I would stop writing if I could. It has only brought me misery. But I’m here, sort of like an alcoholic attending an AA meeting. I haven’t quit yet, but I’m working on it.
shit. what if I’m writing WHILE I’m drinking a vodka and strawberry juice? wheres that leave me?
[...] 101 Reasons to Stop Writing – You might as well give up right now; it’s just not worth it. That’s the message of this site. This blog is a humorous look at how bad most writing is, and why you wouldn’t even want to be a writer in the first place. Not everyone finds it funny, as you will see in the comments, but the posts are often hilarious–and sometimes informative. And don’t forget to check out the worst cliche’ poll. [...]
[...] posts are often hilarious–and sometimes informative. And don’t forget to check out the worst cliche’ poll. tags: blogging, writing, [...]