What Do Cliches Do to Your Readers?

I read a book over the weekend riddled with cliches. I would have been more annoyed if I had paid money for it, but it still bothered me. The very first sentence included a cliche (she ran as fast as her legs could carry her). I probably should have counted them.

When I first read that writers should avoid peppering their writing with cliches, I didn't get it. The cliches sounded 'right' to my ear--probably because they were so familiar. I figured others might wonder why cliches are a no-no. Here's what I came up with.

Cliches are distracting. At least, for some readers. I don't think they used to bother me as much before I began to study writing, but now they tend to pull me out of the story for a moment.

Cliches are not fresh. Anytime I use a cliche, I try to look at it as a kind of plagiarizing. Think about it. This particular set of words has been used so many times before, it's not unique to me. It's the easy way out, instead of working to find a new way to say something.

Cliches invite skimming. I don't know about you, but when I get published, I'd rather not give my readers any excuse to skip sections of the story. When a cliche appears, readers instinctively know the rest of the phrase, and tend to skip ahead. Why not describe characters, emotions, and setting in an unexpected way, so the reader doesn't want to miss anything.

Here are some resources for identifying and changing cliches in fiction:

Use the Cliche Finder to pick out cliche's you might have missed in your editing.

If you worry that you use certain words too often, these three resources will help you out.

Did you know there are many kinds of cliches in writing? Read the list in No More Cookie Cutters.

And check out my favorite novel for fresh, cliche-free writing. I reviewed it here.

Do cliches bother you as a reader? Do they sneak into your writing? And do you have a book recommendation for an author who writes fresh?

Free Ebook: Creating a Life Plan

Just a quick post today, since I woke up with a migraine.

Michael Hyatt, former CEO of Thomas Nelson publishers, is giving away a free ebook. I've already downloaded it, and it's definitely something I'll be working through. It's called Creating Your Personal Life Plan. 

The ten-chapter book is designed for users to plan their goals, and keep themselves on track. The ebook comes with a chapter of worksheets to fill in, and Hyatt encourages readers to revisit their life plan and tweak it as necessary.

Why should you have a life plan? Hyatt explains in this post. You'll find detailed information about the book on Hyatt's website, along with the download button. And if you don't read Hyatt's blog, you ought to. At least click on the 'publishing' button on his site to catch up on what he's been talking about.

Do you have a life plan? Where does writing fit into it?

In Praise of Independent Bookstores

Yesterday was a wonderful day. My daughter had the day off, and her first choice of activity was to hang out in a bookstore.

We drove to Denver's wonderful Tattered Cover Bookstore (the vintage LoDo location), and I had so much fun introducing her to this gem. The exposed beams and brick, the old lamps and overstuffed chairs make you want to read--or write.

An independent bookstore creates a mood that puts you in a literary frame of mind.

Katie browsed the shelves, while I worked on a scene I'd been mulling over on the drive there. The difficult thing was deciding which cozy nook to choose.

Before we left, Katie purchased a set of the complete Sherlock Holmes. I told her that not only did she add to her (ever-expanding) personal library, but she now possessed a souvenir from the Tattered Cover. She decided that when she puts her name in a book, she'll include the bookstore where she bought it, as a remembrance.

Of course, talking writing on the way there and back gave us the best bookends a day could have.

Do bookstore visits make you want to write--or just curl up and read?

Book Review: The Muir House, by Mary DeMuth

I love it when I find an author who mesmerizes me with words. Who chooses each phrase deliberately. Who paints pictures with sentences you won't find anywhere else.

Mary DeMuth is that kind of author.

I read The Muir House in a day, sucked into the life of Willa Muir, a young interior decorator struggling to fill a blank year in her childhood memories. So many things ride on the outcome--her potential marriage, possible reconciliation with her abusive mother, and her pressing need to feel whole.

Her obsession with discovering the truth threatens to destroy the beautiful things in her life.

But Willa's fiance, Hale, suggests that maybe she doesn't need to know. Maybe she's whole just the way she is.

Willa returns to her hometown of Rockwall, Texas, to the mortuary-turned-bed-and-breakfast where she grew up, to her mother stricken with Alzheimers. The more she searches for answers, the more questions pop up. The property's caretaker knows all the secrets, but won't say a word. Anything Willa's mother might share is locked in her stricken mind. And the reappearance of Willa's first love complicates her search even more.

This is a beautifully told, Southern story, full of quirky characters and the hometown we wish we had. And how a search for answers can change everything.

Highly recommended.

See the book trailer and read the first chapter here.

Read my review of DeMuth's $2.99 ebook, The 11 Secrets of Getting Published, here.

I Wanna Be a Writer: Free Novel-Writing Videos

Authors Traci Hall and Kathleen Pickering have teamed up to give new writers the tools they need to get started. Each video is only a few minutes long, and will give the 'big picture' steps for writing a book, starting with the idea, and going all the way to submission.

Visit the authors' websites at Traci Hall and Karen Pickering for more information on these helpful ladies.

 

 

 

 

What's the best tip on novel-writing you've received?

 

 

C.S. Lewis on Writing

C.S. Lewis is one of my favorite authors. Whether or not you agree with his spiritual beliefs, they're always thought-provoking. For example:

"A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest."
— C.S. Lewis

 Lewis had a high opinion of what children could comprehend in a story, and the idea makes writing for children and young adults a weighty task. My favorite of his books is not widely known. Till We Have Faces is a retelling of the story of Cupid and Psyche. I guess you could say it's an early paranormal! But sharing the story from Psyche's sister's point of view makes it deep and compelling.

Here's a sampling of what Lewis has to say about writing:

This week, a friend sent me a link to 8 Writing Tips from C.S. Lewis. Reading through them, I wholeheartedly agree with each one. Check them out. You won't be sorry.

I also found a .Pdf file with quotes from Lewis on writing for the child-like.

And here's five tips on writing Lewis penned to a girl who asked his advice.

One of the tips Lewis gives is "write with the ear, not the eye". What do you think he means, and do you think it's true?

Get Out of Your Novel Writing Rut

 I'm so sad this string of guest posts has come to a close. I've learned so much from our generous contributors. Thank you to each of you who offered your words. If you missed out, I'm planning another series for August. Got a writing post to share? You can send it ahead of time to dallenco[at]gmail[dot]com. Our last offering is from Krissy Brady at Keeping the Passion for Writing Alive. Definitely check out her site. She offers an amazing amount of resources for writers, from freelance advice, writing tools, links, and more. You won't be sorry for a stop over there.

Get Out of Your Novel Writing Rut by Krissy Brady

You've finally started the novel that has been buzzing around in your head for years. Chapter one, no problem. Chapter two flowed out of you like a waterfall. Chapter three was a challenge at first, but you carried yourself through the process like a champ. Chapter four... well, you've written Chapter Four at the top of the page... and that was two months ago.

You have finally admitted to yourself that you're stuck; unsure now of where this story is going to take you and your characters. Where do you go from here?

Step away from the screen. Disciplining yourself to meet deadlines is one thing, but pushing yourself to write is another. Sitting at your computer, fingers propped on the keys, hoping they will magically start creating your masterpiece for you isn't realistic, and certainly isn't the productive way to go. Plus, the potential frustration this brings will spill into your future writing endeavours, conditioning yourself to feel a sense of dread as soon as you sit down to write (and last I checked, we started writing to get away from these feelings in our life).

Figure out why you're feeling stuck. Stepping away from the computer does not mean that you are procrastinating or putting off your writing goals—it will have the opposite effect, giving you the space necessary to figure out why you're stuck. A novel is a deep and lengthy project, one that takes a lot of time and planning, and sometimes we need to restructure our plans to get back on track.

Maybe you know where you want your main character to be by the end of the story, but are unsure of how your character is going to get from Point A to Point B, all the way to Point Z. Maybe you know exactly how your character is going to get there, but are struggling to develop the characters around him/her to bring strength and relevance to your story. Maybe you're wondering if your setting suits the plot, or maybe the name of your character's significant other isn't quite right. What is causing you to detract from your writing could be the slightest little thing, and pinpointing your concerns will help to alleviate the strain so you can go back to focusing on the task at hand.

Read what you've written so far. One way to get back into the mindset that encouraged you to begin writing your novel, is to read what you have written so far. Familiarizing yourself with the current draft of what you've written will help you to reconnect with your characters, your story, and what you want to accomplish with it. Read it out loud too—it may help you to pick out certain parts of the story that need to be developed more, which in turn will help you figure out where the story will lead your characters next.

Declutter your desk, declutter your mind. Let's face it: writers are famous for thinking of great ideas at the most inconvenient times. Take all of your scrap papers, post-its, napkins, cell phone notes, and add them in point form to your manuscript. In consolidating your notes, you can take the point form ideas and plan where they will fit, ultimately helping you to form the shell of your next few chapters.

Create a flexible plot outline. To coincide with this idea, if you have yet to do so, create a plot outline for your novel, starting with the parts of the main plot you know are critical to the story, and then fill in the outline with the critical parts of the subplots and how you can realistically connect them. Keeping your outline generalized will give you the opportunity to mix-and-match your ideas as you go along, making it easier to enhance what you've currently written, and get rid of the ideas that no longer suit the direction you wish to go in.

I say "if you have yet to do so," because I'm hoping there are writers out there who began their novel, introduced their main characters, main plot, and subplots, and then wrote an outline for the rest of the novel to coincide with what was already written. I'm hoping, because this is what I did. The idea for my novel had been simmering in my mind for about three years before I actually sat down and began writing it, and once the introductory chapters were complete, I then wrote an outline for the rest of the novel to make sure all characters and plots would be developed according to my goals.

Outlines and planning are an important part of the writing process, but there is no one way to go about doing it. You have to find the method that works for you. This will take a lot of experimenting, but the outcome will be very rewarding.

Write what you know, then fill in the blanks. In an ideal world, we would write our novel in a chronological, organized fashion, but as in life, our creativity can surprise us with its spontaneity. Write the areas of your novel that you know are strong, and sound, and are able to stand on their own. The areas that you aren't ready to flesh out yet, you can place in point form around the sections of the plotline that are already fully formed, giving you a great starting off point, no matter the chapter.

These are just a few simple techniques to help you revive your novel writing mindframe.

What are your techniques for getting out of a creative rut?

Krissy Brady is a freelance writer located in Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada. If you have a writing-related question, would like to write a guest post, or have a content suggestion, e-mail Krissy at info@krissybrady.com. You can also follow Krissy through RSS, facebook, twitter, and LinkedIn for the latest writing-related information.

What to do with Your Inner Critic(s)

We're on our last two days of guest posts. I don't know about you, but I've been learning a ton! Today we have Jennifer Bertman, who blogs at From the Mixed-Up Files of Jennifer Bertman. My favorite part of her blog is the weekly photo-interview with writers and illustrators, highlighting their work spaces. Who wouldn't want a peek into a writer's room? She's got a huge list so far. Check it out.

What to do with Your Inner Critic(s) by Jennifer Bertman

Since I last posted I’ve been working on something fun that will be taking place in this spot starting next week. If you’re interested in creative people and hearing more about how they work, especially children’s book writers and illustrators, make sure to check back here on Monday.

I’ve also been chipping away at my revisions. I have to say, one of the biggest challenges in writing for me is stifling that inner critic. Critics plural, really. I imagine them all up there in my brain, squished together on a couch (a large couch, there are a lot of them) watching my creative process like it’s their own personal reality show. Chomping chips and spraying crumbs all over the place as they talk, wet rings from their beverage glasses marking up the furniture. Jumping all over each other’s words to point things out:

“How many times do you think she’ll rewrite that sentence?”
“She’s going with that version? The way she had the sentence two versions ago was way better.”
“Pass the chips, Stan.”
“The screen’s not magic, honey. Staring at it like that doesn’t make the words appear.”
“Could this scene be any more boring? Where’s the tension?”
“Stop hogging the dip, Hilde. And don’t think we didn’t notice that double dip.”
“For pete’s sake! What does the character want? Cheesecake, world peace, give me something here.”
“Maybe the character wants boring dialogue. That’s what they’re getting anyway.”

Like that. They’re a fun bunch, aren’t they? So what do you do with these inner critics. I’ll tell you up front, I don’t have an ironclad solution here. But I’ve gathered this much:

The worst thing to do is let them win. You always have to come back to the writing. You can’t walk away forever. If it matters to you, you have to come back to the writing.

You can try to fight them. Sometimes I argue back. Or I imagine gagging them with a bandana and duct tape and locking them in a mental closet so their chatter becomes more like a mumbling hum of bees. But it can be mentally draining to fight these critics, and eventually they work themselves free and resume their spots on the couch.

You could set up a nice bar and try to appease them with booze. But that road can easily lead to a louder and unruly environment, with the critics coming to blows over your excessive use of adverbs. And it’s pretty much inevitable that someone in the mix will end up being an emotional, crying drunk and someone else will be retching in the toilet. By the time they all pass out you’ll be too exhausted and the stench will be too unbearable to get any writing done.

The thing is, as annoying as they are, there is some benefit to having these critics around. Sometimes they offer something worth listening to. Maybe the dialogue could be sharper or maybe that scene is lacking tension. Maybe you do need to knock it off with the adverbs already. I don’t think the answer is to plow forward stubbornly, ignoring everything they have to say, anymore than it’s to run away.

The key for me has been to learn to work with them. What I know about these inner critics:

1) They want me to succeed. Deep down at least. Because they know if I do, they can claim a part of that. The criticism is their know-it-all way of trying to point me down the path they think will work best.
2) You can never please them all. You will never write something that every single one is excited about or interested in. (Especially Stan and Hilde. Those two never agree on anything.)

So I continue to chip away and try my best to tune out my mental characters and tune in my novel characters. Occasionally I have to shout at them to pipe down, or they bait me into an argument. I might stuff them in a closet so I can finally get some peace and quiet. Often times it’s in the peace and quiet that their words resonate most. The relevant ones rise to the top and I might even get excited as I see their point and understand how I can improve a scene. And crazily enough, if the peace and quiet lingers too long, I might even start to miss their constant chatter and bickering. Ring marks, crumbs, and all.

Jennifer Bertram has worked in various aspects of publishing, including interning for YM magazine, reading slush for a literary agent, and most recently being the managing editor for the SCBWI's regional magazine, Kite Tales. She's currently revising her middle grade mystery.

How do you lock up your inner editor? Or have you learned to live with them?

What's Up With the Adverb?

 Today I give you the often hilarious Deana Barnhart. If you check out her blog, you'll not only be entertained, but inspired. Don't miss her Gearin' Up to Get An Agent Blogfest in July. You'll learn a ton of great information.

 What's Up With the Adverb? by Deana Barnhart

I didn't see a thing wrong with adverbs until recently when I submitted my work into a couple of writing contests.  I'm happy to say I placed third in one and top twenty in another but much of my negative feedback had to do with adverbs.  Can I tell you how sad this makes me.  I have loved peppering my writing with 'ly' words.  They have been a part of my life since grade school.  I suppose that's where they needed to stay.

So why are adverbs such backstabbers?

Mark Twain once said, "Adverbs are the tool of the lazy writer."

Huh?  Well, let's take a closer look and see why.

The Encarta World English Dictionary states that an adverb is:

1. modifier of verb or adjective: a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a sentence, e.g. "happily," "very," or "frankly".

So basically you use an adverb to spice up a weak word.  For example: "She tightly closed her eyes."  The verb "closed" isn't strong enough so you pop in "tightly" to better describe it.

What would happen if you used a verb with more zing from the start negating the need for an adverb all together.  How about this instead: "Her eyes slammed shut."  Bam!  Just by changing the verb from "closed" to "slammed" you instantly get a picture of what is going on and it isn't as wordy, which adverbs tend to bring about in writing.

Another problem when using adverbs too often is the risk of telling the story rather than showing it (another big no no we will discuss later).  You want the reader to feel like they are right there in the action with the characters, not on the sidelines watching.

I'm not saying adverbs should be banned from writing.  They are a part of the English language for reason and I personally like them every now and again.

If you're an adverb lover why not try to flex your writing muscle a bit more today.  Write something and go through replacing all the 'ly' adverbs with more dynamic verbs, adjectives, etc.  See where that takes you.

What are your thoughts on adverbs?  Do you love them, love to hate them or a little of both?

 Deana Barnhart is a thirty-something mom of two who constantly thinks of stories to write, and every once in a while those ideas make it to the computer. She blogs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday or whenver she's dying to spill the beans about something.

Need to replace your weak verbs? Here's a list of strong verbs.