How to Avoid Using Clichés
Because clichés are undesirable in creative work, it is necessary to replace them with original phrases. Often clichés can also be replaced with specific words, which always makes writing better.
In order to avoid using clichés,
- Identify clichés.
- Replace clichés with original or specific descriptions.
Consider the following clichés and possible replacements:
Clichéd sentence #1:
“He ran as fast as the speed of light!”
In this sentence, “the speed of light” is the cliché.
Original sentence #1:
“He ran so fast he looked like a blur as went by. “
Usually concrete descriptive language is more original and interesting than a cliché.
Original sentence #2:
“He ran faster than a jackrabbit chased by a coyote.”
This sentence uses a creative, descriptive, and interesting comparison to avoid using a cliché.
Here is another example:
Clichéd sentence #2:
“He avoids work like the plague!”
Original sentence #1:
“He will do almost anything to avoid working.”
Original sentence #2:
“He would probably run a marathon to get away from work.”
Once again, the literal and original sentences seem to say more in a more interesting way than the cliché.
When to Use Cliché
You should rarely use clichés in creative work, since they show a lack of creativity. Clichés can weaken poetry, prose, speeches, and other compositions. As Editor Sol Stein writes, “Cut every cliché you come across.” There are times, though, when clichés may be useful. For example, many parodies, advertisements, and comedies make fun of clichés for the audience’s enjoyment. Clichés can be enjoyable because they had to have a lot of appeal to get overused and become cliché in the first place. For this reason, although romantic, superhero, and dramatic movies tend to be pretty cliché, we still enjoy them.