Clichéd to Death and Sick of It?
By: Marcia King-Gamble
Every writer struggles to keep their work fresh and avoid
those much overused platitudes which have readers grimacing and rolling their eyes.
You know exactly what I mean; those smarmy, trite phrases that in the real world
would have you snarling, “Gag me with a spoon, please,” and running in the opposite direction.
Yes, I know this blog is supposed to be about your favorite
romantic clichés, but honestly, I have been over clichéd so have no favorites. I
am taking an entirely different approach to this blog topic.
Readers expect and
deserve more than pit-pattering hearts and pulsating body parts. Romance writing
is not about heaving bosoms and throbbing cores. Readers want to meet real people and be introduced to fresh new approaches
to story telling. And this my friend is why an author has a “voice." There is no excuse for lazy writing.
Top of mind are some much overused phrases that have me
gnashing my teeth and swearing.
She fell into a sea of blue
She stared at him like a deer caught in headlights
He was the stuff dreams were made of
Her mouth went dry and her knees turned to jelly when he
walked into the room
I think you get my point.
As a romance writer, it can be challenging to come up with fresh,
unique ways of telling a story and still keep things steamy and romantic. But it’s the writer’s job to find the right words to engage
the reader and leave them panting for more. There are ways to do this without sounding
soupy or over the top. Why would anyone
want to settle for the tried and true and sound like every other writer? You have
your own unique voice and way of delivering.
When I sit down to write, I have my arsenal lined up of: drink,
snack, research materials. I always have the print version of a dictionary and
thesaurus within arm’s reach. There’s something about flipping through pages and
finding just the right words or expressions that is liberating. I never get
that rush surfing the web.
If I want to be hip and current, there’s the Urban
Dictionary. I’m amazed by the creative euphemisms for everyday words. With
just some wordsmithing I can create jaw dropping scenes that would otherwise
be snorers. The Urban Dictionary is my “go to” place for snappy, current day dialogue.
I’ve even created a character or two based on some catchy, down-home phrase.
Years ago, I received
what is still today a cherished gift. The Flip Dictionary by Barbara Ann Kipfer
Ph.D. It is now one of my most prized possession and something
every writer should have in their toolbox. If you are struggling to find the
right words, you can find it all here.
Below you will find an excerpt from my latest
novella, Tempting Andie (the third in The Revelers Series.) The story is now available on Amazon and
Barnes and Noble. Be sure to let me know if I’ve done a decent job without the cliches.
Excerpt from Tempting Andie:
The lobby doors slid open and Evan and
Miguel dressed in brightly colored board shorts walked in. Andie’s retort got
caught in her throat. The sheer maleness of Evan rendered her speechless. She should have stayed with him last night.
Today his unshaved whiskers made him look mysterious and sexier than ever. Just once she wanted those biceps wrapped
around her and those fingers strumming her chords. Evan’s broad chest in that
Tee-shirt was designed for a woman to lay her head on. Andie’s hormones were already revving out of
control.
And that ladies and
gentlemen is it for this month!
Romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry executive and current world traveler has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned 26 books and 4 novellas. Her free time is spent at the gym, traveling to exotic locales, and caring for her animal family.
Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/MarciaKingGamble
Marcia’s latest release, a novella, “Tempting Andie,” the third in The Revelers Series is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. http://amzn.com/B00MDZLAQI
She writes a monthly column for http://digitalromanceinc.com
10 comments:
Hi Marcia, as an old English teacher I'm giving you an A+ on your excerpt. No cliche in sight! Thanks for the tips. I'd heard about the Urban Dictionary but not the Flip Dictionary. I'm going to Powell's later this week so I'll check them out.
Thanks Judith for stopping by and commenting. Love, love my Flip Dictionary. You will too.
Marcia
Fun post, Marcia. I don't think I've used any of the clichés on your list, and I'll have to look for that Flip Dictionary!
Marcia, Great excerpt and the post is spot on about cliches. You intrigued me with the Flip Dictionary as well. I'm headed to look it up. ;)
Interesting article. I also wrote down the Flip Dictionary as I'd never heard of it but it sounds like a great tool. :)
Yes, ladies. I got the Flip Dictionary as a gift and have not been without it since! Thanks for stopping by. Happy to share tips and I learn so much from each of you.
Thank you for the great resource book ideas! Enjoyed your post and excerpt.
Thank you, Sarah. Good of you to stop by.
I loved your excerpt too, and thanks for the resources to look into. It is hard to avoid cliches, but well worth the rich and vibrant result. Thanks, Marcia!
Nice to see you here, Christy. Always add a twist to a cliche and that usually works.
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