Overused, cringey, cliche words

[dirtylittlecucker]

Hi, first thread for me!
When I write, I try hard to avoid using words or terms that are cliche, cringey or overused. Thank goodness for the thesaurus.
I thought, in case there wasn't a thread already, to start one. (At least as a reference for me!)
I hope, you that read this, would add your thoughts, too.
Thank you!


Some words and phrases:
Kudos
Team player
Best practices
Tried and true

 

[mynameisben]

"In the foreseeable future"

Lest we all forget, the future is NOT foreseeable.


Ben

 

[dirtylittlecucker]

whole-hearted.
most importantly.

I have read to never use the word "very" it seems to be superfluous.

 

[lovecraft68]

I used to get stuck on using "needless to say" because obviously if it is, why are we saying it...at least with that expression as a lead in.

 

[dirtylittlecucker]

for what its worth.

Honestly.

&
no offense.

three phrases that setup for doubt I think.

 

[lovecraft68]

for what its worth.

Honestly.

&
no offense.

three phrases that setup for doubt I think.

I don't know that its a cliched phrase, but I struggled with characters starting dialogue with "I mean..." this was an extension of the fact I speak like that and that's why it kept showing up, I had to work on purging it from my own speech to get it out of my writing.

 

[SimonDoom]

For me, it's qualifiers.

Very. Somewhat. A bit. Fairly.

It's a terrible habit for me. I think it's because I have an aversion to overstatement. I use qualifiers to pull back from the full effect of the verbs I use. I should get rid of them and just let the verbs fly. I'm trying to do that.

Concerning cliches, I'm more tolerant of their use than some, because I think in real life people often think of sex in terms of cliches, and it's OK for stories to capture the way people really think about sex. If in real life it turns people on to think of someone being "hung like a horse," then it's OK for a story to capture that and describe it that way. It depends on how the story is being told, and what the point of view is.

 

[dirtylittlecucker]

For me, it's qualifiers.

Very. Somewhat. A bit. Fairly.

It's a terrible habit for me. I think it's because I have an aversion to overstatement. I use qualifiers to pull back from the full effect of the verbs I use. I should get rid of them and just let the verbs fly. I'm trying to do that.

Concerning cliches, I'm more tolerant of their use than some, because I think in real life people often think of sex in terms of cliches, and it's OK for stories to capture the way people really think about sex. If in real life it turns people on to think of someone being "hung like a horse," then it's OK for a story to capture that and describe it that way. It depends on how the story is being told, and what the point of view is.

right!
Using phrases that add description, where people can relate is so helpful.
I agree, how and when it is used is important.

 

[mynameisben]

I have read to never use the word "very" it seems to be superfluous.

While I agree that what you have read is generally solid advice, I object to the word "never." I believe Every word has its value, including the over used "very." There is a time and place for everything.


Ben

 

[TadOverdon]

One deliberately commits many sins in dialogue that are bad practice in narration. But I find myself getting tired of characters saying "I mean" in my stories, just as lovecraft68 does. Also tired of reading "Well," and "So," despite that it seems lately as if people IRL use them to start every other sentence.

I guess the trick to dialogue is to capture the rhythms and informal grammar of speech but to edit and, usually, condense.

 

[MelissaBaby]

"Let me tell you..."

Just fucking tell me, already.

"To be honest..."

What have you been up to now?

 

[lovecraft68]

One deliberately commits many sins in dialogue that are bad practice in narration. But I find myself getting tired of characters saying "I mean" in my stories, just as lovecraft68 does. Also tired of reading "Well," and "So," despite that it seems lately as if people IRL use them to start every other sentence.

I guess the trick to dialogue is to capture the rhythms and informal grammar of speech but to edit and, usually, condense.

When I first started writing a friend of mine who had published some noir style detective stories told me to not worry about grammar or formality, and to listen to a conversation among of a group of people and how we generally butcher the English language.

I always enjoyed people watching, so now I added listening.

How much stock to put into I don't know, but for years now a recurring compliment for me is how real my dialogue sounds. I take it to mean apparently I can butcher the language with the best of them.

 

[lovecraft68]

"Let me tell you..."

Just fucking tell me, already.

"To be honest..."

What have you been up to now?

Those are both good ones, especially the second one, gets you thinking about whatever was said before.

I'll toss in one that's a peeve of mine in real life.

"If I were you."

"Well, you're not, okay?"

 

[TadOverdon]

I think that "Honestly" is useful in dialogue because it points to just what you all are saying. It's a signal that the speaker is dissembling, just as "I'm glad you asked" is a stall.

 

[TadOverdon]

When I first started writing a friend of mine who had published some noir style detective stories told me to not worry about grammar or formality, and to listen to a conversation among of a group of people and how we generally butcher the English language.

I always enjoyed people watching, so now I added listening.

I agree. That said, I can generate 1000 words in an hour or so just by writing a conversation, and realize afterward that most of it has to go. People speak at length, and repetitively, and it's usually better to suggest that than to transcribe it.

"Usually." Usually is a word that I usually overuse, and now that I notice it, it's as obviously a nuisance as "obviously."

 

[lovecraft68]

I agree. That said, I can generate 1000 words in an hour or so just by writing a conversation, and realize afterward that most of it has to go. People speak at length, and repetitively, and it's usually better to suggest that than to transcribe it.

"Usually." Usually is a word that I usually overuse, and now that I notice it, it's as obviously a nuisance as "obviously."

The mistake I make when writing a conversation in flow that I have to fox later is I always use the characters names. There's only two people, they know who they're talking to, the reader knows who they are...

There is a time for it, to stress a particular statement or make sure the reader didn't lose track of who is speaking, but I do it way to often and have to go back and remove a lot of them

 

[TadOverdon]

Same here.

 

[NotWise]

The mistake I make when writing a conversation in flow that I have to fox later is I always use the characters names. There's only two people, they know who they're talking to, the reader knows who they are...

There is a time for it, to stress a particular statement or make sure the reader didn't lose track of who is speaking, but I do it way to often and have to go back and remove a lot of them

Then there's "sis" and "bro," especially in sibcest strories.

 

[lovecraft68]

Then there's "sis" and "bro," especially in sibcest strories.

Right, the pronoun thing.

In incest it has its place because that is the point of the kink is too not go too long without reminding the reader who is doing it to who.

But everything in moderation. My first taboo stories went overboard on them for sure, the last few years I've slowed down on them, and like the name thing I still do it in flow, but change during edits.

I remember getting a few negative remarks on a story I did where the mother-because she was conflicted with what was happening-had her son call her by her first name during sex, and I was told that "he could be fucking any woman, he needs to be calling her mom!"

Sad, but I feel accurate with the genre.

 

[KeithD]

While I agree that what you have read is generally solid advice, I object to the word "never." I believe Every word has its value, including the over used "very." There is a time and place for everything.


Ben

In addition, people are grounded in cliches. A limited use of them keeps people in their comfort zones as they read.

 

[lovecraft68]

In addition, people are grounded in cliches. A limited use of them keeps people in their comfort zones as they read.

True, I point out all the time that the readers here prefer familiar over new. If you write the way people speak-including overusing certain words in their style of speech-it gives them an air of real, start using little known phrases and getting fancy its like driving over a speedbump to them.

 

[SamScribble]

If we are talking dialogue, clichés are often part of the character. So they have their place.

Which leads me to: a double negative is not without a certain usefulness.

 

[rescatooor]

"cringe" and "cringey"

No offense to thread maker.

 

[dirtylittlecucker]

"cringe" and "cringey"

No offense to thread maker.

Ha! Cringe.
None taken.

 

[KeithD]

If we are talking dialogue, clichés are often part of the character. So they have their place.

Which leads me to: a double negative is not without a certain usefulness.

Even in the narrative, an occasional cliche can be a quick and comprehensive index that the reader will recognize and be comfortable with and breeze right through with a full understanding that wouldn't happen if more unique terms were used. Sometimes running to the Thesaurus to avoid repetition can just bog the read down. It's a balancing act, not an always/never do this or that exercise.