1. 1 Cliches (and other evils) to clean out of your manuscript

2. 2 cliché [klee-shey, kli-] noun 1. a trite, stereotyped expression; a sentence or phrase, usually expressing a popular or common thought or idea, that has lost originality, ingenuity, and impact by long overuse, as sadder but wiser, or strong as an ox. 2. (in art, literature, drama, etc.) a trite or hackneyed plot, character development, use of color, musical expression, etc. 3. anything that has become trite or commonplace through overuse.

3. 3 Break a leg. Dropping like flies. Hit the nail on the head. Child’s play. Cherry red lips. Dog tired. On his death bed. “I was born ready.” Cry like a baby. Coal black eyes. High as a kite. Cute as a button. Soft as a baby’s skin. Her face turned beet red. Hard as a rock. “Don’t you die on me!”

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10. 10 Break a leg. Dropping like flies. Hit the nail on the head. Child’s play. Cherry red lips. Dog tired. On his death bed. “I was born ready.” Cry like a baby. Coal black eyes. High as a kite. Cute as a button. Soft as a baby’s skin. Her face turned beet red. Hard as a rock. “Don’t you die on me!”

11. 11 Break a leg. Dropping like flies. Hit the nail on the head. Child’s play. Cherry red lips. Dog tired. On his death bed. “I was born ready.” Cry like a baby. Coal black eyes. High as a kite. Cute as a button. Soft as a baby’s skin. Her face turned beet red. Hard as a rock. “Don’t you die on me!”

12. 12 Break a leg. Dropping like flies. Hit the nail on the head. Child’s play. Cherry red lips. Dog tired. On his death bed. “I was born ready.” Cry like a baby. Coal black eyes. High as a kite. Cute as a button. Soft as a baby’s skin. Her face turned beet red. Hard as a rock. “Don’t you die on me!”

13. 13 Break a leg. Dropping like flies. Hit the nail on the head. Child’s play. Cherry red lips. Dog tired. On his death bed. “I was born ready.” Cry like a baby. Coal black eyes. High as a kite. Cute as a button. Soft as a baby’s skin. Her face turned beet red. Hard as a rock. “Don’t you die on me!”

14. 14 Break a leg. Dropping like flies. Hit the nail on the head. Child’s play. Cherry red lips. Dog tired. On his death bed. “I was born ready.” Cry like a baby. Coal black eyes. High as a kite. Cute as a button. Soft as a baby’s skin. Her face turned beet red. Hard as a rock. “Don’t you die on me!”

15. 15 Break a leg. Dropping like flies. Hit the nail on the head. Child’s play. Cherry red lips. Dog tired. On his death bed. “I was born ready.” Cry like a baby. Coal black eyes. High as a kite. Cute as a button. Soft as a baby’s bottom. Her face turned beet red. Hard as a rock. “Don’t you die on me!”

16. 16 Break a leg. Dropping like flies. Hit the nail on the head. Child’s play. Cherry red lips. Dog tired. On his death bed. “I was born ready.” Cry like a baby. Coal black eyes. High as a kite. Cute as a button. Soft as a baby’s bottom. Her face turned beet red. Hard as a rock. “Don’t you die on me!”

17. 17 Break a leg. Dropping like flies. Hit the nail on the head. Child’s play. Cherry red lips. Dog tired. On his death bed. “I was born ready.” Cry like a baby. Coal black eyes. High as a kite. Cute as a button. Soft as a baby’s bottom. Her face turned beet red. Hard as a rock. “Don’t you die on me!”

18. 18 Break a leg. Dropping like flies. Hit the nail on the head. Child’s play. Cherry red lips. Dog tired. On his death bed. “I was born ready.” Cry like a baby. Coal black eyes. High as a kite. Cute as a button. Soft as a baby’s bottom. Her face turned beet red. Hard as a rock. Ripped to shreds

19. 19 metaphor [met-uh-fawr, -fer] noun 1. a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance, as in “A mighty fortress is our God.” 2. something used, or regarded as being used, to represent something else; emblem; symbol.

20. 20 Destroy bad metaphors

21. 21 How To Deal With These 1. Delete them 2. Make them your own (Consider: storyworld, situation, character’s voice)

22. 22 Watch That Dialogue

23. 23 Once upon a time... Avoiding Clichés in Plot Clichés in Your Plot

24. 24 Look at... Plot, Characters, & Scenes -A chosen one -A prophecy fulfilled -Prologues with an abandoned baby -The best friend falls in love with the main character -The fake death. We saw him die, but...he's alive! -Character goes through training of some kind -The bad guy is really the main character's parent -The "we look alike, let's switch places" plot -Big guys are dumb and oafish -The evil, dark lord of whatever -Villains monologuing -Couple hates each other/falls in love later. -Plain girl gets makeover and now all the guys love her. -The orphan who turns out to be someone really important

25. 25 Look at... Plot, Characters, & Scenes -A chosen one -A prophecy fulfilled -Prologues with an abandoned baby -The best friend falls in love with the main character -The fake death. We saw him die, but...he's alive! -Character goes through training of some kind -The bad guy is really the main character's parent -The "we look alike, let's switch places" plot -Big guys are dumb and oafish -The evil, dark lord of whatever -Villains monologuing -Couple hates each other/falls in love later. -Plain girl gets makeover and now all the guys love her. -The orphan who turns out to be someone really important

26. 26 Look at... Plot, Characters, & Scenes -A chosen one -A prophecy fulfilled -Prologues with an abandoned baby -The best friend falls in love with the main character -The fake death. We saw him die, but...he's alive! -Character goes through training of some kind -The bad guy is really the main character's parent -The "we look alike, let's switch places" plot -Big guys are dumb and oafish -The evil, dark lord of whatever -Villains monologuing -Couple hates each other/falls in love later. -Plain girl gets makeover and now all the guys love her. -The orphan who turns out to be someone really important

27. 27 Look at... Plot, Characters, & Scenes -A chosen one -A prophecy fulfilled -Prologues with an abandoned baby -The best friend falls in love with the main character -The fake death. We saw him die, but...he's alive! -Character goes through training of some kind -The bad guy is really the main character's parent -The "we look alike, let's switch places" plot -Big guys are dumb and oafish -The evil, dark lord of whatever -Villains monologuing -Couple hates each other/falls in love later. -Plain girl gets makeover and now all the guys love her. -The orphan who turns out to be someone really important

28. 28 Look at... Plot, Characters, & Scenes -A chosen one -A prophecy fulfilled -Prologues with an abandoned baby -The best friend falls in love with the main character -The fake death. We saw him die, but...he's alive! -Character goes through training of some kind -The bad guy is really the main character's parent -The "we look alike, let's switch places" plot -Big guys are dumb and oafish -The evil, dark lord of whatever -Villains monologuing -Couple hates each other/falls in love later. -Plain girl gets makeover and now all the guys love her. -The orphan who turns out to be someone really important

29. 29 Look at... Plot, Characters, & Scenes -A chosen one -A prophecy fulfilled -Prologues with an abandoned baby -The best friend falls in love with the main character -The fake death. We saw him die, but...he's alive! -Character goes through training of some kind -The bad guy is really the main character's parent -The "we look alike, let's switch places" plot -Big guys are dumb and oafish -The evil, dark lord of whatever -Villains monologuing -Couple hates each other/falls in love later. -Plain girl gets makeover and now all the guys love her. -The orphan who turns out to be someone really important

30. 30 Look at... Plot, Characters, & Scenes -A chosen one -A prophecy fulfilled -Prologues with an abandoned baby -The best friend falls in love with the main character -The fake death. We saw him die, but...he's alive! -Character goes through training of some kind -The bad guy is really the main character's parent -The "we look alike, let's switch places" plot -Big guys are dumb and oafish -The evil, dark lord of whatever -Villains monologuing -Couple hates each other/falls in love later. -Plain girl gets makeover and now all the guys love her. -The orphan who turns out to be someone really important

31. 31 Look at... Plot, Characters, & Scenes -A chosen one -A prophecy fulfilled -Prologues with an abandoned baby -The best friend falls in love with the main character -The fake death. We saw him die, but...he's alive! -Character goes through training of some kind -The bad guy is really the main character's parent -The "we look alike, let's switch places" plot -Big guys are dumb and oafish -The evil, dark lord of whatever -Villains monologuing -Couple hates each other/falls in love later. -Plain girl gets makeover and now all the guys love her. -The orphan who turns out to be someone really important

32. 32 Look at... Plot, Characters, & Scenes -A chosen one -A prophecy fulfilled -Prologues with an abandoned baby -The best friend falls in love with the main character -The fake death. We saw him die, but...he's alive! -Character goes through training of some kind -The bad guy is really the main character's parent -The "we look alike, let's switch places" plot -Big guys are dumb and oafish -The evil, dark lord of whatever -Villains monologuing -Couple hates each other/falls in love later. -Plain girl gets makeover and now all the guys love her. -The orphan who turns out to be someone really important

33. 33 Look at... Plot, Characters, & Scenes -A chosen one -A prophecy fulfilled -Prologues with an abandoned baby -The best friend falls in love with the main character -The fake death. We saw him die, but...he's alive! -Character goes through training of some kind -The bad guy is really the main character's parent -The "we look alike, let's switch places" plot -Big guys are dumb and oafish -The evil, dark lord of whatever -Villains monologuing -Couple hates each other/falls in love later. -Plain girl gets makeover and now all the guys love her. -The orphan who turns out to be someone really important

34. 34 Look at... Plot, Characters, & Scenes -A chosen one -A prophecy fulfilled -Prologues with an abandoned baby -The best friend falls in love with the main character -The fake death. We saw him die, but...he's alive! -Character goes through training of some kind -The bad guy is really the main character's parent -The "we look alike, let's switch places" plot -Big guys are dumb and oafish -The evil, dark lord of whatever -Villains monologuing -Couple hates each other/falls in love later. -Plain girl gets makeover and now all the guys love her. -The orphan who turns out to be someone really important

35. 35 Look at... Plot, Characters, & Scenes -A chosen one -A prophecy fulfilled -Prologues with an abandoned baby -The best friend falls in love with the main character -The fake death. We saw him die, but...he's alive! -Character goes through training of some kind -The bad guy is really the main character's parent -The "we look alike, let's switch places" plot -Big guys are dumb and oafish -The evil, dark lord of whatever -Villains monologuing -Couple hates each other/falls in love later. -Plain girl gets makeover and now all the guys love her. -The orphan who turns out to be someone really important

36. 36 Look at... Plot, Characters, & Scenes -A chosen one -A prophecy fulfilled -Prologues with an abandoned baby -The best friend falls in love with the main character -The fake death. We saw him die, but...he's alive! -Character goes through training of some kind -The bad guy is really the main character's parent -The "we look alike, let's switch places" plot -Big guys are dumb and oafish -The evil, dark lord of whatever -Villains monologuing -Couple hates each other/falls in love later. -Plain girl gets makeover and now all the guys love her. -The orphan who turns out to be someone really important

37. 37 Look at... Plot, Characters, & Scenes -A chosen one -A prophecy fulfilled -Prologues with an abandoned baby -The best friend falls in love with the main character -The fake death. We saw him die, but...he's alive! -Character goes through training of some kind -The bad guy is really the main character's parent -The "we look alike, let's switch places" plot -Big guys are dumb and oafish -The evil, dark lord of whatever -Villains monologuing -Couple hates each other/falls in love later. -Plain girl gets makeover and now all the guys love her. -The orphan who turns out to be someone really important

38. 38 Don’t Panic!

39. 39 How To Deal With These 1. Have a reason for every scene

40. 40 How To Deal With These 2. Avoid stereotypes.

41. 41 How To Deal With These 3. Do the opposite or something unexpected. (Steph’s card trick.)

42. 42 How To Deal With These 4. Create your own creatures, weapons, phrases—whatever you need.

43. 43 How To Deal With These 1. Have a reason for every scene 5. Vary your characters' ages.

44. 44 How To Deal With These 6. Cut the prologue

45. 45 How To Deal With These 7. Read a lot

46. 46 Once upon a time, I was a teen writer.

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48. 48 4 mistakes I learned to fix before I became publishable:

49. 49 “To your parents, it’ll matter. Trust me,” Karen says. “I promise I won’t get into any trouble,” I say. “You’ll hardly know I’m there.” “It’s not about that,” Karen says.

50. 50 “To your parents, it’ll matter. Trust me,” Karen tells me. “I promise I won’t get into any trouble,” I reply. “You’ll hardly know I’m there.” “It’s not about that,” Karen answers.

51. 51 Karen glances at the door to Grandmom and Granddad’s, as if she can see the four of them inside sipping weak coffee. “To your parents, it’ll matter. Trust me.”

52. 52 “I promise I won’t get into any trouble.” Desperation bleeds into my voice, but I don’t care. “You’ll hardly know I’m there.”

53. 53 Karen sighs and leans against the post. “It’s not about that.”

54. 54 Passive vs. Active sentences Passive: The game will be at 7:00. Active : The game is at 7:00.

55. 55 Passive vs. Active sentences Passive: The game will be at 7:00. Jane was stirring the soup. Active : The game is at 7:00. Jane stirred the soup.

56. 56 Passive vs. Active sentences Passive: The game will be at 7:00. Jane was stirring the soup. The drapes were hanging at an odd angle. Active : The game is at 7:00. Jane stirred the soup. The drapes hung at an odd angle.

57. 57 Passive vs. Active sentences Passive: The game will be at 7:00. Jane was stirring the soup. The drapes were hanging at an odd angle. The drapes are hanging at an odd angle. Active : The game is at 7:00. Jane stirred the soup. The drapes hung at an odd angle. The drapes hang at an odd angle.

58. 58 Jane walked quickly to the door.

59. 59 Jane walked quickly to the door. Jane raced to the door.

60. 60 Jane walked quickly to the door. Jane raced to the door. Jane hurried to the door.

61. 61 Jane walked quickly to the door. Jane raced to the door. Jane hurried to the door. Jane flew to the door.

62. 62 Jane walked quickly to the door. Jane raced to the door. Jane hurried to the door. Jane flew to the door. Jane sprinted to the door.

63. 63 When should I let myself use an adverb? When there isn’t a stronger verb that describes the action.

64. 64 When should I let myself use an adverb? When there isn’t a stronger verb that describes the action. When it’s dialogue.

65. 65 When should I let myself use an adverb? When there isn’t a stronger verb that describes the action. When it’s dialogue. When I’m choosing it for voice purposes.

66. 66 Your Pets Pet words: unique words you overuse.

67. 67 Your Pets Pet words: unique words you overuse. Pet actions: the action(s) you fall back on for characters

68. 68 Your Pets Pet words: unique words you overuse. Pet actions: the action(s) you fall back on for characters Pet punctuation: punctuation that you use to the point of distraction

69. 69 Your Pets Pet words: unique words you overuse. Pet actions: the action(s) you fall back on for characters Pet punctuation: punctuation that you use to the point of distraction Sneaky pets: Unnecessary words that sneak in.

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