Welcome back to another year at Turner Editing. We’re going to continue posting helpful hints and suggestions to assist writers, but we’ve changed up the topics this year. We’ll keep the Terms category (as there are still a few folks confused about the jargon), but we’ll be replacing the Printing topic with a Marketing one (for those ready to take on the next aspect of writing). We’ve also swapped out Grammar for one covering the Writing process (for those who need the bigger picture). The last topic, Shortcuts, seems to have been exhausted, so we’re going to look at and review some Software that may make your writing easier.
Just as a clarification for those new to this site, let me explain about our naming and numbering scheme. You’ll notice that the posts have a topic and level indicated. This one is “Terms, 1 Introductory”. That means it is a first level discussion on some terminology. The other levels are “2 Basic”, “3 Advanced”, and “4 Excessive”. When you get done reading any post, if you’re still confused, let us know. We hope to be able to answer all your questions and be your source for writing information.
New Terms
This year, when we’re doing the Terms postings, we won’t be just listing or defining some new words—instead we’ll explain in more detail and show how to use (or correct) certain aspects of writing. We mentioned some of the expressions last year (in which case, we’ll link the two posts), but we’ll also add in a few fresh ones that have come up in questions and discussions with various clients and readers.
At the end of last year, we gave short definitions of a bunch of terms (Writing and Editing Terms #1, #2, and #3), specifically mentioning some issues to avoid. Well, now we’re going to expand on one of those items to avoid: Clichés, and their friends Metaphor and Simile. I’ve seen too many good stories that have been spoiled by some stale clichés, yet the fix is relatively easy…once you know what to look for, so we’ll start off with a definition, then dive right into the remedy.
What Exactly Are Clichés?
When someone puts together a phrase that succinctly expresses a thought, it gets repeated. The problem is that the best such phrases get repeated a LOT. Once one gets repeated too many times, and everyone knows it, it becomes a cliché. It once had the power to catch attention and fill in a gap in language, but now, due to over use, it is weak.
Writers write what they know, what they’ve read…unfortunately, what usually comes to mind are those trite little phrases. It’s so easy to just throw it in there…everyone knows what it means, but that’s just the problem…everyone knows. It’s no longer a bright spot in the literary world. It’s now a worn out, tired old, ready to be replaced expression…and maybe you are the one to replace it.
When you have something fascinating to say, see if you can find a fresh way to express it. Surprise us with the connections you make. Make us stop and smile at the wonderful way you take us along with you into the story.
What are Metaphors and Similes?
Very similar, both metaphors and similes relate things that aren’t usually connected—in a metaphor, you say that something is something else…in a simile, you just say that they are similar to each other.
- Metaphors
- His eyes were blue ice.
- Her hair was a river of golden flax.
- His muscles were mountains on his arms.
- Her smile was a bow, made to launch cupid’s arrows.
- Similes
- His eyes were as blue as ice.
- Her hair flowed like a river of golden flax.
- His muscles bulged like mountains on his arms.
- Her smile curved upwards, like a bow made to launch cupid’s arrows.
As you can see, you can use either one to say the same thing, so you get to pick which to use. The problem with both is that although once evocative upon creation, as soon as they start getting used and reused again and again, they both can become clichéd, so your task is to find new and interesting ways to connect things, and someday, we’ll be quoting you.