Cliches

Today I am thinking about cliche's. Yep the boring of the boring for books. I realize that for your manuscript to fit into a genre it has to have some common elements with other books to fit in so we can add a label to our writings. Labels are uncomfortable for me. I despise having to say that my book will most likely be dubbed as a youth book when it really is an all ages book.

Cliche's are everywhere. From page one to the last page, from the moment we meet the villain and we know that he will be bad and do horrid things just to fit his label. From the vampires that fall in love with the sweet and innocent mortal to the perfect goody two shoes, who in the story has flaws but nothing really too overbearing, that totes the whole story.

The reason why I quit reading romances is because of the cliche's. I am sick to death of reading the same story over and over. The girl needs a man's man, and he's the one for the job even though he is clueless until he has a moment of perfect clarity and he realizes that he does love her. Gag me. Who hasn't read that 50 billion times over?

I want to PREVENT cliche's in my writing. I want the reader to feel something for my character's. I spent so much time inventing them and making them live why would I place them into the mediocre? That's senseless, I don't see the reasoning behind it. Why work if your not going to give your project 100% of everything you have? Not only have you wasted your time, but your readers as well. I have actually returned books to the store because of this. When the store clerk asks my reasoning for returning the book they look at me like I'm crazy when I say that it was dull, but I will not read another cliche story. I crave something more, I want to read something that will move me into another mode of thinking and living.

These days money is tight and needs to be well spent. Give your readers something worth their buck. Show them the story, not tell it, and give them something more. Reinvent your writing style if you have to, talk to people who actually have the same occupation as your main character if you haven't been there and done that. Get out there in the world and experience something then write about it. Drop the dull and overused plot lines and create something that leaps off the page into your readers hearts. Yes it will be hard, but dang it, aren't you worth it? Isn't your manuscript worth it? Isn't your readers worth it? Yes!! Let's open the minds and hearts of the world! We are the music makers and the dreamers don't be pushed around just to fill pages or to meet a deadline. Anything good is worth waiting for.