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| 12 cliches to avoid: Source: Writers digest |
A Cliché is a phrase
or opinion that has been repeatedly used over the years.
A writer should edit out clichés as much as possible.
Why should we not use Clichés?
The reasons are:
1. Clichés are attributed to lazy writing, hesitation, and
inconsistency.
2. Their presence make writing boring, the readers might
have read these very lines many times before.
3. Clichés leave nothing new to remember for the readers. They
are often familiar with these phrases.
4. The readers will label the writer as insincere and lazy.
How to Avoid Clichés:
1. Try to rephrase a cliché.
Example:
Instead of saying avoid it like plague; use a phrase of your
own like: avoid it like a hot shower in the peak of summer.
2. Find another sentence that means the same
Example:
Dead as a doornail
Instead use: Dead as a fish in the frying pan? Use your
imagination and give something new that the reader is familiar with.
Microsoft word has options that you can turn on that
identifies clichés in a document. This helps you eliminate them easily.
Happy writing folks.
This post is a part of the APRIL A-Z Challenge
