Once upon a time… a writer chose a visual so powerful it hit every reader, and created an emotional reaction.
“A single tear ran down her cheek…”
Wow.
Powerful.
Hits both male and female readers.
And sadly, every writer for the next thirty years used it, destroying it.
It’s become a cliche.
I wanted so badly to include it in a scene. Ten thousand writers have used it since 1967, so… um…
You could argue that eventually, everything becomes a cliche. Yes, you’re probably right. But don’t fight this one. To use it, you’d have to build up the drama, the suspense so greatly by the time you use it – it’d probably just be easier and more believable to say, “She wept.”
Or hey… describe someone sobbing.
Sighs.
Okay. This is my nemesis. I don’t sigh very much. Well, who am I kidding. It’s a cultural thing. Usually followed with “ay yai yai”, or the muttered “oy viz mir.”
If you’re writing “She sighed” As a full and complete sentence, then do this.
Cut it.
It’s a waste. You’re writing something because you think you need her response to someone telling her she doesn’t want to hear.
Try this. Have her say something instead.
Glanced.
Again,same thing. You think you need some kind of narrative action. How about this? If it’s a glance, it’s a sure sign you’re writing a speech that’s too long, and it’ll produce sighs and solitary tears.
Cut most of the speech. Still need the glance? No? Good. Get rid of it.
Walked, sat. Speech is too long, or you haven’t figured out how to get into the room.
Try this. Say the word “Action!” out loud. Now start writing.
“He walked to the table…”
CUT!
Places… remember that word? It cues the actors to take their spot. You don’t open a scene with someone in the middle of a movie open a door, walk to a table sit down, take a deep breath, and say…
“Cut! PLACES! ROLL SOUND….”
What’s the next word?
“ACTION!”
The detective stared at Ralph, stubbing out his cigarette in the overflowing ashtray.
Detective
It took a page or two, but we finally figured it out. You’ve been using writers’ crutch words, haven’t you?
Ralph
I just glanced at him!
Detective
(rising, SLAMS fist into table)
YOU WERE LOOKING, Not glancing! I bet you walked into the room! Sat at the table! Propped your feet up, didn’t you? Didn’t you!
Ralph
(buries face in hands)
No!
Detective
Stop it! You’re a mass of conflicting cliches!
Ralph
Say, that’s good!
Detective
You think?
Conclusion
In many cases, writers’ crutch words and cliches are often just overused phrases that every writer uses very often.
See, I just bundled up that sentence with about a half dozen writer’s crutch words. Crutch words just point to a bloated scene that needs cutting. Cut the scene, and most of the time the need for that cliche or crutch vanishes.
Like the morning mist before the rays of the rosy fingered dawn.
