Conventions of Composition Rule 217
Conventions of Composition Rule 217
Rule: Avoid cliches.
Examples:
Weak: What a fire-cracker: she's really thinking outside the box with all cylinders firing.
Better: She has so much energy that she quickly discovers new, better ways of doing thing.
Weak: Wei is a one-of-a-kind friend.
Better: I haven't met anybody as loyal and kind as Wei.
Practice eliminating cliches:
- He recommended that I take the 30,000 foot view and then give it the old college try.
- We didn't really see eye to eye, so I did my own thing.
- Last, but not least, I think the world of my better half.
Resources for understanding and eliminating cliches:
Writer's Digest's 10 Tips to Avoid Cliche's in Writing
The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill's Cliches