Everything is Cliché
I never understood the word cliché. It is supposed to identify an overused plot device or expression. A notable example is the love triangle, which occurs when two people are romantically involved with a third. Another is the overused phrase, “You are the weakest link.”
When a person says “cliché,” they are voicing disapproval. Meaning, “Think next time before writing a love triangle plot.” Try not to say, “You are the weakest link.” Yet I have a disconnect.
Humans have been writing, speaking, and telling stories for thousands of years. During this time, we have explored every possible plot device and phrase. So, there is no choice; plots and phrases must be reused. After all, how many types of romance can there be? Enemies to lovers, pretending to be in love, friends to lovers, characters forced together, unrequited love, forbidden love, stranded somewhere, or a secret relationship.
In my meager dating experience, I have been in a love triangle three times. Therefore (in my mind), this kind of plot device is fair game because I know it is real. (Side note: No, two women have never desired me at the same time. At least to my knowledge:)
Why not spice the story up? One lover is from “the bad part of town.” This also happened to me once. How about a kidnapped lover? Fortunately, that tragic dating experience has not happened.
Okay, now I have something. Based on my experience, this kind of plot is not cliché. So, we’re good. Right? Remember the Trojan Horse? That story was all about getting the girl back. So yes, this plot has been around the block.
I argue that a writer must make a fundamental choice when forming their plot. If they choose to write a romance, a love triangle is a valid option. However, critics would say, “That plot has been done to death. How cliché! Bad writer! Shame on you!”
This makes sense, but I still don’t fully understand. A cliché is a sarcastic putdown because it identifies the obvious in a negative light. “The sky is blue. How cliché.” Of course, the sky is blue! What other color can it be?
Should I take a step back and embrace the word? I just read a book where the principal character loses his memory and is a spy. Bourne Identity rip-off? I guess, but it was still a good book.
Should I ignore the word when I encounter it? Should I ask people to stop using the word? My answer is that when I encounter the word, it is a turnoff. Meaning, I do not respect the source, but I certainly will not ask others to adopt my option.
What is the alternative? Think up a plot, then search the internet to see if it has been done before. If it exists, keep modifying it until it is 100% original. “A ballerina falls in love with an elephant, and they are married on Mount Everest by Ronald Reagan’s ghost.” I guarantee that plot is original, but who would want to read that muck? That is cliché bedrock and why many stories share a common theme.
Hmm, I bet some astute readers are thinking, “Sounds like somebody called your work cliché.” Dang, you caught that?
I went to great lengths to develop plots that were distinct from other stories. This is because I wanted to be unique, give readers something new, and not borrow from preexisting stories. My first book, Interviewing Immortality, is about a writer who is forced to pen a biography of a 500-year-old woman. Multiple reviews compared my book to Stephen King’s Misery and called it cliché. My second book, Pushed to the Edge of Survival, is about two people surviving a cruise ship disaster, and later in the book, it is revealed that aliens were responsible. An editor I used only once left many nasty comments, one of which was, “Using aliens as a plot tool is cliché.” My third book, Cable Ties, is a classic spy novel. Instead of using a James Bond-like character, I used multiple small characters, which mirrored how government organizations typically solve these situations. Still, one review had a single sentence. “Another cliché spy story.” Ouch.
So yes, I am jaded. But not for the harshness, but for the “What are you talking about?” aspect. My alarm clock goes off in the morning, and I wake up. How cliché!!! No, it’s how things work. And books work by borrowing ideas. That’s life.
Plus, I enjoy repetitive entertainment. An action movie where the hero shoots the bad guy? Sounds like a blast. Get it? A pun. A romantic scene where two people are kissing, and a third person bursts through the door. “Sally, I love you!” Sign me up for that. A spy novel where the hero saves the world? Sure. A dystopian story? Love it. In fact, I am working on an upcoming dystopian plot. Hey, guess what? In my story, the future is awful. I bet you did not see that coming.
So, what is the best cliché ending to this article? How about, “I hope you have a good day.”
You’re the best -Bill
May 12, 2021 Updated November 08, 2025
When a person says “cliché,” they are voicing disapproval. Meaning, “Think next time before writing a love triangle plot.” Try not to say, “You are the weakest link.” Yet I have a disconnect.
Humans have been writing, speaking, and telling stories for thousands of years. During this time, we have explored every possible plot device and phrase. So, there is no choice; plots and phrases must be reused. After all, how many types of romance can there be? Enemies to lovers, pretending to be in love, friends to lovers, characters forced together, unrequited love, forbidden love, stranded somewhere, or a secret relationship.
In my meager dating experience, I have been in a love triangle three times. Therefore (in my mind), this kind of plot device is fair game because I know it is real. (Side note: No, two women have never desired me at the same time. At least to my knowledge:)
Why not spice the story up? One lover is from “the bad part of town.” This also happened to me once. How about a kidnapped lover? Fortunately, that tragic dating experience has not happened.
Okay, now I have something. Based on my experience, this kind of plot is not cliché. So, we’re good. Right? Remember the Trojan Horse? That story was all about getting the girl back. So yes, this plot has been around the block.
I argue that a writer must make a fundamental choice when forming their plot. If they choose to write a romance, a love triangle is a valid option. However, critics would say, “That plot has been done to death. How cliché! Bad writer! Shame on you!”
This makes sense, but I still don’t fully understand. A cliché is a sarcastic putdown because it identifies the obvious in a negative light. “The sky is blue. How cliché.” Of course, the sky is blue! What other color can it be?
Should I take a step back and embrace the word? I just read a book where the principal character loses his memory and is a spy. Bourne Identity rip-off? I guess, but it was still a good book.
Should I ignore the word when I encounter it? Should I ask people to stop using the word? My answer is that when I encounter the word, it is a turnoff. Meaning, I do not respect the source, but I certainly will not ask others to adopt my option.
What is the alternative? Think up a plot, then search the internet to see if it has been done before. If it exists, keep modifying it until it is 100% original. “A ballerina falls in love with an elephant, and they are married on Mount Everest by Ronald Reagan’s ghost.” I guarantee that plot is original, but who would want to read that muck? That is cliché bedrock and why many stories share a common theme.
Hmm, I bet some astute readers are thinking, “Sounds like somebody called your work cliché.” Dang, you caught that?
I went to great lengths to develop plots that were distinct from other stories. This is because I wanted to be unique, give readers something new, and not borrow from preexisting stories. My first book, Interviewing Immortality, is about a writer who is forced to pen a biography of a 500-year-old woman. Multiple reviews compared my book to Stephen King’s Misery and called it cliché. My second book, Pushed to the Edge of Survival, is about two people surviving a cruise ship disaster, and later in the book, it is revealed that aliens were responsible. An editor I used only once left many nasty comments, one of which was, “Using aliens as a plot tool is cliché.” My third book, Cable Ties, is a classic spy novel. Instead of using a James Bond-like character, I used multiple small characters, which mirrored how government organizations typically solve these situations. Still, one review had a single sentence. “Another cliché spy story.” Ouch.
So yes, I am jaded. But not for the harshness, but for the “What are you talking about?” aspect. My alarm clock goes off in the morning, and I wake up. How cliché!!! No, it’s how things work. And books work by borrowing ideas. That’s life.
Plus, I enjoy repetitive entertainment. An action movie where the hero shoots the bad guy? Sounds like a blast. Get it? A pun. A romantic scene where two people are kissing, and a third person bursts through the door. “Sally, I love you!” Sign me up for that. A spy novel where the hero saves the world? Sure. A dystopian story? Love it. In fact, I am working on an upcoming dystopian plot. Hey, guess what? In my story, the future is awful. I bet you did not see that coming.
So, what is the best cliché ending to this article? How about, “I hope you have a good day.”
You’re the best -Bill
May 12, 2021 Updated November 08, 2025
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