100 Most Annoying Writing Cliches [game; humor]

MimiAngel621 · Jul 21, 2011

Let's start a game where each of you have to list at least one writing cliche, whether it's a cliche of characters, setting, writing style, stereotypical writers, publishing cliches, etc. I'll start with the first three, and the next person has to continue on till we get to 100.

:sarcasm

1.) If you live in New York City, the Staue of Liberty is visible from your backyard window, or a French person must live in Paris because it's the only city in France.
2.) The girl always falls in love with the guy, or the other way around. Gay people are only allowed to be best friends or are simply non-existent and if he's a guy, he must be femine and if she's a girl, she must be a dyke. Then they end up comitting suicide because there's nothing else to live for.
3. The nerd always wears glasses, because all real smart people apparently have bad eyesight.

Remember, this is sarcastic. Keep the thread going till we reach 100!

September · Jul 21, 2011

To me, a specific theme or trope is only annoying when it's badly or unimaginatively used. Just because something is commonly used isn't a problem in and of itself.

MimiAngel621 · Jul 21, 2011

Bufty said:
Are you bored?

Nope. Are you?

emmyshimmy · Jul 21, 2011

There are homosexuals in my book, my MC has two dads

3) All sex symbols have blonde hair and blue eyes. Does that count?

CACTUSWENDY · Jul 21, 2011

Female MC is always good looking.
Most male MCs are too.
Most pets have a higher IQ than their owners.
Money never seems to be a problem with folks in books.
Very few folks in books eat....poop....take baths/showers...brush teeth....etc.

:poke:

DanielaTorre · Jul 21, 2011

10) Girls who fall for supernatural creatures even though said creatures are bad for them (and I'm not hating on Twilight in particular, but the whole idea is crossing into cliche territory).

11) Socially awkward MCs.

Kyla Laufreyson · Jul 21, 2011

12) The girls who see themselves as plain while everyone around them acts like they're the greatest thing since sliced bread, or at least the male love interest.

13) Love interests who push the MC away because it's "dangerous"

DanielaTorre · Jul 21, 2011

14) The MC who insists on having a relationship with said love interest despite the "danger"

CatharsisChild · Jul 21, 2011

15) Bad cell phone reception in horror stories.

DanielaTorre · Jul 21, 2011

16) People getting knocked out and then waking up hours later with a minor headache. (For the love of god, if a real person were actually knocked out, even a minute can signal irreversible brain damage!)

emmyshimmy · Jul 21, 2011

OMG LOL CatharisisChild! Yes.

Running out of gas/ losing electricity in horror/suspense books.

MimiAngel621 · Jul 21, 2011

emmyshimmy said:
There are homosexuals in my book, my MC has two dads

3) All sex symbols have blonde hair and blue eyes. Does that count?

It counts!

PrincessofPersia · Jul 21, 2011

17) Guns having a seemingly bottomless magazine, i.e., never having to reload.

18) Instant-a-Kill bullets. No matter where you're shot, you die immediately.

19) When the hero gets wounded, he's able to use the damaged limb almost as well as he did before the injury.

20) Dialogue and actions that would land you a restraining order in real life are guaranteed to get the girl in romcoms.

DanielaTorre said:
16) People getting knocked out and then waking up hours later with a minor headache. (For the love of god, if a real person were actually knocked out, even a minute can signal irreversible brain damage!)

As much as I love the movie, Pulp Fiction is a huuuuuge culprit with this.

CatharsisChild · Jul 21, 2011

emmyshimmy said:
3) All sex symbols have blonde hair and blue eyes. Does that count?

Ah, Adolf's ideal woman.

21) Hyper-sophisticated action movie villains. You know, the bearded guys with accents, well-pressed business suits, and who arrange hostage situations so they can get some cash? Here's looking at you, Hans.

Jt/Js · Jul 21, 2011

22) An opening in which the MC wakes up from a dream.

Ari Meermans · Jul 21, 2011

23) The female MC loses like 10 pounds and, damn! who knew? She's gorgeous.

Margarita Skies · Jul 21, 2011

Arianna Sterling said:
12) The girls who see themselves as plain while everyone around them acts like they're the greatest thing since sliced bread, or at least the male love interest.

13) Love interests who push the MC away because it's "dangerous"

This reminds me of a particular...no, wait...

mscelina · Jul 21, 2011

From the slushpile this week--

--The main characters looks at his/her reflection in a mirror/pond/pool/bowl of water so he/she can describe herself glowingly in the first five pages.

--Heart-shaped faces. I don't ever want to see a heart-shaped face in any manuscript ever again.

--The first line of a manuscript that reads any variation of "It was dark/late/early/light/scary/funny/heart-warming/ridiculous/what the hell ever."

--any query letter that has some version of "Let me present to you my novel blah blah blah..."

--and for some reason this week, negative gay stereotypes or myths involving how to identify gay men in a straight culture.

All of those currently make me want to saw through my wrist lengthwise with a rusty tin can top.

leahzero · Jul 21, 2011

CatharsisChild said:
15) Bad cell phone reception in horror stories.

But...I...it could...blah!

29) MC is torn between two love interests, one of whom is the Childhood Friend and/or Girl/Boy-Next-Door, while the other is the Stranger Who Comes To Town.

30) MC ends up with the Childhood Friend after a fling with the Stranger, and/or after the Stranger turns out to be the Secret Villain.

ShadowyEclipse · Jul 21, 2011

31) That in all adventuryishlike books, there is ALWAYS a TRIO of heroes. Usually the Main character, and one guy, one girl.

Spy_on_the_Inside · Jul 21, 2011

32. MCs who have super special, extra unique names for no reason.

33. MCs who have special talents, clothes, or jewelry explained in extensive detail for no reason (will it really make or break a story if we know about the character's red, blue, and yellow Indian bracelet they got in Wyoming when they were seven?)

dangerousbill · Jul 21, 2011

Novel where the MC is...wait for it...a writer.

Mr Flibble · Jul 22, 2011

35) Esp in fantasy - all women that appear in the book are either pure virgins (probably waiting fro Hero's manly manly man love to 'save' them from virginity) or prostitutes. Heart of gold optional

36) Possible due to the lack of women anywhere, at all, Hero and group of friends, despite being of an age where women should be endlessly fascinating, never even notice women. At all. Ever. Unless she is said virgin waiting for his manly manly man love.

Guardian · Jul 22, 2011

37) Love is never justified. Girl sees boy (or opposite way around) one time, and it's usually something that would make a bad impression (like the guy farts in her mouth). Instant TRUE LOVE! Even if they hate each other, they are drawn together by magnets hidden in their lips and genitals.

emmyshimmy · Jul 22, 2011

38) the female MC's best friend is cooler than her but always the bridesmaid never the bride.

100 Most Annoying Writing Cliches [game; humor]

MimiAngel621

September

my word processor

MimiAngel621

emmyshimmy

CACTUSWENDY

An old, sappy, and happy one.

DanielaTorre

...

Kyla Laufreyson

Oops

DanielaTorre

...

CatharsisChild

DanielaTorre

...

emmyshimmy

MimiAngel621

PrincessofPersia

CatharsisChild

Jt/Js

Temporarily discombobulated

Ari Meermans

MacAllister's Official Minion & Greeter

Margarita Skies

mscelina

Teh doommobile, drivin' rite by you

leahzero

The colors! THE COLORS!

ShadowyEclipse

SPAAAAAAACE!

Spy_on_the_Inside

dangerousbill

Retired Illuminatus

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

Guardian

just the worst honestly

emmyshimmy