I don’t know why I have to do this. Last year or the year before, I felt the need to reply openly to some comments a judge made. That one was on a poem. This one is on a novel partial.
A comment was made to “watch those pesky cliches,” which I agree with.
However, the things that were marked, for the most part, are not cliches but legitimate descriptions.
How would you describe a soldier’s hand that had been calloused by using sword either in practice or in battle? Is it truly cliched to say “calloused hand?” I thought simpler was better, or am I mistaken?
On the same note, how would you describe the burning you feel in your throat because of thick smoke? “Her throat burned” is apparently also cliched. How would you say it?
It isn’t the idea of avoiding cliches that bothers me but the things that were marked as cliches.
I have no doubt there are still many things I need to learn, but am I completely out in left field by thinking those two things I mentioned are not among them?
Please be aware that there are some things the judge marked as cliche that I do agree with. I didn’t list those here since the point of this isn’t what I agreed with, but rather what I didn’t.
Filed under: writing , burning throat, calloused hand, cliche, critique, Jen Nipps, jennipps, judge, sword, write, writer
Contest judges can pick at things an agent and editor won’t. I’m learning this myself.
I recently described a scene where smoke damaged my heroine’s lungs–shared it on my blog. http://relliott4.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/follow-the-sparks/
Very true on judges picking things. After I went to bed last night, I figured out how I can redo one of them, but not quite the other yet.
I agree with you. How can “her throat burned” be a cliche? I would think you would’ve gotten dinged if you’d said “Her throat burned like a fire-breathing dragon” What’s the definition of a cliche anyway?
I believe in concise and clear description myself. I disagree with the judges in this case. No way those are cliches.
Steve Davis