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Go on a Diet of Stale Phrases and Overused Clichés

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By Loren Ekroth, PhD

Some of the most common clichés in current use include “threw under the bus,” “at the end of the day,” “with all Clichésdue respect,” “the fact of the matter is,” and “don’t cry over spilled milk.” I’ve heard public figures use “end of the day” as many as 10 times in a short interview. Ouch!

You learned in high school English classes that a cliché is “a trite, stereotyped expression that has lost originality and impact by long overuse,” as in “strong as an ox.” Most likely your teachers discouraged the use of clichés on aesthetic grounds, recommending instead that you use fresh and lively language.

How about excising clichés on practical grounds so you don’t lose the impact of your messages? That’s another downside of using clichés.

A Cliché Spoof

Decades ago humorist Frank Sullivan, writing for the New Yorker as “Mr. Arbuthnot, the cliché expert,” spoofed the breezy language of his time (1935-1952) in light-hearted interviews. An updated version by English Professor Ben Yagoda shows the flavor of these conversations:

Q: Mr. Arbuthnot, since your last testimony, have you continued to follow the world of clichés?

A: I’m all over it, 24/7.

Q: Would you mind answering a few questions to establish your expertise?

A: Whassup with that? Sorry if I’ve got that deer-in-the-headlights look, but I’m shocked, shocked. Here’s my deal: I’m a world-class talking head. I’ve made my bones and I’ve got all my bona fides. When you chatted me up with this, you didn’t give me a heads up that I had to reinvent myself.

Q: I apologize. I am merely following the charter of this committee.

A: Whatever.

Q: . . . You will certainly be a valuable witness . . .

A: Sweet. And I’m sorry for going postal a minute ago. I promise I won’t be high maintenance. With all the media here, I can see where this could be a win-win. Besides, I want to give something back.

Q: Have you noticed any new clichés recently?

A: Big time. Bottom line: Arguably, this is the cliché’s 15 minutes.”

As Old as Shakespeare

You get the idea. Clichés start out as fresh and vigorous, became fashionable, then faddish, and finally, faded. They persist because they’re easily dispensed from the tongue or pen without much thought. Some still in use such as “dead as a doornail” are as old as Shakespeare.

The beauty of using fresh, striking language is that it gets a listener’s attention, triggering images and feelings that engage the mind, stimulate creative processes, and are remembered. Doing this takes more mental effort and the intention to have impact, but in our hurry-up world of breezy interactions, such effort is in short supply.

Our poets and novelists offer us the best repository of fresh language, plus a few columnists and commentators. They show us what language can do to get us thinking more vigorously. I remember with admiration the eloquence of the late radio-television commentator Eric Sevareid (1912-1992). His language was pure public poetry without a sniff of clichés.

New Clichés?

When you are selective in choosing the persons you read and listen to, you will find refreshing expressions and can create new ones of your own. As the late movie producer Sam Goldwyn once said so memorably, “Let’s have some new clichés.” And as my friend, professional speaker, and entrepreneur Tom Antion said, “No one ever lost credibility by being interesting.”

Go on a diet from using stale phrases and serve up gourmet words.

Reprinted with permission of Dr. Loren Ekroth, aka “Dr. Conversation,” publisher of “Better Conversations” weekly newsletter. Free subscriptions at www.conversationmatters.com

Which clichés tickle your fancy? Which would you like to ban from the English language? Please share here — and any new clichés you’ve come up with, too!

Authors: What Do You Want from Your Book Editor?

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Book editing with a pen

Editing Your Book

By Barbara McNichol

With 21 years of editing under my belt, I strive always to understand and deliver what authors want to the best of my ability as a book editor. Professional editors build careers on doing exactly that.

Through a blog post, I asked what worries nonfiction authors about the editing process. The insights below reflect answers from 40 authors who responded. Specifically, they noted:

  • They want more than a clean up; they want a major step up in clarity.
  • They want support in thinking through the book’s organization before nitty-gritty editing begins.
  • They want their book editor to be tuned in to their objectives for the book, keeping them top-of-mind throughout the process.
  • They want their points made more succinctly and artistically and their stories told well. As one author said, “An unedited piece can make my point but in a less elegant way than one that’s been edited.”
  • They want their ideas made more appealing by adding vivid words and gem phrases they didn’t think of themselves.
  • They want feedback on the effect their writing is or is not having on readers. Thus, they want their editor to act as an advocate or stand-in for the reader.

Even more specifically, respondents expect their book editors to catch errors or problems casual readers miss in the following areas:

  • Content: unfinished thoughts, missing steps, unclear logic or a story that falls flat.
  • Language: fixing grammar, spelling, agreements, redundancies, repetition, mixed modifiers, run-on sentences, and more.
  • Effectiveness: improving the flow and tightening the writing throughout.

How Book Editors Can Learn What Authors Want

From the first contact with a client, I open a dialog through what I call a Planner—a questionnaire that focuses on the long-term goals for the book itself. Questions not only address the mechanics of editing but emphasize the author’s big-picture dreams.

When working with an author on a book to enhance their business or brand, my questions include:

  1. What successful books would be good models for yours?
  2. After people in your target audience have read this book, what do you want them to say about it? How would you like a testimonial to read?
  3. What actions do you want readers to take as a result of reading your book—both for their own benefit and for yours?
  4. What do you want them to know about your business and services?
  5. What changes do you want to create in your life/business as a result of putting this book out into the world?
  6. What value would having a successful book bring to you/your business brand?
  7. Which results do you seek most in working with an editor (followed by a list for ranking)?

Order Your Editing the Way You Like It!

Each manuscript provides a new opportunity for your editor to deliver on your “wants.” It should be like asking a waiter to have your meal prepared exactly to your specifications each time.

Don’t short-change the editing process and its value to you. Use a tool like my Planner to articulate exactly what you want from your editor. Communicate through both written and verbal dialog so you can realize the boost in quality that will result.

To see how Barbara’s Planner can help you, go here.

Barbara’s note: Thanks to Teresa Funke, Chair of NSA Writers/Publishers PEG for printing this article in the PEG newsletter.

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