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 Reviewing Your Work for Cliché
A cliché is an overused expression or idea
— and it's common to find these in first drafts. Poets are inspired to
write about powerful relationships, emotions, and ideas that affect us
all: friendships, love, anger, prejudice, war, difficult situations, graduations,
and other major events. The trick is to take these universal themes and
ideas and describe them in a real, strong, unique, and powerful way.
Follow these tips to review your own poem for cliché: 1. Read your poem and articulate the main themes. Do you express these
themes in your own way? Stop at any familiar phrases and try to think
of a fresh way to express your idea.
2. Find all of your metaphors and similes and make sure that they're
your own. Have you heard the metaphors before, or are they unique to
your poem?
3. Find your images. Do you use your own experience and detail to create
original imagery?
Here are some examples of clichés. If you're having trouble avoiding them, brainstorm as many of them as you can and make a list to remind you of what to avoid. Common Clichés: Friendship Graduation Difficult Situations and Relationships Can you think of clichés about these themes or other
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