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Science Fiction Cliches

Started by SharonBell, March 27, 2008, 09:31:14 PM

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SharonBell

Quote from: bintarab on March 27, 2008, 10:22:09 PM
Criminy, what a list! I'll go through it a bit at a time or it'll just overwhelm me. Did you find it helpful? How did you use it? ~bint

I didn't use it for the cliche ridden ms--which was a romance--but did find another for ROMANCE cliches http://groups.msn.com/RomanceWritingTips/cliches.msnw

And for other cliches, as well http://clichesite.com/alpha_list.asp?which=lett+1

My eyes were crossing on those lists, too.  :cheesy: Makes it a challenge to keep it FRESH, doesn't it?

"Be good and you'll be lonesome." Mark Twain

www.sharonbuchbinder.com

SharonBell

Quote from: bintarab on March 29, 2008, 11:46:39 AM
Reminds me of something on Strange Horizons' list of Stories We've Seen Too Often:~bint

That's a great list! This is the one that makes me the ANGRIEST as a reader:

Weird things happen, but it turns out they're not real. In the end, it turns out it was all a dream.

:pissed: :pissed:
"Be good and you'll be lonesome." Mark Twain

www.sharonbuchbinder.com

JonP

I love these lists, but the point is that they only apply to badly-written stuff. As an example (from film, rather than the written word), have any of you guys seen "Sunshine"? It wasn't too long before I was playing cliche bingo. The precise point where I shouted out "House!" would be a spoiler, but, trust me, it happened. However, there are probably as many well-worn ideas in "Serenity", but that's one of my top favourite films of all time - mainly because the dialogue is so zippy and the characters are so engaging. Basically, if you can write well, you can get away with anything, because no-one notices the cliches. You only spot the cliches if the writing's bad. Kind of a bit like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, if you're into management speak.

Ed

I dunno about that, actually, Jon - there was a story at Borderlands that was well written, had the best opening of the twenty stories there, but the story was about a guy who paid to have his head cryogenically frozen and then brought back to life later. He wakes up after 500 years have passed and has trouble fitting in. I marked it fairly high, but Tom Monteleone said what I was thinking - you can write, but the story is awfully familiar, and for that reason 99% of editors won't touch it. He went on to say if you're a good writer but can't come up with an original story, then you're in trouble, and that rings true to me. In genre especially, I think we like to see something new all the time, rather than a re-telling of an old story. :smiley:
Planning is an unnatural process - it is much more fun to do something.  The nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise, rather than being preceded by a period of worry and depression. [Sir John Harvey-Jones]

bintarab

Quote from: SharonBell on March 27, 2008, 09:31:14 PM
I found this site while critting a cliche riddled manuscript. Had to share it with the Doomsters.  :afro:
http://www.cthreepo.com/cliche/

Sharon, this list is seriously addictive. I can only digest it in smaller bites, but after a few visits I got it all. Then I went back one day to read just the ones with the red Xs, then on another day it was the ones with green checks, then ...

Almost all of them have the Star Trek logo, and I find myself trying to think of a relevant episode (actually, it doesn't take much thinking for some of them). That's a rich list, Sharon. Thanks.

~bint

SharonBell

"Be good and you'll be lonesome." Mark Twain

www.sharonbuchbinder.com