Clichés - Cesar Badillo and Lataisha Elo Fashola

Facts written like fiction presents:

The truth about clichés

 “It is a cliche that most cliches are true, but then like most cliches, that cliche is untrue.”

-Stephen Fry

Over the course of history, there have been many well established influences that have appeared, especially in regards to the creative arts. Clichés being a famously known example of this. It applies to a lot of the creative fields, stretching from film and theatre to art but is very much embedded in literature, in creative writing to be exact. For writers, it is one of the many aspect of creative writing we gain knowledge of but sometimes I wonder, if clichés were a living being and a film or a written piece was made about it, would it be considered a hero or villain in regards to its relationship with writers and its importance within creative writing.

What is the term cliché? And how can you tell what is cliché? Well clichés in way, has its own unchanging, unique and familiar mark. The dictionary definition of it, stated it as “a very predictable or unoriginal thing or person.” Clichés can be a tired phrase like “thinking outside the box” or “the pot calling the kettle black”, it can be an idea like “the good superhero defeats the evil villain” or “the damsel in distress is rescued by her knight in shining armour and they live happily ever after” or even a trope that loses its impact and meaning through repeated use. Therefore in most cases if a cliché is spotted, it’s quickly associated with lazy writing because as soon as we identify this trait, the rest of the works becomes predictable and tasteless. I guess this would make clichés a villains since the definition of the term isn’t encouraging but could this be said to be a fair assessment of clichés?

What about the relationship/partnership between the writer and the uses of clichés? Literature can be said to be the making of it and because of its unchanging nature, the writer can eventually take on a familiar trademark of their own; for example, if you were to pick up a book with a blank cover over it, and as you read it, you begin to see that the story is set in Maine and has a struggling alcoholic as its protagonist, you may soon realise it’s to be a Stephen King novel, simply because it is a style/ theme that is seen repeatedly in some of his works. More than anything, clichés are a tool that can be used to compliment rather than spoil. When a character archetype is overused to the point of becoming a cliché then it seizes to simply be a personality type as it turns into a cliché, potentially adding another layer of significance to the character. It can draw attention and emphasis to the character and make a simple action have a double meaning. Therefore the place setting in Stephen Kings’ novel, Maine could stops being this quiet, normal American state where something strange happens and starts becoming this twilight zone where the supernatural is simply expected. In this sense cliché would then be considered as the hero, seen as its simplicity can provide an easier and shorter expressive tool for the writer but does it really work like that?

The reason clichés work is partly because of our sense of familiarity and association but if it’s repeated too often, it becomes increasingly difficult to suspend disbelief and immerse ourselves in a story because we are simply expecting the unexpected. In conclusion clichés hold a very important part in creative writing as an expressive tool and their relationship with writers is a complex and delicate one, like a double edged sword or unfair lover (see what I did there ^_^). They could either add to the making of a piece or completely destroy it but the outcome of this, I think depends on the way the writer skilfully handles it. And if it was a living being, despite its seamlessly unchanging appearance, clichés could be just as complex as the rest of us, being both the villain and hero at times.

“The reason that clichés become clichés is that they are the hammers and screwdrivers in the toolbox of communication.”

― Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!

Metaphor, Simile and Analogy

Whilst all three are closely related, it's important to understand the differences. When you know the distinctions between metaphors, similes and analogy this will also help you decide what technique is best appropriate for you to use when it comes to your writing.

Metaphors

Metaphors can be used in many different writing formats such as poetry, short stories, novels and plays. They are also used to compare two different subjects (whether they’re describing something visual or an emotion). Metaphors are mostly used in poetry to make the piece more descriptive and interesting for the reader. When writing a descriptive piece metaphors can be one of the best techniques to use, they tend to paint the ‘perfect picture’. It may be a physical image that the writer is trying to get across to the reader or even an emotion.Writers such as Shakespeare have used metaphors within their writing to give the reader am image of romance and wanting.

For example: “But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.”

This metaphor compares Juliet to the sun. A comparison like this gives the reader an image of something that is so beautiful. It shows the reader that Romeo needs Juliet in the same way that the Earth needs the Sun.

Metaphors can also be used within poetry, for example in ‘Storm At Sea’ by Amar Qamar a metaphor is used in order to describe sea. “The stormy seas as dark as coal.” This gives the reader a strong image and makes the piece more descriptive as to grab the reader’s attention.

Simile

Similes can be used in just about any context, from the printed word to general conversation. A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things that are alike in some way. To help you identify a simile, know that the words “like” or “as” are typically used. Their purpose is to add depth to our language making it more descriptive and enjoyable. There are lots of different ways to create and use similes but more than often they are generally used to emphasise something to the reader or listener. Similes can be funny, serious and creative.

Take the example: ‘You are bright as a summer’s day'.

Don’t worry you don’t have to take this literally, a simile is just a figure of speech almost, something that makes a comparison which shows similarities between two different things. Unlike a metaphor, a simile draws resemblance with the help of the words “like” or “as”. Therefore, it’s a direct comparison.

With the use of similes it makes it easier for the readers to understand the subject matter of a literary text, which may have been otherwise too demanding to be comprehended. Like metaphors, similes also offer variety in our ways of thinking and offers new perspectives of viewing the world.

Analogy

An analogy is a comparison between one thing and another, to show that they are alike but also different in some respects. If you are thinking that this sounds very similar to metaphors and similes, you are not wrong, it really does. What makes them different however is the concept of logic. Metaphors are often used to say that one thing is the same as another thing which is completely unrelated. Simile is saying something is like something to compare them. An analogy is less of a figure of speech and more of a coherent argument. It is most commonly used to show that two things have legitimate similarities.

For example, an extract of Henry Kissinger’s memo to Richard Nixon, in which he says ‘Withdrawal of US troops will become like salted peanuts to the American public’. To compare US troops to salted peanuts seems a bit bizarre, however they are moreish and once started are difficult to finish with a high demand for more, therefore this a legitimate example of similarity.

Another example is strangely from a ‘peanuts’ comic strip. Charlie Brown describes the way adults and siblings get along to be similar to how nations get along. Siblings are well known to fight and bicker, as are nations, hence the fact that tensions and wars exist, therefore making this an effective analogy, not in the context of the comic however, as Charlie has seen his analogy prove the point he was trying to disprove.

So to summarise, similes, metaphors and analogy all help the readers understand something that is unfamiliar by comparing it to a familiar thing.

Narrators and Narration - by Victoria, Claudia & Sam.

Narration is a key device in storytelling. The narrator is whom the reader predominantly converses with and relies upon for information. Whether the narrator is in fact reliable can only add to the intrigue!

Through Narration a story unfolds in a certain way, depending on the specific style of narrative. If the narrator is a young child, for example, their telling of the story is limited by their age and inexperience. The motivations of the other characters are revealed secondhand through this biased narrator. Omniscient narration is the opposite. This is the all-knowing narrator, written in the third person – he, she, they. We’re able to understand, through this, every character’s thoughts and feelings as well as any necessary background information. For example, Anna Karenina is told to us through omniscient narration. The story unfolds from Anna's perspective, and equally other perspectives are expressed. Second person narration is used more often in poetry than prose, can be an effective way to engage the reader as it creates a more intimate, personal interaction with the reader by involving them using pronouns – you, your.

Our narrator could also be one with our protagonist, in other words, first person – I, me, mine; as exampled above with the ‘young child’. This style opens our reading experience to the possibility of having an unreliable narrator. An unreliable narrator is a character that we cannot trust, though we must follow their version of events in order to understand anything further. A Clockwork Orange and Fight Club present us with an unreliable narrator, heightening the drama and intriguing us by encouraging tension, thus creating conflict and suspense; marking a successful narrative. According to David Lodge, the purpose of an unreliable narrator is “to reveal in an interesting way the gap between appearance and reality, and to show how human beings distort or conceal the latter”.

A successful narrative prompts questioning which in turn provides suspense. Suspense keeps the reader engaged because of the room given to question. A change in the behavior of a character, or a change of events is a way to encourage narrative tension; this is a result of suspense. Suspense is mainly provided through conflict, for example, imagine a story beginning at funeral where our protagonist is indifferent to the deceased and the other characters are shocked and appalled by this, we may immediately wonder ‘what’s wrong?’ and ‘why is [John] so unaffected?’ Intrigue induced by conflict equals suspense. Win. The graph below depicts the order and affect of causality through intrigue, suspense and tension:

The narrative is the progression of the story itself, as clarified by Robert Graham in Creative Writing, narrative is “A sequence of causally related events.” This example is given: “The king died and then the queen died”, this is not a narrative as there has been no cause for affect (causality). However, “the king died and then the queen died of a broken heart” are two related events as one thing has happened due to the other. The significance of causality is that with it, we are able to understand characters through their responses to other characters or events, like the funeral instance.

To create a successful narrative is to create change, by means of intrigue, suspense and tension. Through the plot of the story, we can recognize these three things in our character’s feelings, thoughts and actions. Referring to causality, “A whole is that which has beginning, middle, and end.” (Aristotle) A beginning is that which is causeless, the middle then is caused by the beginning and also causes the end, which is the finally caused but causes nothing further.

Becoming Jennifer North - Kelley Andrews

1.

Small town girl. Insomniac. Pretty face. A great rack.

It won’t take too long.

To make her impact.

Broadway chorus girl in fact.

2.

Flash bulbs. Seconals. Hotel suites. Lit menthol.

They’re waiting for her.

And she’ll give a show.

In designer head to toe.

3.

Arm candy. Dolophine. A bombshell. On codeine.

She’s medicated.

And she’s sugar free.

Crowned the reigning beauty queen.

4.

Box office. Fantasy. Dexedrine. Tenacity.

Now she has it all.

Or so it would seem.

Longing for a family.

5.

Sex symbol. Such a tease. Wedding bells. Detainee.

She’s off the market.

And she’s on her knees.

Stripped of her identity.

6.

Motherhood. Compromise. Miscarriage. Tell a lie.

Hereditary.

He was a nice guy.

Sign the papers – say goodbye.

7.

News scandal. Methadone. Annulment. On her own.

Well she took a hit.

And she’s been dethroned.

She’d make a great stepping stone.

8.

Institute. Murphy bed. Make ends meet. In the red.

He costs a fortune.

Whilst she lives in debt.

How she’d love to just drop dead.

9.

Plane tickets. Last resort. French art films. Faux escort.

Now she’s back on top.

And she’s been a sport.

An American export.

10.

Lithium. Manicures. Diet pills. Insecure.

She’s looking heavy.

And she feels unsure.

Switzerland for the sleep cure.

11.

Contract breach. Measure up. Heads orders. Nip and tuck.

Been around the block.

Age is catching up.

From here on out – best of luck.

12.

Senator. A rare bird. Met her match. Undeterred.

Now she can retire.

Engaged is the word.

They both plan to make a third.

13.

Diagnosed. Surgery. Infertile. Irony.

He’d never adopt.

“Promise you won’t leave?”

“I love you and your body.”

14.

One last thing. Deal breaker. Mastectomy. He’ll leave her.

She left a message.

Buried by a lawyer.

‘Accidental’ on paper.

Research and its use in writing! Hayden Lee and Thomas Bickerdyke

Research is an important first step in writing; it allows the writer to gain a wider understanding of contextual issues (if period) and a wider knowledge on his/her subject (whatever it is s/he is writing). For example if the author writes a book about fighter pilots they would want to do research on fighter planes from whichever era the book was set in in order to deliver a more realistic, descriptive and well rounded piece of work. The research can be gained first hand, by going and learning how to say, fly a plane or it could be secondary research using the internet, books, etc on the different parts of a plane and how it works, this enables the writer to enforce more detail whilst writing and to develop more interesting plots etc. As opposed to no research, where the piece would not have as much weight and it would lack detail, which would make it bland and uninteresting. Research would enable the writer to write with a wider understanding of the topic so with more confidence and on a more authoritative level.

Research will usually take time and is often done before starting the piece of writing or near the beginning. Depending on what it is you are researching it could take quite a while, if you were going to have a piece of writing about the ancient Greeks you would need to learn more about their customs and gods and everyday life in order to best set the scene with an accurate depiction of what it was like in that time. Or for example, you want to use archaic terms in your work to make it more authentic and effective since your piece is a period drama but you only know a few archaic terms. Research will enable you to use more terms as well as correct any mistakes you have made for example you have misused a certain archaic term and it has affected your drama by making it amateur(ish).

Another thing that needs to be researched isn’t just ‘the what’ but also ‘the where’, it's not just about what you do but where you do it. A famous example of an author who travelled to places such as Spain during the Spanish civil war and learned about the place he would set his books is Ernest Hemingway, similarly Jack London spent some time in Alaska during the Gold Rush and learned about the land there before going on to write some of his most famous works set there.

Another way of doing research is interviewing people who know about what you wish to write about, for example if your main character is an engineer you could go and interview an engineer to find out about the job, or if you were going to write about a cult or a paranormal horror story you could interview a Demonologist, or if you were going to write a book about dinosaurs, a paleontologist. Research like this will help develop and strengthen your idea/plot for your piece, as it will shape how you think. It will also show you what other writers have achieved and how they used different techniques in their work. Sometimes doing this can provide you with ideas and things that you haven’t thought about before.

Something to keep in mind when using research is that if the piece of writing is non-fiction then although you want to be accurate you can also take some creative liberties with the writing. Can people really out-run an explosion? No but it makes for a great scene. Does Jack London know the thought process of the animals he  wrote about? Not really. If you lay accurate foundations for the work though people will be able to forgive, and appreciate, the odd moments when you suspend fully accurate realism for a better story.

Head Wound City

Before reading this you may find it of use to listen to the EP being discussed. You can find the whole thing at this link: goo.gl/mjjazg. Enjoy!

Head Wound City (2005)

Head Wound City will leave you a bloody broken heap on the floor. They’ll mug you at knifepoint, leaving you with nothing but your own teeth scattered across the pavement. Born in an era of play it safe ‘indie’ pop rock bands, Head Wound City refuse to play by the rules, they’re a violent, headache-inducing alternative. They’re the kids hanging around on your street corner at midnight, the boys that daddy hopes you never bring home.

The EP presents itself as self-aware look at the place and times they live in, openly mocking the ‘idealistic’ landscapes of California and the grandeur of the people that inhabit it- implying that it’s all a fugazi. Guitars screech like an old dial-up modem, the singer wails his words against a background of barbaric blast beats, all while punctuated by jazzy inflections. Everything goes at its own pace and direction but comes together to create an erratic harmony. Lyrics are mostly made up of enraged absurdity ‘I've got these radical friends broken lips, rainbow violence pink clouds on a razor mountain’ derived from not fitting in with the beach bums and trust fund baby-hipsters of cali ‘So you've aced the prick class: moustache for extra credit. Climbing up to privileged. Pretty sweet. You pleased your parents.’ Couple this with the amount of noise they make and you’re left with a Kafkaesque headache.

Head Wound City are ugly and they want to show you how ugly the world is. So ‘Set sail for the fucked coast’ and let’s go get beat up in Head Wound City.

Harry English.