See, I have a friend who I sometimes go to for her opinions on my writing. And as we were comparing styles of our writer friends, she categorized my work as cliché. I don't know if this shouldn't have offended me, but it did.
She was probably referring to one of my stories literally called "Once Upon a Cliché." But the story's more my attempt on trying to make a typical YA romance story plot more...just better, I guess? I intended it to be almost a parody of the stuff teen authors like to write, but apparently it didn't come off that way.
She also called a sci-fi story I wrote for a Physics project a "cliché dystopian novel" -.-' *sigh*
Anyway, we were talking and I figured out she dislikes what she calls cliché types of novels. Like, she hates Sarah Dessen novels. I love Sarah Dessen novels. She also indirectly called The Hunger Games cliché. So we clash when it comes to opinions on stories.
But I guess I can't say anything, because I'm biased and love a well-written cliché.
What do you think? Are you one of those people who only want original, completely different types of stories? Or do you sometimes enjoy different writers' takes on age-old clichés, like I do? And how do you personally categorize stories as cliché?
Answers & Comments
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I would say that I am more of the former, but I enjoy the latter as well. I originally wanted to make my story entirely uncliche, but I realized that several cliches would give to my story rather than taking away. I try to be unique where I can and break from the norm without going way out to no man's land.
I usually categorize stories as cliche if my thoughts are more along the lines of "Wow, I've never seen that before. That's like the fiftieth time I've seen it. How original." than the actual story itself.
A cliché is something which is over done. Usually it's a phrase or a type of character e.g. the damsel in distress. I don't see how a book could be called a 'cliché' book. You must mean a parody not a cliché.
I prefer books to have some originality and to be believable otherwise I won't read them, waste of time.
Your friend may be confusing cliches with tropes.
I generally don't enjoy a story if I can tell in advance exactly what's going to happen. That's what I'd call a cliched plot.
I will read some cliche' stories but if the summary sounds to much like it, and i think i already know the out come. Then i won't read it.
And yes the Hunger Games is cliche.