Hi Conda, Thanks so much for hosting me today. I’m
expressing annoyance with my bad habit of using clichés in my writing.
Writing and Removing Clichés by J.Q. Rose
For some reason clichés are not approved by editors when
checking my stories. I don’t know why. It makes writing as easy as pie. These
familiar expressions are as good as gold when it comes to taking a short cut in
your storytelling.
Instead of writing a paragraph about how bad the storm is, I
can just say the rain is coming down in buckets. The reader knows exactly how
bad that is. However, after sending this in to the editor, the phrase will
appear red-lined in the manuscript and a comment will show up in the margin
gently reminding me that is a cliché. But seriously, if you have to describe how
hot the weather is in a story, why can’t you say it was hot enough to fry an
egg on the sidewalk? That really does explain the heat factor!
When push comes to shove, a cliché is the way to go for me.
For instance, when the coroner arrives at the death scene, why can’t he say the
victim kicked the bucket? That’s so much more colorful than saying he’s dead.
It makes me madder than a wet hen when I realize I have used
clichés in my writing. For Pete’s sake, I KNOW the editors won’t let me use
them, so I try to be conscious about it when I write and re-visit the chapters.
When I was writing my mystery, Deadly Undertaking, I combed
through every word, every paragraph, and every page trying to ferret out the
clichés. Still and all, once in a while a cliché is missed and once they’re out
there, you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube. To tell you the truth, I
don’t always recognize them. So I submit the manuscript for editing on a wing
and a prayer that I have caught every cliché and I won’t have the editor
tearing her hair out when she reads it.
There’s no time like the present to change and recognize
clichés in my writing. How about you? I plan to be as sharp as a tack when
putting words down on paper so I can make it easier for me and my editor to get
through the manuscript.
I’m not trying to pull the wool over your eyes. I am vowing
to do better on using clichés. Just notice how much I’ve improved already!
# # # #
Deadly Undertaking
Tagline:
A
handsome detective, a shadow man, and a murder victim kill Lauren’s plan for a
simple life.
Back of the Book:
Lauren Staab knew there would be dead bodies around when she
returned home. After all, her family is in the funeral business, Staab and
Blood Funeral Home. Still, finding an extra body on the floor of the garage
between the hearse and the flower car shocked her. Lauren’s plan to return to
her hometown to help care for her mother and keep the books for the funeral
home suddenly turns upside down in a struggle to prove she and her family are
not guilty of murdering the man. But will the real
killer return for her, her dad, her brother? Her mother’s secrets, a
killer, a handsome policeman, and a shadow man muddle up her intention to have
a simple life. Welcome home, Lauren!
Amazon http://amzn.to/1Lu6GxI
Amazon
UK http://amzn.to/1Gz1utF
Barnes
and Noble http://bit.ly/1H72tvV
Books We Love
Bookstore http://store.payloadz.com/go/?id=2395820
Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/deadly-undertaking
Amazon Biography
J Q Rose is an avid reader, photographer, and blogger
with blogs about writing and growing a vegetable garden. Janet and her husband
are snow birds who spend winters in Florida allowing them to garden twelve
months out of the year. Summer finds her up north camping and hunting toads,
frogs, and salamanders with her grandchildren.
Bio:
After writing feature articles in magazines,
newspapers, and online magazines for over fifteen years, J.Q. Rose entered the
world of fiction. Her published mysteries are Sunshine Boulevard, Coda to
Murder, and Deadly Undertaking.
Blogging, photography, Pegs and Jokers board games, and travel are the things
that keep her out of trouble. She and her husband, Gardener Ted spend winters
in Florida and summers up north camping and hunting toads, frogs, and
salamanders with her four grandsons and granddaughter.
Connect with J.Q.
Rose online at
J.Q. Rose blog http://www.jqrose.com/
Facebook http://facebook.com/jqroseauthor
Google+ google.com/+JQRose
J. Q. Rose Amazon Author Page http://tinyurl.com/aeuv4m4
Goodreads- http://www.goodreads.com/jqrose
Pinterest http://pinterest.com/janetglaser/
Rafflecopter
Information:
Thank you so much for hosting me on the Deadly Undertaking Blog Tour.
Readers, you’re invited to enter the Rafflecopter drawing for prizes
during the tour November 12-25. Find the Rafflecopter and the blog tour
schedule at the Contest page on the J.Q.
Rose blog. http://www.jqrose.com/p/get-in-on-fun-j.html
Good luck!
