I get this. I certainly had an image in mind-especially me in my uniform-on my cover, but Julie took it in a different direction. I'm grateful for that, as I'm thrilled with the cover...but it did take a minute to adapt. Most military memoirs have a picture of that person in uniform, which is understandable but also very cliche'. I'm appreciative of Julie's and your guidance to go in a different direction.
Long ago when I was in a workshop with Janet Fitch, she said, (I'm paraphrasing) If you've seen it before, said it before, read it before... it's a cliche. She's brilliant. As are you and Julie Metz. Thanks for another excellent post.
Fascinating to see an art director’s perspective on this. I once worked for an EIC who edited a cliche into a piece on the grounds that “cliches move the story along.” That’s when I knew it was time to go.
I guess my question is when is a cliche, not a cliche? When I go to close the drapes and happen on a beautiful sunset lighting everything in my yard with a warm rosy hue, are you suggesting that I should ignore it and close the drapes for being a cliche? When a small flock of wrens settle on a limb outside my kitchen window, am I a fool to be charmed by them? When I see the aftermath of the logging of a forest I have loved and now turned brown with the spraying of a defoliant, am I a fool for missing everything that forest held? Should I kick myself for loving what were only cliches? Or just stop using the phrase kick myself?
A cliche is just an overused way of writing something, or an overused image. The existence of hummingbirds or birds in flight or hearts as symbols do not make for the cliche. It's how we humans use them, or over-rely on them. As I say in the piece, most of us love cliches. They exist because they work. But as writers—and by extension people who use visual imagery—we can push ourselves to think of things afresh, that's all. It's a practice. No one is suggesting your experiences or appreciation of something beautiful is or would ever be a cliche.
I'll admit this was a little rough to read when what I just asked for on my cover was mentioned twice in the piece (ouch). Although in my novel, the image signifies something very different from the cliche in the genre so maybe that's the "twisting" you noted. I do love your suggestion for noticing and making note of original ideas we see.
Usually thought not always, we won't use imagery that repeats what the title is, so there's that. But second, because all your covers are illustrated, there's an inherent freshness there to the style and aesthetic. Also, and importantly, you're not a bad or boring person if you like cliches. The point here is that we are always with them. Especially where visuals are concerned, which is why, for me, the visual cliche is not really so offensive. But when you confront a new list of titles every season, it makes you aware of where the repetitions are, and keeps you on your toes. :)
I am reminded of a list of mixed metaphors that has been circulating the internet for a while. Enjoy!
*****
It's not rocket surgery.
First, get all your ducks on the same page. After all, you can't make an omelette without breaking stride.
Be sure to watch what vou write with a fine-tuned comb.
Check and re-check until the cows turn blue. It's as easy as falling off a piece of cake.
Don't worry about opening up a whole hill of beans; you can always burn that bridge when you come to it, if you follow where I'm coming from.
Concentrate! Keep your door closed and your enemies closer.
Finally, don't take the moral high horse: if the metaphor fits, walk a mile in it.
Haha. Love it, Lenny.
I get this. I certainly had an image in mind-especially me in my uniform-on my cover, but Julie took it in a different direction. I'm grateful for that, as I'm thrilled with the cover...but it did take a minute to adapt. Most military memoirs have a picture of that person in uniform, which is understandable but also very cliche'. I'm appreciative of Julie's and your guidance to go in a different direction.
This is great! Thank you. It’s fun when we realize we want to use a cliché, and have to find an other way to say it! Stretches our creativity!
Love this fresh take on avoiding cliches within the frame of cover design.
I like the idea that we writers don't have to run screaming (is that a cliche??) from every cliche but instead work on the "twist."
Haha. Yes, I like this too.
Long ago when I was in a workshop with Janet Fitch, she said, (I'm paraphrasing) If you've seen it before, said it before, read it before... it's a cliche. She's brilliant. As are you and Julie Metz. Thanks for another excellent post.
Fascinating to see an art director’s perspective on this. I once worked for an EIC who edited a cliche into a piece on the grounds that “cliches move the story along.” That’s when I knew it was time to go.
Thanks so much for your reply! I appreciate all of this. I can imagine what it's like looking at whole catalogs, and catalog after catalog.
I guess my question is when is a cliche, not a cliche? When I go to close the drapes and happen on a beautiful sunset lighting everything in my yard with a warm rosy hue, are you suggesting that I should ignore it and close the drapes for being a cliche? When a small flock of wrens settle on a limb outside my kitchen window, am I a fool to be charmed by them? When I see the aftermath of the logging of a forest I have loved and now turned brown with the spraying of a defoliant, am I a fool for missing everything that forest held? Should I kick myself for loving what were only cliches? Or just stop using the phrase kick myself?
A cliche is just an overused way of writing something, or an overused image. The existence of hummingbirds or birds in flight or hearts as symbols do not make for the cliche. It's how we humans use them, or over-rely on them. As I say in the piece, most of us love cliches. They exist because they work. But as writers—and by extension people who use visual imagery—we can push ourselves to think of things afresh, that's all. It's a practice. No one is suggesting your experiences or appreciation of something beautiful is or would ever be a cliche.
I think real life is never a cliche. It's when we try to express real life/feelings/emotions in image or word that we can become cliched.
Ahh, so it is okay experience life, just not to share it with others in words or pictures.
I'll admit this was a little rough to read when what I just asked for on my cover was mentioned twice in the piece (ouch). Although in my novel, the image signifies something very different from the cliche in the genre so maybe that's the "twisting" you noted. I do love your suggestion for noticing and making note of original ideas we see.
Usually thought not always, we won't use imagery that repeats what the title is, so there's that. But second, because all your covers are illustrated, there's an inherent freshness there to the style and aesthetic. Also, and importantly, you're not a bad or boring person if you like cliches. The point here is that we are always with them. Especially where visuals are concerned, which is why, for me, the visual cliche is not really so offensive. But when you confront a new list of titles every season, it makes you aware of where the repetitions are, and keeps you on your toes. :)
Thanks so much for your reply! I appreciate all of this. I can imagine what it's like looking at whole catalogs, and catalog after catalog.