Theresa L. Goodrich is an Emmy-winning author and content creator with a penchant for storytelling and a keen eye. As the force behind The Local Tourist, she’s dedicated to telling in-depth stories of magnificent, quirky, and unique places. She’s slightly obsessed with travel and history and has turned these passions into multiple books, including the Two Lane Gems series, *Living Landmarks of Chicago*, *Planning Your Perfect Road Trip*, and *Show Me Shipshewana*. **Theresa is the publisher of *Midwest Road Trip Adventures, 2nd Edition* and *Midwest State Park Adventures.* Under the pen name of Theresa L. Carter, she's the author of the Alex Paige cozy mystery series, featuring a travel writer and breast cancer survivor who unwillingly becomes an amateur sleuth.A cancer survivor herself, Theresa is a firm believer that storytelling is life changing. She speaks across the country about travel and road trips and teaches both writing and self-publishing. She’s driven, often literally, to inspire you to get off the interstates and explore the towns and communities that make this country a constant and welcome surprise.
Hi [FIRST NAME GOES HERE]- Nobody likes Yes Men, so let's get rid of them.
Hi Reader,
One of the most talked-about sessions from my travel writing workshop is the one where we excise the dreaded cliché.
Students lament: "I can never say 'hidden gems' again!" "I was by the ocean and heard 'crashing waves' - DOH! Can't say that!"
That session sticks with them, which means they become better writers.
Why do they get so riled up?
Probably because I make statements like these:
I'm not alone in my disdain for overused phrases. In On Writing, Stephen King says they make "you look either lazy or ignorant."
Ouch!
Way back in the 1500s, Michel de Montaigne claimed: "It is always easier to draw on the storehouse of memory than to find something original to say."
And we know we've got a lot of clichés stored in our memory.
So how do you stop using them? How do you escape looking "either lazy or ignorant?" (Stephen Kind's words, not mine!)
The first step is to be aware of what you're writing. I should say, be aware of what you're editing. I'm a fan of dirty first drafts, otherwise known as getting the words out and cleaning them up later. When you do that, you're most likely going to have a few overused phrases. They're easy and they're, as de Montaigne said, in your storehouse of memory. You know them and they appear without effort.
As you're editing, pay attention to your word choice. Is that town really quaint? Do those waves really crash? Is that attraction really a hidden gem?
Once you recognize a cliché, take time to rewrite it so it puts a picture in your readers' minds. For example, instead of "snow-capped mountain," how about this:
A bit more evocative, eh?
This month's live training is all about these dreaded turns of phrase. If you want to avoid clichés like the plague, sign up and you, too, will be painting real pictures instead of writing words that say nothing. It's March 28 at 1pm CST and, as always, only $9.
Until next week...
Happy Writing!
Theresa L. Goodrich
p.s. Sign up here for the live training on Tuesday, March 28 at 1pm CST.
p.p.s. If you're in the travel niche, I'm offering an AMAZING deal. 75% off Travel Writing Mastery. Check it out here.
Don't want these quick tips? Click here.
Theresa L. Goodrich
Theresa L. Goodrich is an Emmy-winning author and content creator with a penchant for storytelling and a keen eye. As the force behind The Local Tourist, she’s dedicated to telling in-depth stories of magnificent, quirky, and unique places. She’s slightly obsessed with travel and history and has turned these passions into multiple books, including the Two Lane Gems series, *Living Landmarks of Chicago*, *Planning Your Perfect Road Trip*, and *Show Me Shipshewana*. **Theresa is the publisher of *Midwest Road Trip Adventures, 2nd Edition* and *Midwest State Park Adventures.* Under the pen name of Theresa L. Carter, she's the author of the Alex Paige cozy mystery series, featuring a travel writer and breast cancer survivor who unwillingly becomes an amateur sleuth.A cancer survivor herself, Theresa is a firm believer that storytelling is life changing. She speaks across the country about travel and road trips and teaches both writing and self-publishing. She’s driven, often literally, to inspire you to get off the interstates and explore the towns and communities that make this country a constant and welcome surprise.
Hello Reader! If you’re new to self-publishing, it can seem overwhelming. Even if you’ve published several books, it seems like there’s always something new to learn. There are lots of aspects to being an indie publisher, which means there are lots of questions. I’m here to help! Today’s our first Ask Me Anything! If you’ve got a question about self-publishing, whether it’s about platforms, formatting, selling direct, KU, or whatever, I’ve got the answer. And if I don’t have the answer, I’ll...
Hello Reader, Happy Friday! Some housekeeping news: as of next week, I'll be sending these book promos and fairs from Diary of a Cockeyed Optimist, my Substack newsletter. I should say one of my newsletters - I have four! I won't get into the details of why I've been sending this particular email through a different provider (unless you're curious. If so, ask and I'll fill you in). Suffice it to say I'm trying to simplify the technical aspects so I can focus more on creating. You may already...
Hello Reader, Today's the last day to get Menace at the Marina for only $0.99! Here's what one reviewer said (and this almost made me cry!): Because this is the 6th book in the Alex Paige Travel Mysteries series, I'm offering a special deal: you can get all six for just $8.99. How? Click this link and Menace at the Marina to your cart (discount appears at checkout) Then add the Alex Paige 1-5 Bundle. At checkout, use code MENACE20 to save 20% on the bundle. Viola! Hours of entertainment for...