Clichés are expressions that have been used so much, they no longer carry any weight.
Your characters can use them in dialogue – no problem – and it might be useful to give such a trait to one particular character so that he/she stands out from the rest of your cast. Avoid having them all talk in clichés though!
My favourite is, for obvious reasons, ‘chasing the rainbow’.
Here are some more examples. In tune with the spirit of my ‘Safari Supper’ novel, I’ve confined myself to those involving animals. There are, however, many more.
It’s recommended that clichés be avoided, but they can be useful for injecting humour. Former Liverpool FC manager, Bill Shankly is quoted as having said: ‘Football is not a matter of life and death. It’s far more important than that.’ It’s even mentioned on this Facebook page.
Which clichés grate with you?