Thursday, October 2, 2014

ROMANTIC CLICHES AND STORYLINES - MARGARET TANNER


THESE ARE MY FAVOURITE ROMANTIC CLICHÉS AND STORYLINES – MARGARET TANNER

I write historical romance, so maybe my take on the cliché and storylines is different from that of contemporary romance authors.

I like to base my stories around:
Love lost and found
The rogue makes good
The poor girl and the rich man
The soft sweet heroine taming the ruthless hero. (This is a particular favourite of mine and one I use a lot).

Then there are the three “Rs” – Revenge, Retribution and Redemption.

There again, what about the clichés used in novels. You know what I mean, those overused phrases:

Crushed her against his hard maleness
Her heart fluttered like a caged bird
The night was as black as ink.
A million stars twinkled
She ran like the wind
He covered her face with hot kisses
His warm breath fanned her cheeks
Cold as ice
The blood flowed through her veins like molten lava.

I have to confess to having used them myself, but in all honesty, I doubt that there would be one romance author who could say she hadn’t used some of these lines at some time or another.

My real favourite is the one that Barbara Cartland, the queen of romance, used for her hero in nearly everyone one of her romance novels. “He was a rake who had lived a life of debauchery.”  

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t see anything wrong with using these clichés, I think they set the scene very well. Many editors don’t like them, of course. The secret is – use them sparingly.
My take is this:  If you want to use clichés be selective. If all else fails you can invent a few of your own.

Margaret writes historical romance set mainly in Australia. Her latest release, The Loves We Left Behind, is a 3 book Combo (three separate novels, all stand-alone stories in the one book.)  This is a special release to mark the centenary of the 1st World War.

It tells the stories of three different women who triumph over loss, heartache and betrayal.

THE LOVES WE LEFT BEHIND:
A hundred years ago, from the far flung corners of the British Empire, young men rushed to fight for Mother England. They left their wives and sweethearts behind. Many of these brave women waited in vain for their men folk to return. How did they cope with the loss and heartache? Could they ever hope to find happiness with another man? Three full novels, each telling a brave young woman’s story of triumph over tragedy and adversity. Allison’s War, Daring Masquerade and Lauren’s Dilemma.

 
http://amzn.com/B00MASTCHM

Available in Print also from your favourite bookstore.

9 comments:

  1. Knowing cliches also helps when you're doing crossword puzzles, especially the large Sunday ones. I'm sure I've used them and I've also invented ones of my own that I've used in several books. Problem is they're often spot on and oh so tempting to use.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So true, Janet! As a NY Times crossword puzzle addict, I have found it helpful to be aware of those clichés. And Margaret, what a great blog post. Another thing about clichés is that if you're aware of them, you can avoid them:-)

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    2. Hi Janet,
      Thanks for stopping by. Yes, I guess they would be a great help in crosswords, never thought about that.

      Cheers

      Margaret

      Delete
  2. Hi Kathy
    Thanks for dropping by. I have to confess I am not into crosswords, but I have heard they can be addictive.

    Cheers

    Margaret

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Margaret, Crosswords are addictive. I now do them online, which helps. They're tough on the eyes :-(

      Delete
  3. I try very hard not to use clichés in my stories, but I'm sure you'll find the occasional one. It can be awfully hard not to use them at times, because sometimes they are exactly what is needed to get the point across.

    But as writers, we must be creative.... even if it kills us in the process!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Cheryl,
    Thanks for dropping by. It is hard not to use clichés in our stories, I confess to using them sometimes, because as you so rightly say they are exactly what is needed to get the point across.

    Regards

    Margaret

    ReplyDelete
  5. Just the same for contemporary romances too Margaret. I recognise them all:-) Good luck with sales.

    ReplyDelete

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