Blog 56: A Piece of Cake

Well, hello there and welcome to another blog. I’m sorry to tell you that, despite the title and the delicious-looking picture up there, this isn’t going to be about cake. Sorry! Don’t get me wrong, I love cake and could certainly write a whole heap about them, rate them on appearance, texture, taste, and smell while drooling all over my laptop. But I’m talking about the saying, piece of cake, that is said to portray something as being easy. We could also use the easy peasy lemon squeezy saying. I am, of course, referring to our old friend, the cliché.

We love them, don’t we? There must be a term or quote for nearly everything we want to express. Sometimes I say one of them, and then I wonder why it means what it does. I know why I’m saying it, but no idea how it came to be an appropriate thing to say for the situation. Like the pot calling the kettle black. Raining cats and dogs is another one. Unless we are experiencing some sort of new type of apocalyptic occurrence, then it isn’t something that we would generally witness, right? I must admit, I probably spend too much time asking our other friend, Google, where all these came from, so I can understand why we use them.

For those who don’t know, strap in (there’s another cliché for ya), I’m going to tell you about those furry animals falling from the sky instead of the usual raindrops. Here we go: raining cats and dogs isn’t just any old raindrop scenario. If we use that phrase, then the weather is brutal, and that rain is coming down like no one’s business (another cliché for ya there, keep up). There are suggestions that it comes from a satirical poem from 1710 (yes, that long ago) about dogs and cats drowning in a flood. And other sources suggest it came from the 1500s (even more ancient), when houses had thatched roofs and no wood underneath. Animals found warmth and shelter in the straw, and when it rained, they all came crashing down. But regardless, it is fair to say that this saying is incredibly outdated. Yes, we all know what it means, but is it relevant for today? More importantly, is it conjuring up the scene in your reader’s imagination that you would like? Are you painting a picture that complements your writing style and the atmosphere? Probably not.

It isn’t just idioms either, but there are some phrases taken from different locations, such as rhyming slang and plenty of overused similes that find their way into our writing. The little intruders! My grandad used to call his hat his Titfer: Tit for tat – hat. We have our favourite similes: blind as a bat, while the little things are flying around in the dark, saying, “Look, we have better vision than you. Do you see us bumping into things?” So that one isn’t even accurate. Of course, we have ones that are: busy as a bee, cold as ice and high as a kite, although that one is using another definition of the word ‘high.’

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that many of these clichés aren’t clever or amusing. Imagining something costing your literal arm and a leg is a classic exaggeration to put the point across that, man, that was expensive to the point of me being pretty darn broke. And of course, the old faithful that I’m sure we have all used: it’s easier said than done. Because of course it rings true – and there is another one (who is ringing who there?)

After all is said and done (or if you prefer) at the end of the day, we are creative writers. What are we? Exactly! And this is our opportunity to break the mould (are you enjoying these), and find new perspectives, create different angles of how our reader sees and explores ideas. I realise that attempting to grasp a new way of putting something across when your mind has so many go-to sayings stashed up in your head like little reserve football players waiting to be called onto the pitch, jumping up and down in their seats shouting, “Pick me, pick me,” can feel like a whole new ball game (see what I did there)? But being unique and original will make you stand out from the others. Draw from your experiences, your imagination, and your sense of humour. Think outside the box. Are you getting sick of these yet?

Don’t forget two heads are better than one, and you can always talk it out with a friend or colleague to get ideas. Go to Google and play around with ideas of how you can say something a little differently. I know some of you may be saying, “Well, people like clichés, they are a universal language. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Hey, it may not be broken, but come on, it’s looking pretty worn. In fact, they are so ancient that even their walking aids are begging to be buried!

I’m not saying you should never use them. You may have a character that says them in their dialogue, which is fine and can demonstrate what kind of person they are in terms of how they think, their priorities, background, and sense of humour. Ultimately, however, it feels a lot like spellcheck. You don’t have to think about how to spell, just rattle it out and then click the button, and the computer will sort it all out for you. My point is, these well-used sayings stop us from being creative, restricting our potential on the page.

So when you hear that little cliché jumping out in your mind during your next writing session, go against the grain, back to the drawing board and think of something that, instead of making your reader smile because they recognise the saying, they stop, think and picture your idea. Maybe they begin to use it themselves, and maybe you have created your very own cliché that in another century or two, people will say, “Where did that come from?”

Just for fun, here are some I bet you are familiar with: -

Burn the midnight oil.

Follow your heart.

No pain, no gain.

Make a long story short.

The sky’s the limit.

The ball is in your court.

On the same page.

Head over heels.

Opposites attract.

Don’t judge a book by its cover.

Fight fire with fire.

Beggars can’t be choosers.

Spilled the beans.

It is what it is (admit it, you’ve used that one).

Fish out of water.

Time flies when you’re having fun.

See eye to eye.

Once in a blue moon.

Did you find any of your favourites in there? I bet you did. Perhaps grab a few and rework them, then put them aside to use in their place. If you do, please feel free to send them to me or comment below. I would love to read and share them.

Until next time, happy writing, everyone!