Clichés are killers. They are stale and unpalatable and pull down everything good about your story. They are also the perfect excuse for an editor or producer or contest judge to move on to the next submission.
Nowadays, you can use an automated program to pull out cliché language, but you need more than a program to discover situations, characters, and ideas that are dead-on-arrival dull. That's lazy writing that comes from being inundated with second-rate stories. Sadly, I've seen pale reflections of mediocre work show up in manuscripts I'm excited about. But rather than rant about these failings, I'll focus here on doing things the right way. Since even good writers seem to slip, paying attention to opportunities to be fresh and innovative will make your work noticed.
Premise. I think high concept took hold when scripts started to be sold based on single statements. Outland apparently got the green light when it was described as High Noon in space. I cringe when I read similar combinations that suggest much but promised little. Rather than smashing together two concepts that sound like writing prompts, it's better to find something you're passionate about, I concept you can't let go of that also needs to be written by you. I like the questions often asked during pitches:
Why you?
Why now?
I get lots of cool ideas that make great stories… for other writers. I'll admit that sometimes my first reaction — that the premise is better for someone else — turns out to be wrong. But in all those cases, the rejected idea refuses to let me go. That insistence is a clue, and perhaps the best one for developing a good premise. Ultimately, the “why me” and emerges from discovering a connection with an idea that resonates with areas I want to explore (most of my work is about outsiders with gifts to share with a larger community that rejects them) and/or knowledge and experience I have that would make the work specific.
To get to a good premise, begin to develop a list of your own areas of curiosity and theme. Also make a list of experiences, education, and knowledge that most writers would not have.
The “why now” piece is about considering the audience for your premise and what they might be interested in. "Now" is really the future. What's knocking around today may be stale tomorrow. So work for a “why now” that is deeply relevant to your audience’s lives without being a current area of investigation (except for, perhaps, in forward-looking communities).
Character. The easy part of this is coming up with an interesting character. If you look closely at the people you know or have known, you're likely to see potential for characters based on them. This is far from the only way to find good characters, but I always keep a list around to consider as I approach new stories. (My alternative is to take small observations and exaggerate them or to springboard off a dream.)
Wherever you discover a possible character, the next step is development. I'm not a big fan of lists of traits, although these are invaluable to some writers. I usually interview my characters, often using some of my 50 rude questions. I have another trick, inversion. I may, for instance, make an introvert into an extrovert or an angry person into a mellow person. I may even turn someone I think of as villainous into a hero.
Dialogue says so much about the character, it's really good to try it out with two characters discussing something that would make you lean in and want to listen. Just as an exercise, this becomes an opportunity to hear the character’s manner of speaking and to understand how the character evades certain subjects.
I also pay a lot of attention to flaws, especially for my protagonists. For a lot of writers, this is difficult and painful work. Many identify too closely with their characters and can't imagine their dark sides. Others worry that flawed characters will be unlikable. That's not fatal for some stories, but choosing to have goody-goody characters (or irredeemable villains) throws away a wonderful opportunity for the story to stand out.
Ultimately, the goal is to arrive at a character who is distinctive and interesting.
Deep knowledge. Some of us have had notable experiences. They may be instances. (I once foolishly walked through a crowd of helmeted, baton-swatting cops). Or they may be jobs or other long-term experiences. (I was a speechwriter for senior executives in a large corporation.) Education (I'm a scientist) may also provide a lot of potential for delving deeply into subjects with great authenticity. Audiences and readers are always hungry for authenticity if it's about subjects that matter to them and are made accessible. I'm currently working on a play where all the action happens within the critical early days of genetic engineering, and I'm drawing on my experience both in working in the field and in having met and interviewed many of the pioneers.
Language. Charm makes many people irresistible. They can walk into a room and have everyone present fascinated within moments. Mastery of language — the right word, the sounds, the rhythms, and the implications — can make writing charming. And the best part is that it can start out shabby and unpredictable. You can always rework your prose for as long as you want to make it lyrical and evocative. So, this is one of the areas for getting noticed that is in almost everyone's control. Minimally, reading the work out loud until it's smooth and clear and musical is within the capabilities of most people. It may require delving into great poetry (even trying to write some). It may require hearing other people read the work (including actors). But it's within reach. And it amazes me how many writers never read their work out loud.
Perspective. This is a wonderful time for people who belong to communities kept silent too long. Whether gender or ethnicity or race or education or class has held them back, more doors (not enough) are open now. And because these points of view have been restricted for so long, many people are eager to hear the untold stories. I believe we need to hear the stories. These are human stories that put all of our lives into different perspectives and engender empathy. This is not to say that there is only room for "identity" stories or that there are writers who should "sit down and shut up" (as I heard one pundit state).
Everyone has a perspective that could be fresh or new or deeper or unrecognized. I often will use my scientific training to analyze traditional stories that I like for unnoticed potential, digging out nuggets in well mined material. That comes from what Theodore Sturgeon called "asking the next question." So no matter who you are be curious and persistent, and you can find a perspective that's truly different.
Do not expect to create a manuscript that stands out in all ways in a first draft. It's also possible that many revisions will still leave scenes or characters or ideas that are familiar. But, if you want to stand out, raise the bar. Demand more that commands attention in everything you submit.
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