Writing Resources (Continued)

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A word to the wise: Your teacher won't be grinning ear to ear if he/she sees a cliche! But don't fall into the depths of despair! To make a long story short, accidents will happen, so reading through these cliches and watching out for them in your work will strengthen your writing in a jiffy! Your friends will be green with envy!

The above introduction was, of course, filled with cliches. Cliches are phrases that have been used so much in writing and speaking that they are familiar to readers. Because they are familiar, they make writing stale and boring. The following are some common cliches. Get rid of them or revise them if you find them in your writing.

add insult to injury grinning from ear to ear

green with envy in this day and age

long arm of the law few and far between

depths of despair word to the wise

at death's door bite off more than you can chew

one in a million not a second too soon

writing on the wall heart on his (her) sleeve

to the bitter end on cloud nine

in a jiffy weary bones

bone tired bury the hatchet

it's in the bag weigh a ton

cried her eyes out accidents will happen

beyond a shadow of a doubt white as a ghost

calm before the storm break the ice

stopped dead in her tracks in the same boat

once in a lifetime heart skipped a beat

raining cats and dogs sighed in relief

busy as a bee easier said than done

to make a long story short

Here are four basic ways to start your introduction in a way that will grab the attention of your audience:

Incongruous Details

* Putting two elements together that are not usually combined.

Example: When my Uncle Moe dropped dead of a heart attack, I became an expert in the subway system. (Leonard Michaels, "Murderers.")

In this example, death by heart attack and the subway have nothing to do with each other, but they make the reader curious as to why the author chose to put them together. The rest of the story will explain the pairing of such elements.

* Starting your introduction with an outrageous statement.

Example: I know something serious has happened when I wake up well before dawn to discover two guards wearing armoured vests and riot helmets taking a head count. (Evens D. Hopkins "Lockdown")

"En Medias Res" or "In the Middle of Things"

Example: I was spinning out of control. I heard screaming and realized later that it was my own voice I had heard. I closed my eyes and braced myself, as I continued to scream. That one careless moment on the interstate nearly ended my life and taught me a valuable lesson in patience.

In this example, the author puts the reader right in the middle of the action.

* Start your introduction with a quotation.

Example: "And this is why I have decided to ban all red sweatshirts from the country of Bambognia," stated Prime Minister David Davidson in his 1996 address to the Bambognian Congress. This momentous decision heavily impacted the businesses of Bambognia; dry cleaners floundered, clothing companies wallowed, and the economy fell into an irreversible depression.

Starting with a quotation can imbue a paper with an objective or authoritative tone. Just make sure you cite the quotation!