I have trouble avoiding clichés. They’re lazy forms of writing and speech. Admittedly some clichés get us through life. Their repetition is helpful to inspire or affirm life. But clichés rarely ...

If that seems harsh, think of how clichés harm writing, draw unwelcome attention, replace freshness with staleness and rob readers of the pleasure of original expressions that make writing memorable.

We are a society strangling in unnecessary words, circular constructions, pompous frills and meaningless jargon.” — William Zinsser, “On Writing Well” Monkey see, monkey do. Writers and headline ...

Everyone who writes about food has certain words and phrases that they hate. New York Magazine critic Adam Platt lists “toothsome” and “cornucopia” on his list of forbidden clunkers; Sam Sifton ...

It’s a new year, which is a fine excuse as any to ditch old bad habits. Here below, I have assembled a not-at-all exhaustive list of art-writing words that I could do without in 2015. I admit, I’ve ...

Roy Peter Clark writes, “Clichés can multiply and take over your story like text-eating bacteria.” Playing your cards close to your vest…whistling past the graveyard…minding your p’s and q’s…facing ...