Avoiding Cliches

Nearly every writer, professor, teacher, and book on writing says “Avoid cliches.” It’s almost as popular as “Write What You Know.”… but we’ll get to that cliche in a later post.

I, as a writer who likes to work with suspense, twists and turns, and sudden plot changes, don’t see why one should avoid cliches. After all, they’re cliche for a reason.

Last night, I was thinking… who was the first person to come up with a cliche, and then how did that cliche become a cliche? All I can think of, was the person who came up with a cliche was such a good writer that he/she described it perfectly. Then the person who read it thought “Wow, I can completely relate to that. I must remember it and use in it my work.” And so on and so on.

Cliches are cliches for a reason – because they’re true. Because people can relate to them. Because they’re easily explaining something that is otherwise hard to explain.
Using cliches in your writing is, at least in my humble opinion, just fine. The trick is to bend the cliche, going just outside and adding a certain twist that readers don’t see coming… why do they not see it coming? Because it is a cliche…

Cliches allow readers to easily relate to what you’re writing about… it’s also already a cliche, so it gives a comforting, familiar feeling. So, when you then bend the cliche it shocks the reader even more so than if you had avoided the cliche all together. It’s actually quite a brilliant concept, because readers don’t want to read a book with a bunch of cliches – but they do want to read a good, not confusing book, that they can easily relate to.

It’s often times hard to cater to certain reader’s tastes because everybody likes something a little different (hence why we have so many different books, stories, genres, etc.) but everybody loves a bent cliche of one sort or another.

So, perhaps in the spirit of contradictions… “Avoiding the cliche” is a cliche that we should avoid.

Thanks for your interest,
Kya
For more information on me, my writing, and to read free short stories, please visit my official website: KyaAliana.Weebly.Com

Interview

Hi World!
I'm happy to announce that one of my very favorite authors, Kelsey Day Marlett, contacted me and wanted an interview with me. So, I happily obliged and felt very honored.

She's now posted the interview on her website! You can read it HERE

Check out her book - it's super amazing!

Thanks for your interest,
Kya Aliana

For more information on me, my writing, and to read free short stories, please visit my official website: KyaAliana.Weebly.Com

Hi Everyone,
I'm really happy to be posting about this... it just makes me so happy that this even exists. What I am posting in this blog, is a fan-made trailer for my latest novel, Sly Darkness!

I'm just so happy that there are people out there who enjoyed my book so much, that they spent the time to make a - magnificent - trailer for my book! I think this is insanely well made, as well as intriguing!

So here's the trailer and I really hope you enjoy it!

Sly Darkness is available in paperback form on Amazon.com, and in e-book format on Kindle.

Thanks for your interest!

-- Kya Aliana

For more information on me, my writing, and to read free short stories, please visit my official website: KyaAliana.Weebly.Com

Adrenaline: Part 7 - read free online now!

I happy to announce that Adrenaline: Part Seven is now available to read on my official website under the "Free Stories" tab - click here

In the exciting seventh installment of Adrenaline - we go back to the beginning. It's the present day and Mel is meeting Bentley in the graveyard. What crazy turn of events will aspire when Elijah follows her in secret? How will this change Mel's fate... and quite possibly the entire path of the story?

The ending will leave you craving more!

Be daring... delve deeply into my ongoing online story Adrenaline as I prepare to wrap it up!

Thanks for your interest,
Kya Aliana

For more about me, my writing, and to read this exciting online story for free, please visit my official website: KyaAliana.Weebly.Com

On Banning Books

Let's get right to the point, shall we?
Do I think some books should be banned? No.
Do I think some books contain mature content that some children shouldn't read at certain ages? Yes.
Does this include my books? Very much so.

In just the past few years, so many books have come out targeted for young audiences that contain rather intense content. I in no way think these books should be banned or kept from libraries, schools, or the children who want to read them.

In my opinion, if a book contains something you personally don't like, then don't read it. But what exactly is the point of persecuting that and trying to make it unavailable for other people who might enjoy such things.

If any of you have read my books, surely you recognize they are for a mature audience. If it were a movie, it would probably be rated at least PG-13. That is to say, I feel my books are suitable for a teenage audience. But, it all depends on the type of books they like to read.

I'm in full support of parents reading the book before or with their child. And this doesn't just go for my books, I feel a lot of books are questionable for the age group they are being targeted toward as many family's are different in what they expose their children to.

There are many controversial books out these days: The Hunger Games, Perks of Being a Wallflower, Twilight, of course, The Harry Potter Series, and the most recent, I believe to be 50 Shades of Grey.

But, it's important to remember that there have always been controversial books out there. Take Forever by Judy Blume for instance. Forever deals with teenagers and sex. It's a lot more graphic than a lot of the books that people are having issues with today, and Forever came out in the '70s!

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is one of my favorite books ever, and it's been challenged a lot in the past. Thankfully, now it's finally on a lot of school-reading lists. There is so much good in this book - so much to be learned. But that didn't stop it from being challenged and banned in some places before.

We must remember that we have the freedom of speech, and the freedom of press. We, as authors, are allowed to write whatever we want to... whether it's fiction or non-fiction, fantasy, horror, suspense, mysteries, books on horses, anything! And, we deserve the right not to be censored or banned. While we have the freedom of press, other people have the freedom of choice. If they don't want to read about what we write, or they don't agree with it, then they don't have to read it. It's as simple as that.

While books like these should not be banned, I feel - regarding parents - it is important to know what your child is reading. While it's not unusual for a parent to say no to their child asking to watch an inappropriate movie, I feel it should be just as appropriate to say no to a certain book, as long as the parent knows what they're saying no to.

But, as far as adults and reading... free people read freely. So be free, read what you want, and enjoy the fact that you don't have to read whatever subject you don't want to read. Enjoy what's out there and appeals to you, and be happy that somebody didn't ban it so you could read it. Because, if you look hard enough, one can find a reason to ban every book that has ever been written.

For some shocking information on which books have been banned/challenged - just Google it! You'll find titles that will blow your mind!

Thank you for your interest!

Kya Aliana

For more information on me, my writing, and to read free short stories, please visit my official website: KyaAliana.Weebly.Com

Coming In September...

Hi Everyone!
As many of you probably already know, I try and give a lot of information out on my site - stories, reviews, about me, what I'm working on etc. etc.
While I feel what I have is good, I am always looking for ways to improve. I want you to really get a good feel for who I am, how serious I am on writing, and how I write just by visiting my site.

So, I am happy to announce that in September, I am going to be releasing an "Interviews" page on my site. This is where I will post interviews with some my my favorite authors who have inspired me to write myself one way or another. Not only will they be interviews, but I will be the interviewer coming up with all the questions. So, every interview you read will be exclusive and unique. So be sure to watch out for that - you may even find a few exclusive interviews with YOUR favorite authors!

Thanks for your interest!

-- Kya Aliana

Please visit my official website for free short stories, information about me, interviews coming soon, sign up for my newsletter, and much, much more! 

KyaAliana.Weebly.Com

Save 10% on SLY DARKNESS this week ONLY!

Hi Everyone - I'm super happy to announce that I am putting out a special discount code for Sly Darkness that gives you %10 off for THIS WEEK ONLY!

Sly Darkness is a novel for mature teens and adults alike. It's about a group of teenagers who meet up and decide to go out into the woods looking for a missing boy in order to collect the reward money.

Sarah, Zander, Chad, and Vikki are all very different people - but one thing they all have in common are their dark pasts. Join these beautifully sculpted characters on an adventure that you will never forget. Learn about them as they learn about each other on this insane venture straight into the Sly Darkness's clutches. Find out exactly what Sly Darkness is - with a very shocking ending sure to leave you wanting more!

Sly Darkness is a suspense/mystery/thriller with a touch of my own style. I suppose it could be catergorized as a young adult novel, but I really feel that people off all mature ages will enjoy reading this!

So please, check it out and snatch a copy while it's on sale! ;) THIS WEEK ONLY (Aug. 27th through Sept. 3rd) And feel free to tell ALL your friends!
To get this limited special offer, simply purchase HERE AT THE CREATESPACE E-BOOKSTORE (An Amazon.com branch for self-published authors) And enter this special discount code: DEFX936L

Thank you so much for your interest! I hope you will enjoy Sly Darkness!

-- Kya Aliana