: Re: What to do with cliched metaphors? Example from my own writing: "Please take care of yourself," she replied. "Health is the most important thing in life, remember that." "I know,

@Holmes449

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I struggle with this as well and have two approaches the help get out of the rut of tired language:

Take the advice the Lauren Ipsum discussed earlier. It works very well.
Cut out tired language, describe what's happening without flair and without requirement for catchy phrasing, and let the strength of the story telling come from the directness of your narrative. Solid narrative voices almost necessarily have a unique perspective that draw people in and therefore could be more powerful for the reader than the original tired language.

If it doesn't feel right, cut it out or rewrite it. It's your voice that your audience wants to read anyway, not a collection of rehashed phrases.

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