The Persuasive Twist: How To Hook A Reader (Even With A Worn Out Cliché)

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Ahoy, Digital Writers!

Clichés are the death of originality.

Readers know they are there—and they skip right over them.

• They’re obvious

• They’re predictable

• And they’re unemotional

Using them makes your writing easy to ignore, it makes you seem lazy, and you risk losing the reader all together.

Avoid them like the plague! 😜

BUT there is a simple way to use a cliché to your advantage that will make readers pause and pay attention. And today we are going to show you how to hook a reader with a cliché (and get ChatGPT to help)!

But first, let’s look at why we use clichés in the first place.

Why Clichés Stick (And Stay Stuck)

Clichés are the “fast food” of language.

Which is why they catch fire—because we are lazy, energy conserving humans!

• They help you fit in.

• They shortcut deep thinking.

• They help you simplify communication.

Convenient? Absolutely.

But not always the most enriching option.

There is an upside.

If it’s cliché, it’s overused. If it’s overused, it’s ignored. But to be ignored means it’s recognized. And as a writer you can capitalize on the familiar.

Here’s why:

Readers want to feel smart—like they are part of the “in crowd.” It’s why niching down works so well. But they also want to be surprised. Nobody loves a mystery they can predict.

So, how do you get a reader to sit up and take notice?