Meaning: hope for your wanted outcome (example)
Rewrite 1: keep your fingers x'd
Rewrite 2: keep your fingers locked
Rewrite 3: keep your fingers tied
Rewrite 4: keep your knuckles knotted
Rewrite 5: keep your digits tangled
Comment: A variant is "cross your fingers," so you could also play with that in this rewrite.
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Twisted words and phrases
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Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
Cliché: keep an eye on you
Meaning: constantly watch or monitor you (example)
Rewrite 1: keep a lens focused on you
Rewrite 2: know where you are even when you don't know where you are
Rewrite 3: know you better than yesterday's most embarrassing memory
Rewrite 4: be on you like spot on a dog
Rewrite 5: stay on you like lint on a suit
Comment: This idiom can be about being on the watch for an up-and-coming new star or on the lookout for a troublemaker, or someone in between. I've taken the latter because it seemed more fun. What can you do with this one?
Eye me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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Speaking brilliantly of parts
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Rewrite 1: keep a lens focused on you
Rewrite 2: know where you are even when you don't know where you are
Rewrite 3: know you better than yesterday's most embarrassing memory
Rewrite 4: be on you like spot on a dog
Rewrite 5: stay on you like lint on a suit
Comment: This idiom can be about being on the watch for an up-and-coming new star or on the lookout for a troublemaker, or someone in between. I've taken the latter because it seemed more fun. What can you do with this one?
Eye me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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Speaking brilliantly of parts
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Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Cliché: keep it down
Meaning: be quiet! (example)
Rewrite 1: tap it down
Rewrite 2: keep it low
Rewrite 3: keep it under a decible
Rewrite 4: put a silencer on it
Rewrite 5: soundproof it
Rewrite 6: mute it
Comment: "It" is noise, "down" is volume. Stow it, buddy. Any creative way to say it is better than "Keep it down."
Visit me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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Writing in idioms
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Rewrite 1: tap it down
Rewrite 2: keep it low
Rewrite 3: keep it under a decible
Rewrite 4: put a silencer on it
Rewrite 5: soundproof it
Rewrite 6: mute it
Comment: "It" is noise, "down" is volume. Stow it, buddy. Any creative way to say it is better than "Keep it down."
Visit me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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Writing in idioms
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Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Cliché: just around the bend
Meaning: around the next curve in the road (example)
Rewrite: beyond the dip in the road
Rewrite: up past the light and to the right
Rewrite: next stop past the turnpike
Rewrite: just yonder a bit
Rewrite: up the road a piece
Comment: This is often a visual cue in absence of measured distance, so almost any noticable change in landscape will do. The last two are more nebulous but probably reasonable alternatives.
Come say hello on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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Speaking plain American
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Rewrite: beyond the dip in the road
Rewrite: up past the light and to the right
Rewrite: next stop past the turnpike
Rewrite: just yonder a bit
Rewrite: up the road a piece
Comment: This is often a visual cue in absence of measured distance, so almost any noticable change in landscape will do. The last two are more nebulous but probably reasonable alternatives.
Come say hello on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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Speaking plain American
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Thursday, June 23, 2011
Cliché: jockeying for position
Meaning: racing/competing for position (example 1, example2)
Rewrite 1: jockeying for show, place, or win
Rewrite 2: dancing for last couple standing
Rewrite 3: elbowing for a place in the line
Rewrite 4: fighting over bargains at the sale
Rewrite 5: toe-stretching for tallest
Comment: This really boils down to competition, and there are many ways to win. How would you reword it?
Give me a shout on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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Write like a good sport
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Rewrite 1: jockeying for show, place, or win
Rewrite 2: dancing for last couple standing
Rewrite 3: elbowing for a place in the line
Rewrite 4: fighting over bargains at the sale
Rewrite 5: toe-stretching for tallest
Comment: This really boils down to competition, and there are many ways to win. How would you reword it?
Give me a shout on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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Write like a good sport
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Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Cliché: a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Meaning: the longest, most arduous task still has a beginning (example)
Rewrite: a walk of a thousand steps begins with the first footfall
Rewrite: a cross-country drive begins as a drive down the street
Rewrite: a day at the shoppe begins by stepping out of the house
Rewrite: a read of a thousand pages begins with a single word
Rewrite: a lengthy shopping list still begins with the first item
Rewrite: cleaning a big mess begins by mopping the first spill
Comment: Part of preserving the essence of this Chinese proverb is repeating its sensibility and rhythm.
Join with me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
____
More Chinese wisdom
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Rewrite: a walk of a thousand steps begins with the first footfall
Rewrite: a cross-country drive begins as a drive down the street
Rewrite: a day at the shoppe begins by stepping out of the house
Rewrite: a read of a thousand pages begins with a single word
Rewrite: a lengthy shopping list still begins with the first item
Rewrite: cleaning a big mess begins by mopping the first spill
Comment: Part of preserving the essence of this Chinese proverb is repeating its sensibility and rhythm.
Join with me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
____
More Chinese wisdom
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Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Cliché: jump on the bandwagon
Meaning: get with what is popular (example)
Rewrite: leap onto the stage
Rewrite: get your name on the winner's list
Rewrite: get all military in the march
Rewrite: take the top spot in the parade
Rewrite: show your groove on the holiday float
Comment: Part of this idiom is about support, part of it is about grabbing your moment in the spotlight.
Next time you're on Twitter, say "Hey!" @a_copywriter
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Writing with wit
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Rewrite: leap onto the stage
Rewrite: get your name on the winner's list
Rewrite: get all military in the march
Rewrite: take the top spot in the parade
Rewrite: show your groove on the holiday float
Comment: Part of this idiom is about support, part of it is about grabbing your moment in the spotlight.
Next time you're on Twitter, say "Hey!" @a_copywriter
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Writing with wit
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Monday, June 20, 2011
Cliché: jump in with both feet
Meaning: do something quickly and completely (example)
Rewrite: leap in with both feet
Rewrite: jump in with all fours
Rewrite: commit without counting toes
Rewrite: leave no toe behind
Rewrite: plant both heels firmly into it
Comment: I tried to keep the foot metaphor alive in the idiom. How would you rewrite this?
Say hello on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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More on idioms
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Rewrite: leap in with both feet
Rewrite: jump in with all fours
Rewrite: commit without counting toes
Rewrite: leave no toe behind
Rewrite: plant both heels firmly into it
Comment: I tried to keep the foot metaphor alive in the idiom. How would you rewrite this?
Say hello on Twitter: @a_copywriter
____
More on idioms
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Friday, June 17, 2011
Cliché: jack of all trades and a master of none, a
Meaning: average talent with no special skills
Rewrite 1: a mean hauler of sails who can't tie off a knot
Rewrite 2: he can swing a mean hammer but can't hit a nail
Rewrite 3: all tool belt and no tools
Rewrite 4: good at coloring inside the box but can't stay in the lines
Rewrite 5: Mr. Handy, Mr. Thumbs
Comment: A "jack" was an average seaman while a "master" was a highly skilled craftsman on a ship, so this idiom originates with the early sea service. A jack might be good at doing general duties on ship, but he wouldn't be rated a master until he could do extraordinary work. I started by trying to rewrite these to give some sense of those skills or lack of said, then generalized from there.
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Sounding like a sea dog
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Rewrite 1: a mean hauler of sails who can't tie off a knot
Rewrite 2: he can swing a mean hammer but can't hit a nail
Rewrite 3: all tool belt and no tools
Rewrite 4: good at coloring inside the box but can't stay in the lines
Rewrite 5: Mr. Handy, Mr. Thumbs
Comment: A "jack" was an average seaman while a "master" was a highly skilled craftsman on a ship, so this idiom originates with the early sea service. A jack might be good at doing general duties on ship, but he wouldn't be rated a master until he could do extraordinary work. I started by trying to rewrite these to give some sense of those skills or lack of said, then generalized from there.
Join my on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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Sounding like a sea dog
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Thursday, June 16, 2011
Cliché: it's a game of inches
Meaning: a sport or effort with minimal gains or losses
Rewrite 1: it's a game of small advances
Rewrite 2: it's a game of not-quite-theres
Rewrite 3: it's a contest of minor gains
Rewrite 4: it's a match of major disappointments
Rewrite 5: it's a sport of near misses
More possible rewrites:
Rewrite 6: a game of barely movable objects
Rewrite 7: a game of well planted heels
Rewrite 8: a game of well defended options
Rewrite 9: a game of steel-staked positions
Rewrite 10: a game of hard fought lines
Rewrite 11: a contest of won'ts
Rewrite 12: a match between wills
Comment: This was a tough rewrite for me, trying to find new ways to recast the "inches" in a meaningful way. In the end, I decided to redefine the end-product and not the measurement. In the send batch of rewrites, I wrote about less sports-related efforts. Where would you have taken this?
Join me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
____
Speaking of sports
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Rewrite 1: it's a game of small advances
Rewrite 2: it's a game of not-quite-theres
Rewrite 3: it's a contest of minor gains
Rewrite 4: it's a match of major disappointments
Rewrite 5: it's a sport of near misses
More possible rewrites:
Rewrite 6: a game of barely movable objects
Rewrite 7: a game of well planted heels
Rewrite 8: a game of well defended options
Rewrite 9: a game of steel-staked positions
Rewrite 10: a game of hard fought lines
Rewrite 11: a contest of won'ts
Rewrite 12: a match between wills
Comment: This was a tough rewrite for me, trying to find new ways to recast the "inches" in a meaningful way. In the end, I decided to redefine the end-product and not the measurement. In the send batch of rewrites, I wrote about less sports-related efforts. Where would you have taken this?
Join me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
____
Speaking of sports
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Friday, April 08, 2011
Cliché: in the bag
Meaning: achieved; achievement certain (example)
Rewrite 1: bagged it, dude!
Rewrite 2: tagged, dragged, and bagged
Rewrite 3: locked in
Rewrite 4: glued and screwed
Rewrite 5: water tight
Comment: I went from hunting metaphors to security and craftsmanship metaphors. Let's see what you can do with it.
Next time you're on Twitter say hello: @a_copywriter
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Rewrite 1: bagged it, dude!
Rewrite 2: tagged, dragged, and bagged
Rewrite 3: locked in
Rewrite 4: glued and screwed
Rewrite 5: water tight
Comment: I went from hunting metaphors to security and craftsmanship metaphors. Let's see what you can do with it.
Next time you're on Twitter say hello: @a_copywriter
___
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Thursday, April 07, 2011
Cliché: it's a lemon
Meaning: useless; doesn't work (example)
Rewrite 1: squeeze it, you might get lemonade
Rewrite 2: two more and you can make a meringue pie
Rewrite 3: it has a hint of citrus
Rewrite 4: this thing's so sour it's turning lemon yellow
Rewrite 5: if this isn't a lemon, it's the most yellow lime I've ever seen
Comment: Rather than paralleling the "it's a ..." construction, I tried to work with ways of expressing a lemony quality to say the same thing.
Come say, "Hey!" on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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Speaking of Lemony Things
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Rewrite 1: squeeze it, you might get lemonade
Rewrite 2: two more and you can make a meringue pie
Rewrite 3: it has a hint of citrus
Rewrite 4: this thing's so sour it's turning lemon yellow
Rewrite 5: if this isn't a lemon, it's the most yellow lime I've ever seen
Comment: Rather than paralleling the "it's a ..." construction, I tried to work with ways of expressing a lemony quality to say the same thing.
Come say, "Hey!" on Twitter: @a_copywriter
___
Speaking of Lemony Things
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Monday, March 21, 2011
Cliché: it takes two to tango
Meaning: conflict or other relations requires two (example 1, example 2)
Rewrite 1: it takes two to duet
Rewrite 2: it takes two to tangle
Rewrite 3: it takes two to shake hands
Rewrite 4: it takes two to share
Rewrite 5: it takes two sides to go to war
Comment: Some of my examples oversimplify relationships for the sake of providing an example, but you can easily modify the example or the statement to suit the situation.
Say hello next time you're on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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Idioms for younger writers
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Rewrite 1: it takes two to duet
Rewrite 2: it takes two to tangle
Rewrite 3: it takes two to shake hands
Rewrite 4: it takes two to share
Rewrite 5: it takes two sides to go to war
Comment: Some of my examples oversimplify relationships for the sake of providing an example, but you can easily modify the example or the statement to suit the situation.
Say hello next time you're on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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Idioms for younger writers
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Saturday, February 26, 2011
Cliché: it isn't rocket science
Meaning: it isn't so advanced (example)
Rewrite 1: it isn't particle physics
Rewrite 2: it isn't quantum computing
Rewrite 3: it isn't galactic entanglement
Rewrite 4: it isn't advanced calculus
Rewrite 5: it isn't superstructure engineering
Comment: This is about using the complex to imply the simple. It doesn't have to be science - what about advanced crochet technique or organizational chart engineering?
Say hello when you're on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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Spruce up your idioms
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Rewrite 1: it isn't particle physics
Rewrite 2: it isn't quantum computing
Rewrite 3: it isn't galactic entanglement
Rewrite 4: it isn't advanced calculus
Rewrite 5: it isn't superstructure engineering
Comment: This is about using the complex to imply the simple. It doesn't have to be science - what about advanced crochet technique or organizational chart engineering?
Say hello when you're on Twitter: @a_copywriter
___
Spruce up your idioms
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Thursday, February 24, 2011
Cliché: isn't all it's cracked up to be
Meaning: it's disappointing (example)
Rewrite 1: isn't the egg the goose gaggled over
Rewrite 2: isn't the omellette the chef's commotion stirred up
Rewrite 3: isn't the pile-up the four-mile backup promised
Rewrite 4: isn't the gift all the wrapping presents
Rewrite 5: isn't the raise the boss's praises implied
Comment: "Cracked up" means "praise" in its original though seldom-used form, but it's difficult to find another way to repeat that, so I went for other things that "crack up" that might create a similar intention. Thus, the egg references and the pile up. Can you think of another way to bring back the original sense of praise in this idiom?
Say hellow on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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Playing devil's advocate this once
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Rewrite 1: isn't the egg the goose gaggled over
Rewrite 2: isn't the omellette the chef's commotion stirred up
Rewrite 3: isn't the pile-up the four-mile backup promised
Rewrite 4: isn't the gift all the wrapping presents
Rewrite 5: isn't the raise the boss's praises implied
Comment: "Cracked up" means "praise" in its original though seldom-used form, but it's difficult to find another way to repeat that, so I went for other things that "crack up" that might create a similar intention. Thus, the egg references and the pile up. Can you think of another way to bring back the original sense of praise in this idiom?
Say hellow on Twitter: @a_copywriter
___
Playing devil's advocate this once
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Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Cliché: it's no use crying over spilled milk
Meaning: don't sweat the little things you can't change (example)
Rewrite 1: no use crying over burnt toast
Rewrite 2: no use moaning over crumbled crackers
Rewrite 3: no use stressing over 404 error page returns
Rewrite 4: no use pouting over pennies down sewer drains
Rewrite 5: no use mourning chipped fingernails
Comment: I tried to retain the flavor of life's little disappointments, which is what the original intones.
Do follow me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
___
Picking up more idioms
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Rewrite 1: no use crying over burnt toast
Rewrite 2: no use moaning over crumbled crackers
Rewrite 3: no use stressing over 404 error page returns
Rewrite 4: no use pouting over pennies down sewer drains
Rewrite 5: no use mourning chipped fingernails
Comment: I tried to retain the flavor of life's little disappointments, which is what the original intones.
Do follow me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
___
Picking up more idioms
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Friday, February 18, 2011
Cliché: Is it soup yet?
Meaning: is it ready? (example)
Rewrite 1: soup poured?
Rewrite 2: done cookin'?
Rewrite 3: table set yet?
Rewrite 4: still in the oven?
Rewrite 5: pie still cooling?
Comment: I've maintained the food or eating metaphor, but there should be plenty of others you could use. For instance, building: Walls up? Decorating: Paint dry? Programming: Code up?
When you're on Twitter, say howdy: @a_copywriter
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Food on your keyboard
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Rewrite 1: soup poured?
Rewrite 2: done cookin'?
Rewrite 3: table set yet?
Rewrite 4: still in the oven?
Rewrite 5: pie still cooling?
Comment: I've maintained the food or eating metaphor, but there should be plenty of others you could use. For instance, building: Walls up? Decorating: Paint dry? Programming: Code up?
When you're on Twitter, say howdy: @a_copywriter
___
Food on your keyboard
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Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Cliché: skating on thin ice
Meaning: taking a big risk (example)
Rewrite: swimming in deep waters
Rewrite: walking on ice
Rewrite: upstaging a diva
Rewrite: running with scissors
Rewrite: skipping a stiff rope
Comment: This cliché was the suggestion of Jacques. Thanks, Jacques! I tried to come up with different risky scenarios without sounding too rediculous.
Follow me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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More on metaphors
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Rewrite: swimming in deep waters
Rewrite: walking on ice
Rewrite: upstaging a diva
Rewrite: running with scissors
Rewrite: skipping a stiff rope
Comment: This cliché was the suggestion of Jacques. Thanks, Jacques! I tried to come up with different risky scenarios without sounding too rediculous.
Follow me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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More on metaphors
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Friday, February 11, 2011
Cliché: in your dreams
Meaning: a challenge of disbelief (example)
Rewrite: in your mind's eye
Rewrite: in the world of make-believe
Rewrite: as the fantasy flies
Rewrite: with your imaginary friends
Rewrite: when you're on meds
Comment: This is usually said as a taunt, so think more in terms of sarcasm.
Connect with me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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More on dreams
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Rewrite: in your mind's eye
Rewrite: in the world of make-believe
Rewrite: as the fantasy flies
Rewrite: with your imaginary friends
Rewrite: when you're on meds
Comment: This is usually said as a taunt, so think more in terms of sarcasm.
Connect with me on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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More on dreams
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Thursday, February 10, 2011
Cliché: about as pleasant as a trip to the dentist
Meaning: anxiety inducers
Rewrite 1: about as pleasant as a trip to the principal's office
Rewrite 2: about as fun as a trip to the emergency room
Rewrite 3: all the joy of an appointment with the IRS
Rewrite 4: with the anticipation of a call from a telemarketer
Rewrite 5: with the calm of being surrounded by pickpockets
Comment: My thanks to author @jaypapasan for suggesting this challenging idiom, which may or may not rise to the definition of cliche. Jay says it attracts 77k hits on Google, a respectable showing. However, I couldn't find it on any searches that identified as a classic written cliche. Rather, it showed up as more of a cultural cliche, an idea that keeps popping up in references, which is that nothing is a fearful as a trip to the dentist. So perhaps our job here isn't so much to rewrite an idiom as to suggest there may be equal or worse things to fear as a visit with Dr. Tooth.
Stop by and say hello on Twitter: @a_copywriter
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Rewrite 1: about as pleasant as a trip to the principal's office
Rewrite 2: about as fun as a trip to the emergency room
Rewrite 3: all the joy of an appointment with the IRS
Rewrite 4: with the anticipation of a call from a telemarketer
Rewrite 5: with the calm of being surrounded by pickpockets
Comment: My thanks to author @jaypapasan for suggesting this challenging idiom, which may or may not rise to the definition of cliche. Jay says it attracts 77k hits on Google, a respectable showing. However, I couldn't find it on any searches that identified as a classic written cliche. Rather, it showed up as more of a cultural cliche, an idea that keeps popping up in references, which is that nothing is a fearful as a trip to the dentist. So perhaps our job here isn't so much to rewrite an idiom as to suggest there may be equal or worse things to fear as a visit with Dr. Tooth.
Stop by and say hello on Twitter: @a_copywriter
___
To make us all feel better about that trip to the dentist
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