Orson Scott Card covers this notion of cliches rather extensively in his books on writing. In his description, cliches are essentially like putting your writing on cruise control. Whatever you're doing in the story, most beginning writers will run with the first thing that comes to mind, which almost by definition will be the cliche, the easiest or most common possibility.
What he suggests is recognizing that your first instinct is likely the cliche and considering it for a moment. If it's too easy, try to come up with another answer or add an interesting twist to the cliche that's less common. Cliches aren't necessarily bad, they just need a little work to be interesting. And if you can't come up with a more interesting yet still believable solution, it's not a bad thing to go with the cliche once in a while. The cliche is a cliche because it makes the most sense.
I also feel like it's inevitable based on the experience level of the writer or RPer in question. It takes a while to mature from the notion of "how awesome is my character" to "how interesting is my character?" Making interesting characters is always awesome, since interesting characters must overcome conflict. Making awesome characters is very rarely interesting, because awesome characters bypass conflict.
What he suggests is recognizing that your first instinct is likely the cliche and considering it for a moment. If it's too easy, try to come up with another answer or add an interesting twist to the cliche that's less common. Cliches aren't necessarily bad, they just need a little work to be interesting. And if you can't come up with a more interesting yet still believable solution, it's not a bad thing to go with the cliche once in a while. The cliche is a cliche because it makes the most sense.
I also feel like it's inevitable based on the experience level of the writer or RPer in question. It takes a while to mature from the notion of "how awesome is my character" to "how interesting is my character?" Making interesting characters is always awesome, since interesting characters must overcome conflict. Making awesome characters is very rarely interesting, because awesome characters bypass conflict.
I'm a tinker! Tinkerer? Hrm.... I'm an artificer! - Myxie Tryxle | Impressions and Memories
