We all do it; sometimes without thinking, we’ll reach for canned phrases, cliches, and jargon— think: the good news is, the fact of the matter is, etc.
We all do it; sometimes without thinking, we’ll reach for canned phrases, cliches, and jargon— think: the good news is, the fact of the matter is, etc. I had a ruthless Columbia Journalism School professor who kept a CPP Index—Cliches Per Person—on his students, and each month, he’d call us out on them. Rightfully so! Such words and phrases are the enemy of clear writing. Instead, reach for fresh language that more precisely conveys what you’re going for.