A fun lesson for writers who hate to practice

“Jeopardy” is a great TV show for writers and Writers alike.

It has a surprisingly large writing staff if you consider only that something like 500 words must be written daily to cover 61 clues.  Not surprising, though, if you consider the bent of creative, the need for impeccably accurate research and the sheer variety of topics.  And none of the content can replicate past shows.

In fact, 500 words, eight terse words at a time, is damnably tough.

Yesterday’s show had a category called “Dumb Down the Cliché,” which is a classic lesson for writers who over-write ... who use three 25¢ words when a nickel’s worth would do nicely, thankyewverymuch.

The novice writer might well practice by rewriting cliches or other well-known passages in order to experiment with combinations and contrasts of clarity and obfuscation – both of which have their place in prose presentations.

Yesterday’s first-round category went like this:

$200 – Retrieve a hare hidden within your beret. (Pull a rabbit from your hat)

$400 – My nostrils detect the aroma of a gnawing rodent. (I smell a rat)

$600 – Spending an interlude anticipating the descent of the additional slipper. (Waiting for the other shoe to drop)

$800 – Seize a male bovine with grips to its forehead protuberances. (Grab the bull by the horns)

$1000 – Pilfer from Mr. Pan in order to enrich Mr. Bunyan. (Rob Peter to pay Paul)

It’s interesting that judges awarded a correct “question” to the contestant who replied by asking “What is ‘Steal from Peter to pay Paul.’ ”  The essence of the cliché is present, to be sure, but in the colloquial spirit of the category, “steal” is one of those words you’d want to “dumb down” to “rob.”

Still, it’s only one word different, right?  What’s the difference?

After all, let bygones be themselves.

It’s not like it was the star-spangled flag or anything.

But maybe we should run one more idea up the flagpole and see who stands at attention ...

Nah ... Leave well enough by itself. 

Next: A practical lesson for writers who hate to practice

[For personal writing assistance, go to www.fixadocument.com]