I really love this series, Scott. Thank you for running it. > "Sometimes this is because the writer unconsciously is repeating what he has seen or read in the past..." You know, the funny thing here is that when I catch myself making weak or predictable choices in my own writing, quite often it's because I'm writing a "TV cop" or a "movie heroine"--but the people I know in real life are SO much more interesting than anyone I typically see on TV or in movies. When I fall into the trap of writing from second-hand experience, I try to stop and ask myself, "Who do I know like this in real life? What would they really do?" The writing choices I come up with this way are consistently stronger and more interesting. I realize everything I have just written is dead obvious, but it still amazes me how easy it is to fall into regurgitating tropes and cliches from pop culture. Is it because we swim in so many stories and because there are such solid, established tropes in modern storytelling? I hope that being aware of that tendency is a good start toward warding it off. Certainly observing myself and the fascinating people around me and listening to their stories are the best sources of stories, conflicts, motivations, and insights into characters for me. Another way to deal with this is to ask, "Where's the truth here"? (I'm really hung up on truth in writing at the moment--my current writing phase.) Looking for the truth of the character, the situation, and the premise is also a good way to get past facile story choices. In short, how to avoid "the same old" choices? - pay attention to the world around me - write from life - look for the truth I'd love to know how other writers deal with this, too.

Shaula, I think you are right: just having an AWARENESS of cliches and tropes is key, so we actively think of ways to explore characters in different ways. I find the key is simply getting to know characters. Human beings are by nature multilayered individuals [on a psychological level], so it's oftentimes a matter of just digging deeper, digging deeper, etc. It's also fun to work with archetypes. A Mentor who is an Addict is different than one who is a Martyr, or a Warrior compared to a Prostitute. We can use these sub-types to explore all sorts of alternative ways of spinning characters.