I would love to do an anthology of the worst submissions ever. The mass market wouldn’t understand the humor, but I think editors would. It’d be the perfect bathroom book for any travel editor/writer.
Here are a four types of cliche stories that I would be happy to never read again:
1.It took forever to get there. 2000+ words of whinging about how awful the plane ride was, how they couldn’t get a cab, how they got lost getting to the hotel, or the wrong hotel, and how awful it was once they got there.
2.Turkish baths. Nearly all these stories sound a like, and so many people feel compelled to tell it. In theory, it would be a great story, except on my end, I’ve heard it already.
3.Buying a rug in Morocco.Complete with tout’s uncle, and how they got you in with the tea.
4.Me and my husband… It’s not that a story about a couple will be a bad story. Not at all. It’s when they start off that way. Me and my husband went to Mexico for our vacation. It reminds me of the 5th grade English exercises where we had to write a page about our summer vacation. Lacking spunk and originality.
So, if you are working on a story similar to one of these, please rethink your angle and try to make yours as unique as possible. And give it a decent lead. P & T.
Then again, think of the time it saves to have someone start with something as horrid as “Me and my husband…” – Where’s that waste paper basket? *two points* 😉 (Greetings from Oklahoma City, westbound 🙂