Writing Excuses Season Two Episode 23: Avoiding the Cliche

From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2009/03/16/writing-excuses-season-2-episode-23-avoiding-the-cliche-with-tracy-hickman/

Key points: characters need flaws. They need strong, original motivations. Everyone is the hero of their own story -- villains, women, everyone. Show what they want and what they perceive instead of generic archetypal desires and visions.
( behind door number three )
[Brandon] This is been Writing Excuses.
[Howard] I don't get attacked by monkeys?
[Audience whooping]
[Brandon] Writing prompt. Your writing prompt this week is Howard gets attacked by monkeys. Write that story. This has been Writing Excuses. Thank you very much.

[1] according to Wikipedia, jumping the shark is a reference to a Happy Days episode where Fonzie jumped a shark on waterskis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_the_shark