How can I keep my stories creative and fresh?

Think of it this way: just about any one of us could tell a story about a trip we took to the store this past week. Going to the store is a universal experience. There will be universal elements, but nobody’s story will be exactly the same. The differences are quickly apparent in the unique voice, and in the unique details, that come in each retelling. Try to infuse your work with both, and avoid clichés in the writing itself, particularly in the narration and characterization whenever you find it impossible to avoid them in the plots. After all, clichés are clichés because there is resounding truth in them. How can you avoid them altogether if you’re going to be true to human nature and contemporary life?