Hi! Perhaps I can be an assistance to your question:
In terms of how far the notion of 'cliche' goes: you would want your creative piece to have a moral/concept behind your words - don't just compose a story out of mid-air, take a step back and ask yourself what do you want the reader to gain...
Just purchased his modern history notes. Can I just say first of all that he is one of the nicest people you'll ever contact. But as the for the notes, you guys are seriously missing out on what he has got to offer: the price is reasonably cheap in ratio to both the quality and quantity of his...