Hi all!
For this week's topic I ran a Twitter poll and you guys decided on my favourite writing tropes! If you liked this one let me know and I'll write another about my least favourite tropes.
Friends to Lovers.
This one is my all time favourite. I adore when characters who have known each other for years have hidden feelings but then reveal them at some point. I do prefer this to be revealed in the middle of a book or series so then we can actually read about the characters being together and how they act around each other. It's a bit annoying to see the characters get together at the end of a book or series as then we never actually see them be together. I knew when writing Elemental Dragons that Hazel and Marco would end up together, despite all the obstacles thrown in their way. They feel that they are being subtle about the way they feel, but in fact it's the complete opposite.
Comic Relief Character.
Not all the characters have to be dark and brooding. Having one around to offer jokes or quips is refreshing. Even if the characters are going on a quest or facing evil, it's nice to see one of them still remains upbeat enough to joke about their situation. I hate reading about characters that are all dark and gloomy while being unable to be sarcastic or joke around even in the light-hearted times.
Found Family.
Having a character with terrible parents or other family members can be quite commonplace in books. A lot of people find it annoying and unrealistic but I don't mind it. This is because it then gives the main character the chance to find their own family in their friends or allies. Not all family ties have to be through blood, a lot of them can just be people that you meet throughout your life. I prefer seeing a found family than a caring and supportive blood related one.
Mementos of Dead Characters.
I am a sucker for this trope. A character that the main one really cares about dies so they keep something to remember them by. This is usually a piece of jewellery or something from their childhood. I think this trope is important as in a lot of books death usually lasts one chapter and is then mostly forgotten about until the hero faces off against the antagonist. By keeping something to remember the dead character by, it shows the reader that they care about that person and that they had a close relationship.
Hero and Villain Annoying Each Other.
I don't mean this in a 'fight to the death' sort of way. Instead I just like to read about the hero and the villain bickering over little things. Or if the villain captures the hero, the two of them annoy each other. For example, the villain treating their minions horribly but the hero treats them with kindness, which annoys the villain. Or the villain tries to showcase the captured hero to their friends but the hero looks bored and claims that the villain has a poor taste in traps.
Good Main Characters Who Turn Evil.
I have a book series revolving around this trope that I hope to write in the future. There is nothing more exciting than reading a book from the protagonist's view only to realise at the end of the book that they were the antagonist all along. I think it's a satisfying twist when done right, and can also set up more books revolving around that character. It's also fresh to see something from the villain's point of view.
That's it for this week, I hope you enjoyed reading! See you next week.
