You are the Chosen One! (kinda)

Hey!

A few years ago, I took part in a writing class. Here the teacher I had was quite good, he would take us through why info-dumping was a bad idea - a point I still agree with very much to this day.

However, about a third of the way through the course, he brought up the topic of tropes. We discussed different types of tropes for each genre. we went through the classics in my favourite genre, Fantasy. These ranged from the "chosen one," to that of "enemies to lovers."

Afterwards, he said something that completely drove me the wrong way - so much so that I wrote an article about it. the very one you are reading. Anyways, he sat us down and said this:

"Tropes are bad. Don't use them."

And whilst at first, that might seem like a very simple way of saying "be original," it also demonizes the idea of tropes. I believe tropes to be actually rather useful, especially when you understand what they are.

🔮Predicting the plot with prophecy

I can understand why people don't like tropes. It all comes from that moment when you are reading a book and you can already see what's going to happen. Not because the story itself has set it out for you, but rather because they are using a trope that hasn't been developed.

By this, I mean that tropes are good - if you take them and put your own twist on them.

🦹Good vs Evil

A trope is, simply put, a feature or writing plot point that has been done a lot. So much so that it has become recognised as its own definitive thing. This is why I believe that a trope doesn't have to be seen as a bad thing - it's just when people use them without trying to reinvent it themselves that it gets a bad rep.

If people continue to use the "chosen one" trope without thinking about what they can do to make it more interesting, then no wonder people are starting to get bored of it.

👍Can tropes be done well?

Simple answer - yes.

A trope can be used in a new, unique way that changes how a reader sees it. For example, if you take the trope of "enemies to lovers" but as soon as the characters get close, you rip the carpet out from underneath them, it makes the enemy even more hated as you as the reader also get close to that character by proxy.

Whilst that may not be the best example, it serves the purpose. A simple way to use tropes is by playing into them so the reader thinks they know what is happening, then flip it on its head.

My teacher wasn't bad, it was just the generality of their comment. Tropes aren't inherently bad, they just require reinvention to make them appear less stale. It is the same way we do any writing - we want to make something new. And the only way to do this is to take pre-existing ideas and put our spin on them.

That's all from me today,
Fin :)