Dive into a snarky exploration of literature's most overused tropes. From Chosen Ones to The Power of Friendship, discover why these clichés drive me crazy... and why I can't stop reading them.

Writing Tropes I Love to Hate (And Hate to Love)

Welcome to the literary hall of shame, where overused tropes go to die... and then get resurrected for the millionth time. For those two people who've been living under a rock, tropes are those tired clichés authors can't seem to quit. Warning: This rant contains enough salt to de-ice every road in Canada. If you're easily offended or married to these tropes, turn back now. You've been warned.

1. The Chosen One: AKA "Special Snowflake Syndrome"

Oh joy, another unremarkable teenager discovers they're the key to saving the universe. Because apparently, the fate of existence hinges on acne-prone high schoolers. From Harry Potter to Katniss Everdeen, and every YA protagonist in between, this trope is as ubiquitous as it is infuriating.

Why it makes me want to throw my book across the room:

• It undermines the concept of hard work and skill development

• It creates unrealistic expectations for readers

• It's lazy writing disguised as 'destiny'

If I had a nickel for every Chosen One, I'd have enough to buy a prophecy declaring me the Chosen One to end all Chosen Ones.

2. Love Triangles: The Geometric Nightmare

Ah, the love triangle. Because nothing says 'true love' like being indecisive and stringing along multiple people. It's not romantic; it's emotional constipation with a side of geometry. The 'Team Edward vs. Team Jacob' phenomenon wasn't just annoying; it was a toxic rabbit hole of relationship dysfunction.

Why it's more problematic than a calculus exam:

• Promotes unhealthy relationship dynamics

• Often used as a crutch for actual character development

• Rarely reflects real-life complexities of relationships

Love triangles: Teaching young readers that playing with people's emotions is totally cool since... forever.

3. The Strong Female Character™: Muscles Instead of Personality

Congratulations, you've created a woman who can punch things. Revolutionary. Here's a novel idea: how about giving her a personality that doesn't revolve around being 'not like other girls' or having daddy issues?

The trope's epic fails:

• Equating strength solely with physical prowess or traditionally masculine traits

• Lack of emotional depth or vulnerability

• The 'I don't need no man' character who inevitably ends up with a man

She's badass, she's beautiful, she has all the emotional range of a teaspoon. Truly, a role model for the ages. Stupid >:(

4. The Brooding Bad Boy: Toxic Masculinity's Poster Child

Ah yes, the bad boy. Because nothing screams 'perfect boyfriend material' like emotional unavailability, a violent temper, and a criminal record. Ladies, set your standards lower!

Why this trope should be thrown into a volcano:

• It's harmful to young readers, romanticizing abusive behaviors

• It encourages the 'I can fix him' mentality

• It perpetuates toxic masculinity in pop culture

Bad boys: Teaching generations of readers that red flags are just pretty decorations.

5. The Convenient Misunderstanding: Plot Fuel for the Communication-Impaired

Have you heard of this revolutionary technology called 'talking'? No? Well, neither have these characters. Why solve a problem in 30 seconds when you can drag it out for 300 pages?

The lazy writing breakdown:

• It's used to artificially extend plots

• It causes immense frustration in readers

• It glorifies poor communication, which has real-life consequences

The convenient misunderstanding: Because who needs therapy when you can have unnecessary drama?

6. The Oblivious Parents

Your kid comes home with magical powers, mythical creatures, and mortal enemies, but sure, don't ask questions. It's not like parenting involves, oh I don't know, PARENTING.

Why this trope needs to be grounded indefinitely:

• It sends a terrible message about family dynamics

• It enables reckless protagonist behavior

• It misses opportunities for meaningful family narratives

Parental obliviousness: The true superpower in fiction. Side effects include child endangerment and plot convenience.

7. The Training Montage: Instant Expert, Just Add Music

Ah, the training montage. Where complex skills are mastered faster than you can say 'unrealistic expectations'. Who needs years of practice when you have a catchy soundtrack?

Why it's more problematic than skipping leg day:

• It undermines the value of hard work and dedication

• It creates false expectations about skill acquisition

• It cheapens character development

Training montages: Teaching viewers that expertise is just a three-minute song away since 'Rocky'.

8. The Vague Prophecy: Mystical Mumbo-Jumbo 101

Behold, the prophecy! A convenient plot device wrapped in cryptic nonsense and tied with a bow of 'I don't know how to write foreshadowing'.

Why this trope should be banished to the realm of forgotten plots:

• It's the laziest of narrative crutches

• It often contradicts the concept of free will in storytelling

• Its ridiculous vagueness allows for any interpretation

Prophecies: When you want to sound deep but have no idea where your plot is going.

9. The Last-Minute Save: Deus Ex Machina's Greatest Hits

Oh look, a convenient and previously unmentioned power/ally/solution appears just in the nick of time. How... utterly predictable and unsatisfying.

The hallmarks of amateur hour:

• It cheats readers out of earned resolutions

• It lacks foreshadowing and setup

• It's the literary equivalent of pulling a rabbit out of a hat

The last-minute save: For when you've written yourself into a corner and deadline's tomorrow.

10. The Power of Friendship: Emotional Band-Aids for Plot Holes

Ah yes, the power of friendship. Capable of overcoming any obstacle, defying any law of physics, and boring any reader with half a brain cell.

Why this trope needs to be unfriended:

• It undermines real conflict resolution

• It's used to gloss over plot holes

• It's particularly egregious in adult fiction

The Power of Friendship: Defeating eldritch horrors, tyrannical regimes, and narrative logic since time immemorial.

Conclusion

There you have it, folks. The top 10 tropes that make me want to throw books across the room... right before I sheepishly retrieve them and continue reading. And yet, here I am, probably using half of these in my own writing. Because nothing says 'writer' like criticizing the very tropes you're addicted to.

The truly horrifying part? As much as I rail against these literary clichés, I have a sneaking suspicion that my own stories are secretly harboring at least half of them. It's like a literary version of Stockholm syndrome – we mock them, we despise them, and yet we can't seem to escape them.

So the next time you catch me unknowingly slipping a brooding bad boy into a love triangle with a strong female character who's actually the prophesied chosen one, feel free to call me out. Or don't. After all, tropes are tropes for a reason, and sometimes, just sometimes, they're exactly what the story needs.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date with a mirror to practice my best 'I'm not like other writers' face. Because if you can't beat 'em, join 'em... and then write a snarky article about it.