Stop struggling for inspiration—trope it up!

I am reading Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros at the moment and do you want to know why I love it?

A. There's dragons!

B. Brilliant writing.

C. Love triangle trope!

I LOVE a love triangle. It's my favourite trope of all. I love it so much it was the very first trope I used. In my first novel The Brothers of Brigadier Station my trope is a heroine who is in love with two brothers. In my imagination the brothers were Chris and Liam Hemsworth so theres a situation I know a lot of readers wouldn't mind being in!

In writing, a trope is like a common pattern or idea that authors use to help tell their stories. It can be a plot device or a way of creating certain expectations for readers. 

(This is how I spent my friday night. Me, my dogs and a few dragons!)

Tropes can be helpful because they can make stories more interesting for readers, and they help us understand what to expect from different types of art. They can also give us clues about what kinds of ideas are popular in the market.

Here's some examples: 

Romance

• Fake Relationship
• Friends to Lovers
• Enemies to Lovers
• Billionaires
• Forbidden Love
• Boy Next Door
• Slow Burn
• Amnesia
• Bad Boy
• Secret Baby 

Mystery

• Anonymous Killer/Stalker Narrator
• Accidental Murder
• Conspicuously Public Assassination
• Serial Killer 
• Unsolved Mysteries 
• Old Dark House

Paranormal

• Kick Ass Heroine
• Rivalry Between Magical Beings (Vampire vs. Shifter, Witch vs. Vampire, etc.)
• Magic Won't Solve the Problem
• A Man of Mystery
• Search of Magical Objects

Science Fiction 

• Life in Space
• Life on Another Planet
• Evil Robot/Evil Aliens taking over Earth
• Space Pirates
• Wormholes
• Dystopian Governments 
• Life After Apocalypse 
• First Contact
• Mutants
• Clones

Fantasy

• The Chosen One
• Reluctant Hero
• Quest for Item
• Secret Heir 
• Sword and Sorcery 
• Evil Overlord

Horror

• Abandoned Location
• Human Harvesting 
• Killer in the Woods
• Haunted House
• Killer on the Loose 
• Cults/Sacrifices
• Possessions 
• Psychotic Killer 

This is not a complete list of different types of stories or all the different elements that can be in those stories, but it's easy to find out more about them. You can just search for "genres" plus the word "tropes" on the internet. For example, if you want to know about tropes in dystopian fiction, you can search for "dystopian fiction tropes." The same goes for other genres like action and adventure, suspense, thriller, sweet romance, and paranormal romance.

Your stories can also have more than one trope. For example, in a fantasy story, you might have "The Chosen One" who has to fight against "The Evil Overlord." And in a paranormal romance story, you might have a rivalry between magical beings with a bad boy main male character and a strong main female character. Sometimes, they start off as enemies but end up falling in love. 

You can also explore Sub Tropes, which is a trope that is a subtype of some other trope. For example, under "Bad Boy" you might have a Motorcycle Club trope or a MMA Fighter trope. Under the Haunted House trope, it could be an unsolved death trope or an evil curse trope.

Tropes have stood the test of time and continue to captivate audiences because they tap into universal themes and emotions. Tropes provide a framework for writers to build upon and create unique and memorable stories. However, it is up to the individual writer to put their own spin on these tropes and make them their own. So embrace the tropes, but don't be afraid to take risks and push the boundaries of storytelling. Who knows, you may just create the next iconic trope.

Happy Writing!