THE DARK ACADEMIA CHECKLIST FOR CLICHES :
• main character has a gossipy bestfriend who supposedly and conveniently so, knows everything about the academy and the elite group
• the powerful female lead is introduced with the click-clack of her heels
• mysterious boy gives a fuck about the main character's "walls"
• the elite group generally has a round up figure of five, or three bad boys, or five
• the protagonist is overly curious/has a saviour complex
• most handsome guy is the killer
• character with the most mental trauma is the main focus
• star crossed lovers
• elites are straight a's
• everyone wants to be around the elites to get drugs and alcohol
• chase in the woods
• stylish fonts and dividers
• cornering the main character
• main character is a girl
If you have more than four of these, you need to cut your losses, say goodbye to the ones that don't add anything to the overall plot.
☆ cut off the bestie. she might be darling character but she's also an annoying reporter. let your characters unravel the mystery via library and cryptic texts. or have 1± best friends, each saying something different.
☆ the heels need to go. it can be one of the things your powerful female lead wears, that's fine, but have a real introduction. perhaps, them being kind and brave, them being generous in a polished way, them showing concern for underlings etc.
☆ nobody cares. please cut out the player crap. unless she's messing the hierarchy — nobody fucking cares.
☆ throw off your readers. have a random number of people (less than ten, for character management purposes).
☆ once again, no one bloody cares. your main lead can't be fighting battles for others, that's just unrealistic. they might get humiliated or denied their basic rights — that's when they'd raise their swords.
☆ killers can be ugly too. it can work just as fine.
☆ dark academia is about healing of characters, yes, but as a part of plot. no seperate subplots for that. this ain't euphoria or pll.
☆ have polyamorous relationships. or non binary people falling in love. or anything else — heteronormative couples are my biggest pet peeve!
☆ i don't think rich kids would particularly be all rounders.
☆ elites can have more to offer than drugs and alcohol — exotic places, imported watches or cosmetics, expensive tickets etc etc.
☆ wood chase scene is very, very overused. chase your leads elsewhere.
☆ don't yassify your novel. use "—" or "☆☆" or whatever — keep it minimum. for headers, you can use your graphics. that too, simple, meaningful.
☆ elite group won't really bother the main lead, and vice versa. anti-bullying is not really a theme, so why include direct bullying? the threats and games will only make sense if it make sense for their different worlds to collide.
☆ female povs are kind of overused as well. change that.
comment if there's any query!
YOU ARE READING
Do's And Don'ts Of Dark Academia
Não Ficçãodo you ever feel your dark academia descriptions don't feel aesthetic enough? dw, this book got you covered. cw : chaotic fonts
