Wattmag Issue #9

Romance Tropes and You

"Ugh, another bad boy book. Aren't there a million of them already?"

We've all heard it before. "That's such a cliche." A cursory look around Wattpad reveals many similar stories: bad boys hooking up with good girls, werewolves, vampires, and coming-of-age high school stories. Ever wonder why many of the most popular stories seem so similar? Aren't people getting tired of that by now?

It seems counterintuitive at first, but the answer is: not really. And here's why.

Most people look down on "tropes" and "cliches", saying that they're overused or boring. But I have a different view. What if tropes help us connect on a deeper level to familiar, unifying narratives? What if they help us, as readers, set expectations and find exactly what we're looking for?

Used smartly, I firmly believe that tropes can make you a better writer and help you please your readers as well. In this article, I'm going to focus mainly on romance tropes, but there are tropes in every genre ("the chosen one" in fantasy, for example). The Hero's Journey is another example of a common thread that fits through many stories.

Let's start by going through a few common ones:

Friends to lovers: Ahh, this is a perennial favorite, especially in young adult/high school stories. Two best friends finally realize their feelings for each other and come together as lovers. So romantic, right?

Enemies to lovers: A different side of the same coin. This one appears a lot in "bad boy" stories because it gives readers that tension and push-pull dynamic that they crave. If two people are really opposed to one another at first and can't stand each other, it's even more interesting to try to figure out how they will ever get together! You can even find this trope in the classics. Pride and Prejudice, anyone? In fact, as an extension to this...

Alpha hero: The "bad boy" is the most common example of this trope. An Alpha hero doesn't have to be a jerk, but is usually used to getting what he wants. He's in control of most things around him...until he meets the heroine. A lot of people like this trope because it speaks to their need to be "special" or "different" in some way. Haven't we all wished we could be the "exception" for a brooding hot guy? Just me? Okay, then.

Class warfare: You see this in billionaire romances a lot. One is rich, one is poor. Besides the inherent differences in their income level and manner of living, there's also societal expectations to worry about. Does love truly overcome all, or will their differences be too great? Readers want to know what happens, and keep reading on to find out. It's up to you to deliver those feel-good moments they expect.

Reunion: This is one of my favorites. It involves two characters that used to know each other long ago and were separated for some reason. Perhaps they became friends at summer camp, and then went back home never to see one another again. Until that fateful day... The Reunion trope is fun because you can play with both character's emotions and history with one another. Reuniting with one you thought you lost is often a very emotional experience, so make sure you play that up!

There are many more tropes out there, and I'm sure you can think of some of your own. Next time you read a story on Wattpad, think about what tropes it fits, if any. For example, what expectations do you have as a reader when you learn a story is about friends that become lovers? Even though stories with the same tropes may be similar, they're never exactly the same. They provide a new, fresh story on top of that skeleton, giving us that experience we want as readers while entertaining us at the same time.

Next time you plan a story, try coming up with a few tropes first, then try writing a story around them. I promise, no two people will come up with the same plot, so give it a go!

I hope this article has helped you understand the importance of tropes as a writer and a reader. At their core, they connect to deeper narratives that our brain understands and craves, and that's what keeps us coming back for more.

What's your favorite trope? Post it in the comments below!