Which TV Tropes have you found in your story?

Bayou Bill · Sep 1, 2008

TV Tropes Wiki (writing guide)

Just came across this site and thought others might find it helpfull. My apologies if this is the wrong forum or transgresses some AW rule. If so, may the Mods be swift and unmerciful.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HomePage

Bayou Bill

==

(from the TV Trope home page)

What is this about?: This wiki is a catalogue of the tricks of the trade for writing fiction. We dip into the cauldron of story, whistle up a hearty spoonful, and splosh it in front of you to devour to your heart's content.

Tropes are devices and conventions that a writer can reasonably rely on as being present in the audience members' minds and expectations. On the whole, tropes are not clichés. The word clichéd means "stereotyped and trite." In other words, dull and uninteresting. We are not looking for dull and uninteresting entries. We are here to recognize tropes and play with them, not to make fun of them.

The wiki is called "TV Tropes" because that is where we started. Over the course of a few years, our scope has crept out to include other media. Tropes transcend television. They exist in life, as we will be quick to tell you. Art in any form does its best to reflect life, so tropes show up everywhere.

Tachyon · Sep 1, 2008

I love TV Tropes. As with Wikipedia, I can get lost for hours surfing those pages. For that reason, I do issue this stern warning: reading TV Tropes is incredibly addictive. Do so at your own risk.

I often read up about tropes when I'm writing, and I like looking up the pages for my favourite TV series, novels, etc. It's a great way to get ideas, see what's been done before in similar situations, or just ... avoid writing. *cough*

Deccydiva · Sep 1, 2008

This is the first I've heard of it but I have bookmarked the link so I can do it justice later. Meethinks it will be a long night! :welcome:

Rae22 · Sep 1, 2008

Never seen it before, but it's on my bookmark list now.

Stormhawk · Sep 1, 2008

I've read almost ever trope in that wiki...and go back for more when I start to read a new series/see a new movie/remember something I haven't looked up. >_<

My SO's read it too...we speak in tropes now.

tehuti88 · Sep 2, 2008

I've heard of it I think, and browsed it, but I find it gets highly discouraging to look at things like that for too long. While they're interesting, they seem to indicate that just about any element one puts into their writing is a cliche and should probably be avoided. I realize that's not the intent at all--they're probably just pointing out how to avoid making OVER-THE-TOP cliches, and that even cliches can work if done right--but it always dampens my enthusiasm to find that basically everything I'm writing--even things that are new to ME--is regarded as so overdone by so many people. Sure, there's hardly anything new under the sun, but I don't need to be reminded so at every turn.

And I think a lot of times, people confuse stereotypes with archetypes. One is a cheesy cliche from a lazy writer. The other is something basic and understandable across countless cultures and generations and that's why it works so often.

That's just me. I also don't bother looking at Mary Sue tests and such for this very reason, though I wouldn't tell anyone else not to look at them if they wish. For some people it helps to know what's been done, but in my case it just hinders. *shrug*

SPMiller · Sep 2, 2008

Um, they go to great lengths to point out that not only are tropes not cliches, but also that tropes aren't necessarily bad.

Some are, but many are not.

Shadow_Ferret · Sep 2, 2008

I still don't understand what a trope is.

Stormhawk · Sep 2, 2008

Think of it like a category - it's one of those "now you're thinking with portals" things where you only really understand it by reading through it.

Lauri B · Sep 2, 2008

I think this might make more sense in the Fiction forum. I'm going to try to move it, but I'm kind of clumsy at this.

Tachyon · Sep 2, 2008

Shadow_Ferret said:
I still don't understand what a trope is.

A trope is similar to a plot device, but it extends to more than just plot and also to real life. A trope is an element of fiction (or real life) that writers use often enough that it deserves a humorous name and examples.

I love the Sorting Algorithm of Deadness

Diana Hignutt · Sep 2, 2008

My ill-fated first novel is actually referenced in one of the tropes there. Small world. It is a great website...

J C Coy · Sep 2, 2008

How cool. I bookmarked that one.

TrickyFiction · Sep 2, 2008

Tachyon said:
For that reason, I do issue this stern warning: reading TV Tropes is incredibly addictive. Do so at your own risk.

Oh, I wish I'd seen this before I clicked... Eh, who am I kidding? I would have clicked anyway, and still spent most of my free time today reading that site.

CynicalRyan · Sep 3, 2008

Shadow_Ferret said:
I still don't understand what a trope is.

A trope is like a covabulary: The concepts and symbolism of something. The words, so to speak, of entertainment.

Or think of it as the 'language' used in paintings: What does a melon mean in a 17th century painting?

Or the definition of 'tragedy' and 'comedy' as in (Ancient) Greek plays, and what elements an author had to take into account.

In short: it is something you can rely on, in so far as your audience, more likely than not, will know what's what and who's who in a piece of fiction.

Shadow_Ferret · Sep 3, 2008

Everyone. Thank you, but please stop explaining. You're only making my head hurt. My AAD is in full-blown mode and it's my extremely stupid week. (As opposed to my normal ordinary stupid weeks.)

Jcomp · Sep 3, 2008

Love TV Tropes. It's downright addicting.

Oddsocks · Oct 16, 2008

Favourite Tropes?

I've seen the TV Tropes wiki mentioned a few times around absolute write (it was actually through this site that I discovered it). And because it's so addictive, I've had a good look around it, and I've found that, while most tropes are recognisable and I can think of instances of them in various works of fiction, there are other tropes that stand out - either they're things I really like when done in fiction I follow, or they're the kinds of things that, for whatever reason, I often find myself including in my own stories, or they're a bit of both.

Does anyone else find this? What are your favourite tropes?

Some of my favourites include a set of related antagonist tropes: Anti Villain, Noble Demon, Affably Evil, Friendly Enemy, Worthy Opponent. I also lean towards Bittersweet Ending or Downer Ending, although Downer Ending is something I prefer to write than to read. Face-Heel Turn, Heel-Face Turn, and particuarly the Reverse Mole, also speak to me.

So, what about everyone else? Alternatively, are there any tropes you despise? Any that you appreciate, but can't bring yourself to write?

And another question: Where do your works tend to sit on the Sliding Scale of Idealism versus Cynicism?

Also, I appologise if this is in the wrong place. Writing novels was the most general-purpose fiction-specific subforum I could find, but I might have missed something.

maxmordon · Oct 16, 2008

I am a contributor there, so I can't say mine, but I really like Fantasy Counterpart Culture and I don't know why, it's some sort of guilty pleasure I guess.

Also there is In Which A Trope Is Described and who could forget Narm?

Makai_Lightning · Oct 17, 2008

Awe damn... TV tropes...

Now look what you made me do. Now I can't get away from the site...

Slideing Scale of Idealism verses Cynicism? Hmm. I guess I tend to be more cynical, except that if you really think about it for one of my stories, then it's both.

My MC is basically, "life sucks, death sucks more, so basically, I'm going to do as much as possible just not to die, and damn everyone else, because death is hell and I can't deal with that." Then I set him up with actually having friends, and it's because of his friends that he doesn't die. Considering he decided it's impossible for him to even have friends, I'll take that as somewhat optimistic.

So mostly cynical, but potential for more idealism, I suppose. Though I have to say, "Idealism doesn't make you better," is something my MC says. In a different context, but yeah...

Most of mine are more cynical, I suppose, but I don't think it's ever completely one sided. I can't stand pure idealism, at least not in my own things, so I'd probably tend toward the middle, if I could. Sort of depends on the characters and world I'm working with.

maxmordon · Oct 17, 2008

Run away, Makai! It's a drug! I almost abandoned this forum over TV tropes

Makai_Lightning · Oct 17, 2008

maxmordon said:
Run away, Makai! It's a drug! I almost abandoned this forum over TV tropes

Very true, but I do so love addiction....

I must have gone through 20 pages by now. >.< Except now I'm really hungry, so now I have to either leave TV tropes or starve.

Kaiser-Kun · Jan 9, 2010

TV Tropes is a site that describes common concepts in fiction. I find it a very addictive reading, and have identified several ideas in my own WiP as tropes:

- Death from above
- Boobs of Steel
- Unobtainium / Thunderbolt Iron
- A Wizard Did It / Law of Cool
- Idiot Hero
- Indy Ploy
- Smart Guy (Girl)
- Crouching Moron Hidden Badass
- Determinator
- Action Girl

...and maaaany more. Which ones have you found?

RainyDayNinja · Jan 9, 2010

It would take days of meticulous research (aka "goofing off") to catalog the tropes in a given story. If I tried, I would never find my way out.

backslashbaby · Jan 9, 2010

I need to find all of mine on that site. How fun!

The one that immediately caught my eye is 'You wouldn't like me when I'm angry"

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/YouWouldntLikeMeWhenImAngry

Fittingly, I'm trying to get opinions on this in my story and I actually asked if it was too much like the Hulk! The site calls it 'Hulking Out'

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167828
If anyone has thoughts on this trope, please let me know [please, please!]. I like the trope, but I don't want it too cheesy on this part

Which TV Tropes have you found in your story?

AW Ne'er-Do-Well

Back from the dead

Angry Bunny Girl

Mackinac Island Fanatic

Prodigiously Hanged

Court Jester

Angry Bunny Girl

I Heart Mac

Very Tired

Who?

Court Jester

Penúltimo

Love Addict

Penúltimo

Love Addict

!

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