I've been thinking for some time of how stereotypes (I avoid cliche as too cliche
) are used in novels. Characters or settings. For ex.:
a redneck truck driver
middle-age women
a librarian vs. a sexy chick
a sulky, uncommunicative teenager (aren't there nice teenagers anymore? Sorry for "nice!")
a depressed, aging detective
the alpha male in romance (and gals blessed with miles-long legs); all men are tall (I'm faulty of this). The ideal male figure? No baldness? No reading glasses? Mine wears glasses, but that's as far as I went outside the picture of a male character. Am I afraid that a shorter guy would not please the reader (female reader?)
a sleepy small town
The list goes on and on. You could add other examples. How to avoid stereotypes? How to add a twist, make the characters different, more interesting and special, outside their little drawers in which they are supposed to fit? It's so easy to fall into the trap. On the other hand, all those types of personalities do exist in real life, as well as sleepy small towns. I was thinking, for instance, how nice to find a book of poetry on the dashboard of a truck. It all depends of the creativity of the writer. Yet, I found that many authors chose the easy way, slamming a character (or setting) that fills the cliche.
Your thoughts are welcome.
Thank you,
Adagio
) are used in novels. Characters or settings. For ex.: a redneck truck driver
middle-age women
a librarian vs. a sexy chick
a sulky, uncommunicative teenager (aren't there nice teenagers anymore? Sorry for "nice!")
a depressed, aging detective
the alpha male in romance (and gals blessed with miles-long legs); all men are tall (I'm faulty of this). The ideal male figure? No baldness? No reading glasses? Mine wears glasses, but that's as far as I went outside the picture of a male character. Am I afraid that a shorter guy would not please the reader (female reader?)
a sleepy small town
The list goes on and on. You could add other examples. How to avoid stereotypes? How to add a twist, make the characters different, more interesting and special, outside their little drawers in which they are supposed to fit? It's so easy to fall into the trap. On the other hand, all those types of personalities do exist in real life, as well as sleepy small towns. I was thinking, for instance, how nice to find a book of poetry on the dashboard of a truck. It all depends of the creativity of the writer. Yet, I found that many authors chose the easy way, slamming a character (or setting) that fills the cliche.
Your thoughts are welcome.
Thank you,
Adagio
