Tropes to make my brain happy
I've written about what I like to see in stories and still thinking about tropes and other fun stuff. Cue three hours on TV Tropes.
Deliberately not talking about the tropification of fiction. This came from fanfic, it seems to me so much of what is going on in fiction now comes from fic?
Enemies to lovers, but why? People complain the 'enemies' part can be a bit weak. That it's often more 'academic rivals to lovers.' Except that's absolutely fine with me. It's even funnier when a nemesis is built out of not much. In fact! I prefer it when it's not!
One of my favourite enemies to lovers fics has the main character in a white hot rage and the (eventual) love interest only a little bemused to be the focus of so much ire. Unrequited enemies?
Another fabulous trope (and this doesn't have to be lovers) are the enemies who will drop everything when the other needs help.
There's a quote about people liking enemies to lovers because it shows people can see the worst of you and still love you. But also just the amusement of "What is this feeling?" being met with "Unadulterated loathing." (The German translation is something along the lines of "naked abject horror" like steady on.)
Which is the same thing I like about a slow burn - not knowing this is falling in love, either because they think they are enemies, or friends. I don't like too much self consciousness about it, I think.
A good slow burn is obviously very subjective and full of caveats. I love a slow burn except when it annoys me, and I'm less keen on falling into bed after the first date except when I love it. Who can tell.
Time travel. Is time travel a trope? Not really. But I love it. The person from the past getting to grips with the modern world. (Sleepy Hollow was a fun example and gave it up too early.) Encountering yourself without knowing it. When people go home but it's not their home! Glorious.
I've mentioned Hero of another story before. Still important! I so like the feeling everyone in a story is a main character.
Related, main characters who aren't the traditional main character. Like a Below Decks thing, even though I don't massively enjoy Below Decks. Like Discovery was pitched. And on the other hand, I love Discovery, but it was not this.
Also related, main characters who aren't the pov character. I don't like The Great Gatsby but it's a good example that most people know. Elphaba isn't the POV character until more than halfway through Wicked.
Also, unreliable narrators.
Self fulfilling prophecies in a very Greek tragedy sort of a way. Everything the Star Wars prequels could have been.
Unfolding Plan Montage. When people explain the plan while we watch the plan happening. It feels so common but I don't recognise many of the examples on TV Tropes.
Dance scenes. Not saying this just because I recently watched Sinners. I'm always a sucker for a period drama dance or a heady club scene. And I wrote a bunch about dance scenes until it got too long and I realised it's not really a trope so I'll post it separately.
Training montage. I love a montage generally. I get excited for a training montage. I like the idea I'm just one montage away from mastery.
Something about the minutiae of daily life being represented. People brushing their teeth. Having a conversation while sat on the toilet reading a magazine on the floor. Folding laundry.