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Story Tropes: How Do We Twist a Cliché?

Lonely tree on a rock outcropping in the ocean with text: Adding Surprises to Our Story's Tropes

Sometimes we’ll hear writing advice like “avoid clichés,” but what does that mean when it comes to story tropes? After all, can’t tropes be helpful? And if so, how do we make them less cliché?

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February 7, 2019

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Creating Satisfying Endings without Clichés

Caution tape on a fence with text: Watch Out for Cliché Endings

A recent Twitter thread brought up problematic reader expectations with story endings. Can we find a balance between “fulfilling our story’s promise and our genre’s expectations” and avoiding a cliché ending?

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October 25, 2018

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Thursday Thoughts: The Antagonist Role in Romance

Wedding rings between couple separated on couch with text: Who's the Antagonist in a Romance?

A recent post by Diana Hurwitz explored the nature of antagonists in romance novels. Today, we’re taking a deeper look at our options for antagonists, especially in the romance genre, and how we can avoid creating unhealthy relationships.

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July 5, 2018

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Why Is Head Hopping Considered Lazy Writing?

Cat asleep on a rug with text: Is Our Writing "Lazy"?

Several writing craft issues tend to be hallmarks of what’s called “lazy writing.” The practice of head hopping is usually considered lazy writing, but we might not understand why it earns that label. Let’s learn more and see how we can avoid head hopping and the “lazy writing” trap.

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May 1, 2018

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