The Do's and Don'ts of Writing a Story

HOW TO: Character cliché's

Here are some character cliché's and why they suck, and perhaps why they're good.

 - Nice guys finish last: sorry if you love him, but I don't. These guys almost always come off as whiny jerks, unless written correctly. They expect their crush to owe them a relationship just because they're 'nice'. Sounds good in theory, but there are more things that go into a relationship than just respecting each other, though that is a huge part of it. You should love each other's quirks and differences, maybe share some interests and morals, think of each other a lot. Think about it: would you fall in love with every person that was nice to you?

 - Gay best friend: I actually despise this trope most of the time. but as we progress in society, modern books have done this character a lot better and it makes me so happy. in many old books, however, they use being gay as a personality. It's not. If you have a gay character, don't make their only things be "I'm so gay lol!" Give them struggles that don't relate to their sexuality, you are encouraged to talk about the struggles of being gay, though, especially if they live in a closed-minded community! This character should be fine as long as they aren't lazily written caricature. 

 - Parental mentors: I absolutely love grumpy old mentors who eventually see their apprentice as their child. The only issue I've seen with this trope is when they have a lacklustre backstory. I often see their backstory being related to their child's death, which is good because it relates to their parental personality, but what else can you add? What were their struggles in high school? Any regrets they made? Think bigger. 

 - The bucket of sunshine: I love these cuties, too! But a lot of them can be very annoying fast. Most positive and happy characters seem to have absolutely no life outside of being the main character's source of joy. Give them a unique past that doesn't feel forced! Plus, I'll give you bonus points if they aren't 'naive and innocent beans'. Just because someone is an optimist doesn't mean they're naive. 

 - Sly sassy villain: how can you not love a wise-cracking villain? the cons to this trope is that it can feel like it's forced, unfunny, clashes with the story's overall tone, or the villain can lack the charm they need for the trope to work. Pro's include comedic relief, a lovable antagonist and a following of fangirls.