PLOTS THAT ARE USE A LOT
From my viewpoint as a reader, and a ranter. These plots are used a lot. If you want to use one of them, do it very, very cautiously. I also wrote my opinion on them.
1) MY MATE REJECTED ME BECAUSE I'M WEAK/FAT/UGLY/NOT PERFECT, THEN I WENT AND GOT HOT, THEN CAME BACK. NOW HE WANTS ME BACK. OH, AND DID I MENTION HE'S THE ALPHA?
Whoa. That's long. And it applies for a good deal of Werewolf books. I'm not saying all of them are bad or anything like that, some are actually okay/decent. But there are so, so, so, so, so, so many. It's insane. I mean, I get a couple, but when it gets to the point where I'm scrolling through the Werewolf list and a lot are either that or very similar... No, please, just no. Originality people, originality. I do check some out, but they always seem to be the same. I get using an often used plot and making it your own, but the ones I've read, I can't really tell them apart. And that scared me. Like, a lot.
2) STUDENT/TEACHER
Okay, these are easier to make original, I will admit that. They still seem sort of similar, though. New teacher (or it's new girl at new school) is super hot and all the girls fan over him, the main character's like whatever, then starts liking him, then they start dating, but are so worried that someone will catch them. Then something happens. It's usually someone catches them, something dangerous happens or something like that.
3) PLAYER VS NERD/ PLAYER/NERD GETS MAKEOVER
Okay, I like Player stories, actually. I've written one, too. But Player and Nerd kind of bother me. I meant the popular people usually don't mix with nerds. And the nerd makeover thing... *Sighs* People are not automatically pretty with contacts and a new haircut. If you're gonna write a player story, please make it original. Please.
4) BEST FRIEND LOVE
I know this happens in real life. But, I feel like every best friend story is this: 'Oh, I love my best friend, but I don't want to tell him/her because I don't want to ruin my friendship with him/her. ' And the other person just so happens to think the same thing. Then they somehow end up together. I get that we all love happy endings, but really? I mean, I know people who like their best friend, most of the time, they don't get together. Sorry to burst your bubble, but it's true. Why can't the main character realize that her best friend's like a brother to her, like how most of us feel with our best friends, and go for the super nice guy that always gets left in the dust? Not to mention, they don't always feel the same way. I've had my best guy friends like me *awkward*, it's actually happened twice *double awkward*, and well, I didn't feel anything back. To be honest, it kind of scared me and made everything really awwkard. *Triple awkward if they ever see this*
5) ARRANGED MARRIAGES
These used to be everywhere. They've kind of gone out of 'Wattpad story style', but there used to be a lot of them. Some are okay. And I get it if the characters are twenty something, and doing it to benefit themselves or someone they love, but when they're not legal age yet and it's set up by their parents, it just doesn't make sense. NO ONE IN REAL LIFE SELLS THEIR KID FOR MONEY. Okay, maybe people do, but it is extremely rare. And really weird. And maybe even illegal. Isn't it sorta like human trafficking?
5.1) Multiple people have mentioned that this happens in places such as India. So if you want to use this plot I would suggest setting it in a place like that, or her family coming from a place like that, not modern North America.
6) LIVING WITH THE {inster common last name here} BOYS
We've all seen it.
Probably more than once.
The story where the girl's parents move to Africa or something, and she doesn't want to go, and they don't have ANY relatives whatsoever, so the girl's parents ship her off to this random old family friend she's never met that has eight or more sons. More than half of those sons have to be around her age, a sexy beast and totally in love with her.
Typing a sexy beast was kind of weird for me...
Anyway, I don't get it. I know it started with Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian, which is a published book, but it is SO unrealistic. No offense to anyone writing one.
I mean, first off, who has, like, five sons who are all around the same age? Who has ten kids, all of which are guys? Okay, I know there's shows like '18 kids and counting' (or used to be anyway), but at least they have daughters. Having ten sons has to be like one in a million. Having seven of them around the same age, and like one that's 4 years old is even more rare.
Secondly, who's parents would have their daughter live with all those guys? I mean, our parents can be clueless sometimes, but they can't be oblivious to the fact that when you're a teenager, you're interested in dating and stuff. I think everyone knows what I mean by stuff so I won't go into detail. It doesn't matter how close the families are, it's very rare that any sane parents will put a 16 year old girl, their daughter, in a family with five 16, 17 and 18 year old boys.
Lastly, they ALL fall for her. Seriously? And half the time they're players, or bad boys. Not everyone is going to change, and go against their siblings for her. I mean, what does she have some power that attracts them to her?
7) THE BOSS AND CEO
I think this started with 50 Shades of Grey, but I'm not sure. Still, most CEO's are like... 40 or something. But okay, let's pretend they can all be 20-something. It's still not really realistic.
Managing a billion dollar business takes work. I don't think CEO's really have time to go clubbing every night to pick up girls and drive your MC everywhere they want to go. You make it seem like they do no work. Other than the occasion where a random guy just freaking looks at the MC, and they go crazy, and buy the company the guy works at and fires him.
CEOs make logical decisions. They have to be good at keeping their temper in check. They make business deals a lot. I mean, come on. Can we make this a little more realistic?
Also, I don't care if he's the boss of a successful company, if he knows my social security number and shoe size and where I live before I even know his name, I'm calling the police and getting a restraining order. I mean, stalker alert, much?
8) THE BAD BOY
Okay, before I start I just want to say, that I do like Bad Boy stories. I think they're cute sometimes. But other times.... Just, like, what?
What is a bad boy? I don't get it. Like, can we be serious here for a second? If drinking and getting tattoos makes you a 'sexy bad boy', then I think there would be a lot more guys would be doing that. And drinking and getting tattoos doesn't make you sexy or bad. But that's all the 'bad boys' on Wattpad do...
Oh, and, well, there's getting into fights... But honestly, if someone got into fights really often at my school, I'd probably run in the other direction every time I even freaking see them. And if they're a complete jerk and have no respect for ANYONE, I'll get more annoyed than infatuated.
Fighting, drinking and tattoos won't immediately label you a bad boy. Especially if the fighting is for 'the good side' like it usually is. A lot of people in high school drink. A lot of people get tattoos.
ALSO ALSO ALSO- Bad boys in stories always have a soft side. They think the MC is cute, and unique and stuff and turn into Prince Charming for her.
9) THE ACCIDENTAL TEXTING
Usually in fanfics. People accidentally text Harry Styles, or Justin Bieber or whoever. There are, like, a billion phone numbers. The chances of you accidentally texting a celebrity is really low. The chances of you getting a reply, are even lower.
If I saw a text for a stranger, I wouldn't reply because, you know, we've all had that talk about hackers, and people wanting photos of you and stuff. If someone texted me, using my number and not my Kik or something, I wouldn't reply. Because I don't know who they are, and I don't know how they got my number.
Celebrities probably wouldn't reply either. They might even think their number got leaked and change it. But I really doubt they'd reply.
10) VIRGIN/SCREWING GAMES
I. Can't. Even.
I admit, some of them I like, because they're entertaining, but plot-wise, it's kind of dumb.
What girl would knowingly give their virginity to a guy who only wants it for some game? I mean, even if he was charming, I'd still be really doubtful.
And who does these games anyway? Like, why? To prove you're macho or something? Do you have no respect for how the girls might feel when they find out the only reason you slept with them was for a game?
10.5) The bets to sleep with a girl are just as bad.
That's just cruel.
11. Friends/Enemies/Strangers/I don't care what with Benefits
can i just ask why so many plots revolve around sex now?
I might be slightly hypocritical for saying some of these things, like I've written a player story. I don't know if it's completely original, but I'd like to think it is. But that's off topic. Anyway, yeah, plots that, in my opinion, are used waaaayy too much. I'm not saying all stories with these plots are bad, just that these plots are used a lot. Did I miss any? Comment them below.
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~JJ :)