#as a poc you'd think your own people will stand on the right side of history

[askyourwritergrandma]

Yo! ^^ Just wondering what some annoying book trends/tropes that needs to die. Mine are: unhealthy relationships that promote abuse, the token gay/poc character, side characters that are just there for the main protagonist's benefit, sucky love triangles, insta love, main protagonists with no agency, the boring quest in fantasy, and special girl who cannot touch anyone or they might die so she is a recluse. But she meets a (solider, prince, or bodyguard) that is immune to her deadly touch and they fall in love instantly, and for someone who hasn't socialized all her life, she is bold and brave and can do things she has never done before. They go on a quest to find a magic key, and or goes to the corrupt royal family to fight for her freedom, country or love. While the man saves her from danger constantly and at the end they get married.

Hi anon!

The struggle to answer this question is real.

To answer your question exactly as posed, what book trends/tropes needs to die? Misanthropic leads, suicidal teens. Don't get me wrong here, I think it's important to talk about the realities of mental health. I think teenagers need to have the space and time to investigate their own feelings and express them through fiction. What I think no decent society needs is adults writing tragedy-porn stories about children for money.

To answer your question more broadly, and even as a rebuttal to my above opinion, for every single trope you can't stand, there is a person that can write it in a way that you'd love. There is no trope, trend, concept, premise, etc that cannot be done well by someone.

Everyone is absolutely entitled to their opinion and everyone absolutely has the right to like or dislike things according to their taste. But if you're reading this, or any other opinion of a similar ilk, and you have a story that features one of these tropes please keep writing it.

Please don't let other people's personal opinions keep you from completing a story you believe in.

Thanks friend!