Tropes have always been a part of the writing world, but with the introduction of TikTok and the rise of BookTok/Bookstagram, they’ve become very common, and oftentimes a selling point for a lot of books. People have mixed opinions on their usage; some think they’re unoriginal and boring, while others love them. So: should you include tropes or should you avoid them?

Pros

Tropes are familiar. People like them because, for the most part, they know what to expect. That’s why they’re good selling points, and why most popular books on social media include the names of the tropes in videos.

Also, they can be really fun to write!

Cons

But they can also get repetitive and cliché. Some readers want to be introduced to new concepts and be surprised.

It’s thought that using tropes is seen as lazy and uncreative and may risk losing readers.

Conclusion

So, should you include tropes?

The answer really depends on what kind of story you want to tell and how you want readers to perceive it. If you want to write a fun story that might have a better chance of gaining popularity (in the BookTok world), then you should think about using tropes.

If you’re looking to write a creative, original story unlike most novels already out there, stay away from tropes. While you can use a few less common ones, don’t go overboard.