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Cross Posted/Samovar Warriors
Jan. 16th, 2008 08:33 amXPosted from the non-virtual writing group's page....
Just in case you were wondering, one of my virtual amigas talked recently about 'overdone' tropes. They do have their purpose in writing, although if they aren't handled with subtlety, they should be avoided at all costs. So, from the serious to the amusing:
Tropes and Overdone Plots:
1) Strange Horizons has an excellent list of Stories We've Seen Too Often. Here is their separate Horror Stories We've Seen Too Often. Both excellent lists. Please memorize.
2) An entire site dedicated to tropes: Speculative Fiction Tropes
3) Now for the silly stuff (which still try to educate by poking fun at overused ideas).
David J. Parker's The Fantasy Novelist's Exam
Science Fiction Cliche's (author not specified)
And a lovely batch from Teresa Nielsen Hayden:
Things We Learned at the Movies
If I Ever Become the Evil Overlord
Murphy's Laws of Combat
Just keep in mind that you're not supposed to be doing these things (although I'm still considering some for that story about "The Scullery Maid and The Samovar Warriors")
Just in case you were wondering, one of my virtual amigas talked recently about 'overdone' tropes. They do have their purpose in writing, although if they aren't handled with subtlety, they should be avoided at all costs. So, from the serious to the amusing:
Tropes and Overdone Plots:
1) Strange Horizons has an excellent list of Stories We've Seen Too Often. Here is their separate Horror Stories We've Seen Too Often. Both excellent lists. Please memorize.
2) An entire site dedicated to tropes: Speculative Fiction Tropes
3) Now for the silly stuff (which still try to educate by poking fun at overused ideas).
David J. Parker's The Fantasy Novelist's Exam
Science Fiction Cliche's (author not specified)
And a lovely batch from Teresa Nielsen Hayden:
Things We Learned at the Movies
If I Ever Become the Evil Overlord
Murphy's Laws of Combat
Just keep in mind that you're not supposed to be doing these things (although I'm still considering some for that story about "The Scullery Maid and The Samovar Warriors")
