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| (given that I'm choosing between two competing tropes, I thought that a picture of our priests battling |
The tag doesn't come with rules, only, as far as I've been able to parse, guidelines.
1. Pick your favorite of each of the two tropes, not the one that's the most popular.
2. Once you've selected your favorite trope out of each pair, write a short story including all six of the tropes you chose!
Guideline #2 is, incidentally, why this is "part one"... "part two" will come once I've had time to actually write the short story in question. (It's summer, so hypothetically I should have time for this, yes? The problem is, I really don't. XD We'll see when said short story is actually delivered to your waiting eyeballs. That doesn't sound weird at all. Anyway.)
So! On to the trope choices!
No. 1 - The Chosen One vs. The Mentor
For this one, I will choose The Mentor every day of the week. Not because I hate The Chosen One, but because for one thing, I think it has a lot less potential, overall, than The Mentor does, and for another, because The Mentor was one of my first favorite tropes ever. And by that I mean I loved Halt in Ranger's Apprentice. I think I've mentioned before that Ranger's Apprentice was basically my first favorite series (Rainbow Fairies doesn't count, ahem), and I think that there are a lot of worse choices I could have made. It's fundamentally a book series that is based on a beautiful mentor-mentee relationship where the mentor doesn't die (well, at least for a while...no spoilers here). It's definitely given me a lifelong love of beautiful mentor-mentee relationships.
No. 2 - Enemies to Lovers vs. Friends to Lovers
Hmm. My gut feeling is to go with Friends to Lovers, mostly because that's the trope that I love most in real life. (Among my own friends, whose relationships Istalk observe.) I think that in real life, there is no better basis for an excellent marriage than a solid initial friendship built on mutual trust and interests. So there is that. When I was starting to answer this question, I thought that the problem with that was that I couldn't think of any Friends to Lovers pairings that I really love in books...and this is, after all, a book tag. BUT I have come up with a few: Faramir & Eowyn, Mr. and Mrs. Crawford (from Grim's folk music tetralogy), Adolin & Shallan (The Stormlight Archives), the couple from Code Name Verity. (No spoilers here, again.) And while I am a fan of what Hamlette terms "annoyed-with-each-other to lovers" (a subset of Enemies to Lovers, including Darcy & Lizzie, for instance) and there are a few of my OTPs that are true Enemies to Lovers (one of the ships in QT, for example)...I think that Friends to Lovers is the one that I enjoy without reservation most often, and the one I think is most feasible in real life.
Hmm. My gut feeling is to go with Friends to Lovers, mostly because that's the trope that I love most in real life. (Among my own friends, whose relationships I
No. 3 - Matchmaker Gone Wrong vs. Love Potion
Oh dear. I don't think I'd like either of these (not sure if I've actually ever read something with either of these?) but I think I hate the idea of a Love Potion more. Because at least the Matchmaker Gone Wrong doesn't take away one's free will, but a Love Potion would. And I don't like that one whit. Plus, then you have the "does it wear off, would he ever have loved me, does he actually love me" nonsense, which drives me up the wall. (This whole thing is making me think of the ending of The Perilous Gard. If you know, you know. No love potions.) However, Matchmaker Gone Wrong seems like it has all kinds of potentialities if it's gone about correctly. (Which I, um, have strong opinions about, but that's a story for another day.)
Oh dear. I don't think I'd like either of these (not sure if I've actually ever read something with either of these?) but I think I hate the idea of a Love Potion more. Because at least the Matchmaker Gone Wrong doesn't take away one's free will, but a Love Potion would. And I don't like that one whit. Plus, then you have the "does it wear off, would he ever have loved me, does he actually love me" nonsense, which drives me up the wall. (This whole thing is making me think of the ending of The Perilous Gard. If you know, you know. No love potions.) However, Matchmaker Gone Wrong seems like it has all kinds of potentialities if it's gone about correctly. (Which I, um, have strong opinions about, but that's a story for another day.)
No. 4 - Trapped In An Elevator vs. Working With The Ex
Oh gosh. Another really hard one. I think that in books, I typically prefer the Working With The Ex trope? I don't know why, but I think that it has more potential for drama and so on than Trapped In An Elevator does, because when people are trapped in an elevator, all they can do is talk and/or freak out, but when people are working with an ex, there can be banter and backstabbing and all kinds of fun stuff. So, so, so.
Oh gosh. Another really hard one. I think that in books, I typically prefer the Working With The Ex trope? I don't know why, but I think that it has more potential for drama and so on than Trapped In An Elevator does, because when people are trapped in an elevator, all they can do is talk and/or freak out, but when people are working with an ex, there can be banter and backstabbing and all kinds of fun stuff. So, so, so.
No. 5 - Mistaken Identity vs. Marriage Pact
I have hated the Mistaken Identity trope for actually as long as I can remember. It drives me BONKERS. It's just. So awkward. And I hate it. (I'm curious if this is related to what the Mysterious Benedict Society calls children's "extraordinary love of truth"...maybe that's why I hated the trope as a child? Because a lot of lying tends to happen? Not saying that I am nearly up to the MBS's children's standards for love of truth, but it would make sense if that was part of it. Anyway. I still hate the trope.) So, Marriage Pact it is. I don't know if I've ever read a book with Marriage Pact as a trope (although I now want to, so if you have a recommendation, please put it in the comments!), but I do know that I prefer it (and honestly almost anything) over Mistaken Identity.
I have hated the Mistaken Identity trope for actually as long as I can remember. It drives me BONKERS. It's just. So awkward. And I hate it. (I'm curious if this is related to what the Mysterious Benedict Society calls children's "extraordinary love of truth"...maybe that's why I hated the trope as a child? Because a lot of lying tends to happen? Not saying that I am nearly up to the MBS's children's standards for love of truth, but it would make sense if that was part of it. Anyway. I still hate the trope.) So, Marriage Pact it is. I don't know if I've ever read a book with Marriage Pact as a trope (although I now want to, so if you have a recommendation, please put it in the comments!), but I do know that I prefer it (and honestly almost anything) over Mistaken Identity.
No. 6 - Kidnapped vs. The One That Got Away
Hmm. The One That Got Away. All the way. Perhaps it is the fact that I read a REALLY cute one of these recently (in a story that a friend wrote), but there is so much POTENTIAL in The One That Got Away. So many ways it could go and be cute! It can be an adorable reunion! Or it can be one character being super annoyed at the other! Or it can be one not recognizing the other! The angst! The cute! The story direction potential! As opposed to kidnapping, which can be either creepy, or (if it's accidental) kind of awkward. Not that I don't enjoy a good accidental kidnapping from time to time, but The One That Got Away is going to win every time. For me, at least.
Hmm. The One That Got Away. All the way. Perhaps it is the fact that I read a REALLY cute one of these recently (in a story that a friend wrote), but there is so much POTENTIAL in The One That Got Away. So many ways it could go and be cute! It can be an adorable reunion! Or it can be one character being super annoyed at the other! Or it can be one not recognizing the other! The angst! The cute! The story direction potential! As opposed to kidnapping, which can be either creepy, or (if it's accidental) kind of awkward. Not that I don't enjoy a good accidental kidnapping from time to time, but The One That Got Away is going to win every time. For me, at least.
Alrighty! Stay tuned for me to turn all of this into a short story! (I can already tell that it's going to be a wild ride...)
And since this is a tag, after all, I tag...
The Grim Writer (I am very curious about both your preferences and what sort of short story you'd write)
R. F. Gammon (because you were talking about tropes recently, so this seems both fun and slightly vindictive, given that you were complaining that people are talking about tropes too much XD)
The Grim Writer (I am very curious about both your preferences and what sort of short story you'd write)
R. F. Gammon (because you were talking about tropes recently, so this seems both fun and slightly vindictive, given that you were complaining that people are talking about tropes too much XD)
Now. Do you have recommendations for Marriage Pact trope books for me to read? Please? I need one now. Also, which of my choices do you disapprove of most? And what was the first book series that you really loved?
This may be a dumb question but I am asking this deeply caffeine deprived, the marriage pact trope is just like fake dating/they're married right? Personally I'm a huge fan of it. Currently I can't think of anything to recommend you for it but the minute I do I'll let you know because it's such a fun trope.
ReplyDeletehaha, that's okay! Not a dumb question, and caffeine deprivation is nothing to sneeze at... I think the marriage pact trope is along the lines of faking dating/marriage, but I think it can also mean something along the lines of people making an agreement that 'if we don't find someone better in x amount of time, we'll get married', or something like that. I'd like to read books about people faking being married, AND any books with a true 'pact' that's made, if that makes sense. Do let me know if you think of any! :)
DeleteBAHAHAHA thanks for the tag *dies laughing* I do deserve this. Idk when I'll get around to it but I appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteAnd all your answers are SO valid and I love them so much. Love potions are nasty and I do not like them at all (they raise so many questions about real love and consent and all that stuff, which I am just Not A Fan Of)
Haha, you're very welcome! And I'm glad it made you laugh...and not vow vengeance or something. XD
DeleteAhh, thank you! Love potions do raise SO many questions about real love and consent, and ALSO--the fuzzy feelings that 'love' potions engender aren't real love! Cuz real love means sacrifice, and I don't think there's any potion that's going to make you do that. If that makes any sense. So really, "love potions" are more like "lust potions", and that's even worse.
What a fun tag! Even though, some of these tropes I don't know if I've ever actually read before...(like Marriage Pact or Trapped in an Elevator). I agree with you for the first one: I would choose The Mentor over The Chosen One as well, though I don't hate The Chosen One either (I know a fair number of people who do?). Mentors have so much potential. And I too adored the Will/Halt dynamic in years gone by (I never actually finished that series, but early on I loved it).
ReplyDeleteI also would choose Friends to Lovers. No question. I kind of despise Enemies to Lovers, since it usually ends up kind of feelings creepy to me. Not that it can't be done well, it's just...it has too much potential to disturb me. And Friends to Lovers is so wholesome.
As for number 3...the only Matchmaker gone wrong scenario I can think of right now is Emma, which has always aggravated me. And Love Potion scenarios have all sorts of potential for creepiness. I don't like either. But I guess depending on how it's used in the story, I actually think I might go for Love Potion. As long as contextually it's a REALLY BAD THING. (Wow, I guess Matchmaking really annoys me...)
Number 4 is...hm. I think you're right that Working with the Ex has more potential. Since there will be history there.
Number 5 I could really go with either one. I get why Mistaken Identity is annoying (like, just communicate for crying out loud), but sometimes I enjoy it...
The One that got Away. There is way too much kidnapping in fiction as it is. Please no more.
The first book series that I really loved was The Chronicles of Narnia, I think. Then LOTR. Though, when it comes to exploring on my own (once I got a library card), I unfortunately became enamored with The Unicorns of Balinor series (unicorns...what was I thinking?)
I really enjoyed your answers! I look forward to the story. :)
Isn't it? I was really happy to be tagged for it! I agree, though--I'm not positive I've ever read a Marriage Pact, either...but as I said, I'd really like to.
DeleteYeah, I don't have strong feelings about The Chosen One, but people definitely hate it for some reason? To each their own, I guess. (Ahhhhhh Will and Halt are SO good! :D)
I know I've read some creepy Enemies to Lovers, but it's been too long for me to remember much about the story...but yeah, there's a lot that could go wrong with that. And by "go wrong" I mean "be disturbing and lust-y". Not good.
Hmmm. Emma aggravated me, too, but mostly because she was SO clueless, not necessarily because of the Matchmaker Gone Wrong. In general, though, Matchmaker Gone Wrong isn't my favorite, but I still like it better than love potions. (I can see how maybe it could work, for instance, if the villain used it, and then it wore off...kind of like in Midsummer Night's Dream, I guess? But I don't know that I've ever read a story that uses a love potion *well*.)
Haha, yeah, I don't really think the world needs that much more kidnapping. And I VERY seldom read The One Who Got Away, so I agree that we need more of that!
Ahhhh that's a good book series to have as your first! (Well, I got enamored with the Rainbow Fairies series when I got my first library card, which is arguably worse...XD)
Thank you! I am...a bit anxious about writing the story, tbh. I'm going to see about doing that this week, and we'll see how it goes!
(This is Chloe the MC, as you can probably tell by my style of comment. XD For some reason my laptop never lets me log in and my kindle is charging. But I’ve had this sitting in my notes app ever since you posted it so this way will have to do.)
ReplyDeleteFaramir and Eowyn as Friends-to-Lovers?? I would NOT call them that. I think Friends-to-Lovers is more “we were friends for as long as we can remember and now we’re something else” than “we met, became friends, then developed into something”. Ya, know? I think the latter is definitely what happens most irl. The former (which is the connotation of “Friends-to-Lovers”) just makes me feel yucky because I think there should be a barrier put up for “childhood friends”.
For No. 4…you just explained to me your use of “so, so, so” and here it is. You also said that was from The Queen’s Thief. So I might be reading too much into this, but does The Queen’s Thief involve Working With the Ex? ;)
Wow, I loathe both the Mistaken Identity and Marriage Pact. I would hate having to choose between those. XD
I’m very confused about the concept of The One That Got Away? What is it?
Oh yes, I'm pretty sure I could have told it was you. :) But the computer recognized you somehow, and your comment has your name on it? Computers are weird. Aaaaaanyway.
DeleteHuh, it's so interesting that friends-to-lovers has that connotation for you! Because in my brain, it's definitely "people meet and become friends, and then later date", for the exact reason that that thing is what happens most often in real life. I don't know that I'd even thought of "we were friends for as long as we can remember and now we're something else" when I was thinking about friends-to-lovers, lol. Just goes to show how different people's associations can be! But yeah, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about childhood friends romances...
Haha, no, I don't think The Queen's Thief involves Working With The Ex...I just use "so, so, so" all of the time, and it bleeds into everything. (Some of my friends at school are starting to use it, and it tickles me immensely. XD)
Yeahhhhhh neither of those are my favorites, but I think I picked the lesser of two evils.
Oh, so, how that one was explained to me was that there's this couple, and they end up separated for some reason, usually because of a misunderstanding of some kind, and then eventually they get back together again. If that makes any sense. XD