Tropes Aren’t the Problem: Why Writers and Editors Should Reclaim the Trope

Yassie
Jun 4
3 min read

From love triangles to found families, tropes are everywhere—and often misunderstood. Creatinuum EP47: "I've Heard of That Before": Talking about Tropes in Fiction unpacks why some tropes resonate while others fall flat.

Photo by Birgit Böllinger from Pexels

That’s such a trope. It’s shorthand for predictable. Derivative. Unoriginal. Somewhere along the way, the word became something to avoid at all costs if you want to be taken seriously as a storyteller.

But here’s the truth: a trope isn’t a flaw. It’s a tool. In this article, we explore how tropes can elevate storytelling when used with purpose not laziness.

They’re Patterns, Not Problems

At its core, a trope is a recurring pattern—a familiar theme, character type, or narrative shape that shows up across genres and generations. It’s what makes a love triangle feel like a storm waiting to happen. Or why the “mentor dies” moment still hits, even when you know it’s coming.

Tropes exist because they work. Because they’ve moved people before, and—if handled with care—they’ll do it again.

When the Tropes Do All the Work

Problems only arise when the trope is doing all the work.

That’s when it becomes lazy. Hollow. When the “chosen one” arc feels like it came out of a vending machine. Or when a “strong female lead” has no personality beyond her ability to hold a weapon and deliver sass. That’s not storytelling—that’s scaffolding without substance.

Tropes should never replace depth. They should frame it.

Twist, Layer, Expand

Used well, tropes serve as anchors. Starting points. They let us enter a story already emotionally attuned. We recognize the beats, but we stay to see how they unfold. The knight who’s afraid of battle. The villain who genuinely believes they’re the hero. The slow burn that actually burns.

And subversion? That’s where things get delicious. A damsel in distress who’s faking helplessness to escape on her own terms? That’s not tired, it’s clever. It honors the trope and undermines it in one breath.

A Note for Editors: Use It Like a Mirror

For editors, tropes are diagnostic clues. They tell us what the writer intended. Is this a redemption arc? A reluctant hero’s journey? A coming-of-age disguised as a thriller?

Spotting the trope gives us a sharper lens, not to tear it down but to ask:

What else is here?
Is this doing what the writer thinks it’s doing?
Where does this need more friction, more specificity, more truth?

The Reader Knows—And That’s the Point

Tropes aren’t just writer tools. They’re part of reader language, too. That “oh no, they’re sharing one bed” moment? It’s beloved for a reason. We don’t roll our eyes,we lean in. We know what’s coming, and we want to see how this version surprises us.

It’s comfort and suspense. Recognition and reinvention.

Embrace the Familiar—Then Make It Yours

The truth is, you can’t escape tropes. Nor should you try.

Every story leans on something familiar. It has to; otherwise, we’d have no shared language. The goal isn’t to eliminate tropes. It’s to use them intentionally. Twist them. Deepen them. Or double down and make them sing.

Because originality doesn’t mean inventing something entirely new. It means taking something known and making it yours.

So the next time someone says, “That’s such a trope,” don’t flinch. Say, “Yes. And here’s what I’m doing with it.”