is that I don’t hate them. I actually liked them. They are good tools. They are a very great starting point.

I don’t necessarily fault a book/story when it showcases clichés or tropes. In all honesty, there are some good ones that, despite their predictability, I still ended up loving. This cemented the idea that, to me, they aren’t the reason that drags the book down. I think it always depends on how it is used; as I said, they are tools. Very useful tools.

I also look forward to reading books with certain expectations. With that, I also do go searching for a book with a specific idea (or “trope) in mind. It’s not the trope or cliché itself but how it was used. For example, if I want a love triangle, I will specifically look for one. Widely used romantic device? Sure, just because it has a love triangle doesn’t mean it’s doomed to fail. Or it lacks creativity. It was still how it was fleshed out; how it was handled made it all different. If the book just relies on it and adds some drama for effect, than that is what made it unenjoyable to me.

Yes, tropes and cliches are sometimes taken into account when judging a book, but it’s not based solely  on that. Nor, if mentioned, means negative all the time. You know, I find it very inventive—and applauding, for that matter—if these tried and tested formulas are used and transformed in a way that is not only creative but as if completely new. That’s a challenge. That is what I want in my story.

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Now I turn it over to you. What do you think of clichés and tropes? Thumbs up? Thumbs down? Or indifferent? Do you agree with me that the problem is not really the trope itself but how it was used? I’m very interested in knowing your opinion!