Tropes vs Cliches by Kate Walker, A Proposal to Secure His Vengeance #Giveaway

We have author Kate Walker this week talking about TROPES VS  CLICHÉS. And she has a new book out, A Proposal to Secure His Vengeance. And there are signed book giveaways! 


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What is a ‘trope’ and what is the difference between that and a cliché?

Let me tell you a secret.  I had been writing for years before I even heard the word ‘trope’  to describe something to do with novel-writing.   After that, I went on writing for some time without ever really knowing just what was meant by that word – trope – what was it and why were people talking about it?

Then, after a very unpleasant experience when someone tried to accuse me of stealing her ideas and writing them in my own novel, I had a quick and sharp lesson in what tropes actually were and, thank goodness, at the time, in the strong opinion of the judge in the case the fact that you can’t ever really steal  those ideas – the ones that make up the trope – because they are tried and tested, frequently used – sometimes over used - themes and devices they go into popular stories.  The important word here  is ‘popular’.
 So what is a trope?

It’s a popular theme/ story often used and reused in writing  romance  or any other sort of poplar genre writing.  If you look up the word ‘trope’ in a dictionary, you’ll get a definition that goes something like this:

A common or overused theme or device : cliché

Now it’s well known that it’s really  just about impossible to write a truly original story in any of the popular genres – and specially in the romance genre.  You can  only hope to create your own slant on a tried and tested story,  write in your own individual voice and tell a story that has been told before  - probably hundreds of times – in your own way. That is what will make it ‘original’, mean that you are writing a popular ‘trope ‘ and not repeating an over-used, worn out cliché that has been repeated too often.

The important thing is that these tropes are repeated again and again, they are so hugely popular because readers love them. Readers love them and so want more of them.

·         Reunited lovers
·         Revenge
·         Runaway bride / groom
·         Second chances
·         Secret baby
·         Secret marriage
·         Stranded / snowbound
·         Make-over story
·         Marriage of convenience

More of the SAME
But not THE SAME (exactly)
That way  they become cliché

Thinking about popular and successful ‘tropes’ can help you find ideas, bring you inspiration for a them to work on if you want to write a new story – but   you don’t want to  just repeat the same thing over and over again.  What you need to do is to look at the themes that are so very very popular -   secret baby, marriage of convenience, revenge  are ideas that spring to mind because they are used and rewritten so often.

As a writer, what you need to think about is the all-important WHY.
Why do readers love them?   What does this theme give the reader when she’s involved in your story.
You also need to think about your own favourites.  Which ones do you love? Hate?
So you need to take the popular trope and work it, give it a different twist.  Is it the hero or the heroine who insists on the marriage of convenience?   Who wants revenge and why?   What happened between the hero and heroine that resulted in that ‘secret baby’?

Turn it into – not necessarily something  amazingly new  but YOUR storyYou want to make sure that  you don’t just to REPEAT  - making it a cliché.

A  CLICHÉ  is a trope repeated EXACTLY

No new element
No new voice
No new TWIST
No new CHARACTERS

A TROPE is  a storyline readers recognise  - one that at its best is familiar but  different.  You can repeat the theme/that trope but you want to make sure that the reader wants to read YOUR story. Not  that she just wants to go back and re-read all the previous, older versions of that same theme.
What makes the difference – giving your story a new spin?

CHARACTERS
SETTING
THE REASON WHY

As a wise editor once said, you need to know why a trope works, why it is so popular, why it works so well- before you try to twist it and create a new slant, a new spin on a traditional story. After all, Cinderella or Pride and Prejudice are themes that are repeated in  romances over and over again – but with that different twist that makes them see m new and fresh.

So you need to look at the tropes that are repeated over and over again because there are the ones that the readers love and that they look for more of even if they’ve read something similar maybe many times before.  You need to understand why they work so well, what are the elements that the readers find in them that they want more of  - mystery, secrets,  emotion, tension . . .  

When you know what readers want then you’ll find it so much easier to write a story that gives them those elements – but you give it to them by telling the story in your own individual way and that will make sure you are giving them a well-loved trope and not an over-worn and boring cliché


Kate Walker's new book:

A Proposal to Secure His Vengeance (Harlequin Presents)



His preferred method?

Ruthless, irresistible seduction!


Imogen O’Sullivan is horrified when charismatic tycoon Raoul breaks up her engagement and makes her his own convenient bride! She once surrendered everything to Raoul—body, heart and soul. But as he stalks back into her life, it’s clear he has punishment in mind, not just passion! Can Imogen resist Raoul’s potent brand of delicious vengeance?

Buy on:


Amazon UK                     Amazon Aus

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Goodreads Book Giveaway

A Proposal to Secure His Vengeance by Kate Walker

A Proposal to Secure His Vengeance

by Kate Walker

Giveaway ends February 20, 2018.
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35 comments:

  1. Ah yes, tropes. It took me a long time to figure out what that meant as well. Eeek. It sounds like you were sued. I'm so sorry, but glad it went your way. (Clearly the other party did not know what a trope was, either.)

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    1. Hi Liz, I'm glad I'm not the only one who had a problem with just what was a 'trope'. And you're right - the lady with a bee in her bonnet that I'd 'stolen' her work clearly didn't know that a. You can't steal ideas - it's what you do with them that makes a writer - and b. That having a red-haired heroine, a divorced couple reuniting-etc etc is not stealing from any one but following a well-trodden path. Romance writing is rarely truly original . I just wish those ideas were easier to come by,

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    1. Thanks Kelly. I'm glad it made sense for you

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  3. Tropes are popular for a good reason - my faves tend to be 2nd chances & friends to lovers :)

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    1. Exactly, Jemi - tropes are popular because they resound with a lot of people. And I love 'second chance' stories too.

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  4. Excellent distinction between the two! And it sounds like you had quite a tale dealing with another author, yikes! I'm glad the judge saw reason :)

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    1. I'm glad the distinction is clear. Quite a tale - very much so! The nicest thing about that was that the lovely judge said how much he'd enjoyed reading my book. That helped -

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  5. Hi Kate and Kelly - well I'm glad you won your case ... and you've given us a good description here re tropes v cliches ... I certainly didn't know ... cheers to you both - Hilary

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    1. Hello Hilary I'm so pleased that this post helps make that difference clear - but even with clichés you can't 'steal' them! They are just - well, clichéd and so boring. ;-)

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  6. So true. I always say that the difference between a trope and a cliche is the amount of work the writer puts into writing a good story. If he/she just regurgitates tropes, the writing feels cliche.

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    1. I love your response Misha - that's so true. And it's why stealing an 'idea' isn't really possible - you're just regurgitating the same old same old. (Regurgitating is such a good word. It makes me think of someone just dumping undigested clumps of words on the page. Being a writing is taking that same idea and doing something fresh with it)

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  7. Terrific explanation and differentiation! I'm sorry the meaning of trope became so clear to you because of something as unnerving as a court case. I'm glad you won. (And verrrry glad the judge understood the concept of a trope!)

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    1. Hi Susan - Thank you. I'm only sorry that I had to have such a forcible lesson in what exactly was a trope - it made sure I never forget it! The point is that there are so many things - like tropes that are generic to romance novels and you'll come across them so often if you read a lot. And that's what the judge clearly understood. Thankfully

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  8. Oh, this is a great explanation. Thank you! Sorry you went through that experience.

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    1. Hi Darla - thank you. And although I wish I'd never gone through that horrible experience it does mean that it gives me lots of information to help people when looking at tropes. There are plenty of ways to make a trope more interesting, add personal elements and put an individual slant on things - that's what makes a writer! And makes your book one that a reader will remember rather than think 'same old, same old.'

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  9. I had to look up what a trope was too. Then I feared them because I was afraid of writing boring stories, but you have set my mind at ease. Very well explained! Best of luck with the new story.

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    1. Sorry for the late reply, Elizabeth - I'm just glad to learn that you too had to look up just what a trope was. I felt really stupid back when I didn't know what people were talking about! And yes, if you stick too closely to the 'tropes' that are popular you end up writing something that can be very boring and overdone. The real trick is to take a trope as a thread of a story and 'embroider' around it so as to make it your own.

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  10. Thanks for explaining the difference so clearly. Tropes are one of those things that I've heard of, but could never really define.

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    1. I'm so glad I used this topic for the blog - it's interesting how many people have trouble with just what makes up a 'trope'. I do sometimes think that the overuse of jargon can make people think there are rules to writing - and that makes their books so much more restricted and less interesting.

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  11. Great explanation of what a trope is. It's difficult to come up with completely original story themes. You're right about having to make it your own voice with your own twists.

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    1. Hello Sherry - I'm glad the explanation helped. Yes, the truth is that it is difficult to come up with original story themes - but I also think there's a freedom and excitement in throwing of what has been done with that theme before - and focus on what you want to do with it for yourself. Sometimes turning a traditional 'trope' on its head gives you so much more to work on. And yes very definitely I so agree about making it work through your own voice- that's what makes a different story from a tried and tested trope.

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  12. That's a great explanation of the distinctions!

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    1. Hi Deniz - thank you. I'm glad my explanation helped you. I always think that if I didn't understand something, it's best to give a clear explanation if I can. So I try to explain it how it worked for me.

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  13. Thanks so much for clarifying the difference between tropes and cliches. I had no idea. Wishing Kate all the best! :)
    ~Jess

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    1. Hi - another comment that made me smile. I feel so much better that so many other people can admit they had no idea about the difference between tropes and clichés. All I can say is that I wrote for over 15 years without even knowing that the word 'trope' existed - and I still got published! Thank you for your good wishes.

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  14. This is an excellent explanation of the two, and their differences. One of my favorite things to do in my books is using a trope and turning it on its head.

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    1. Thanks Tara - and me too! I love taking a traditional, possibly over used trope and turning it on it's head. Like I had one Marriage of Convenience story where the heroine was the one who got the hero to go into a marriage of convenience with her. And another where instead of the hero kidnapping the heroine - she kidnapped him! These were fun to write as well as successful novels.

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  15. That’s funny, because I had been writing for many years before I heard the word “trope,” and I didn’t seek out to found out what it meant until everyone was talking about it. Great example and thanks for sharing your experience!

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    1. Another comment that has made me smile Chrys -you could be describing my own experience. I was pretty surprised when I did go and investigate a 'trope' and found it was really not that different from a 'often used theme'. I've never been a big fan of labels and writing jargon - for example it took me years to even know that there was such a thing as a 'secret baby' story. Perhaps that's why I've never really wanted to write one. :-)

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  16. Great post. I grow weary of reviews that use the word trope. It's the delivery, not the theme that makes something unique. Thanks.

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    1. Oh I so agree with you. You've made a really important point - it is the delivery not the theme that makes a novel unique. After all, there are so few really original story themes in the whole of fiction - let alone in the romance genre itself. It's not possible to be truly original, all you can be is true to yourself and your own writing voice.

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  17. Good advice. A trope doesn't have to be a bad thing.

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    1. SO true, Tamara. A trope is just the launching off point from where you start your novel. You look at it to see why readers love this particular theme so much - and then work on your own approach and style of that story. That then can make it a 'seed' for a really new read. And anyway, who wants to read the same old same old thing all over again

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  18. Hello everyone and my apologies for the fact that I haven't been in to answer your comments for a while - I was away from home, visiting York and acting as PA to my husband who is also a writer and who was doing a talk in the bookshop there. SO I got rather behind on answering all your interesting comments. Now I'm back and I'm going to go through the comments and answer those I've not yet caught up with. Kate

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