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 Kindle                Amazon Paperback

Amazon UK                     Amazon Aus

Enter this Goodreads giveaway to win signed copies!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

A Proposal to Secure His Vengeance

by Kate Walker

Giveaway ends February 20, 2018.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

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