Tag Archives: tropes

The Draw of the Alpha Hero: Cognitive Dissonance and the Modern Woman

Posted on February 2, 2015 by J. Sevick

I consider myself to be an independent, intelligent, feminist woman, and am proud to call myself these things. While not romantically inclined in my personal life, I find myself attracted to romantic fantasies in my reading habits—sometimes I struggle with … Continue reading →

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Story vs. Tropes

Posted on November 12, 2014 by J. Sevick

In a lot of circles of discussion, reviews and writing advice, there’s an intense awareness of tropes. Hardly a story goes by without some accusation of a trope being thrown at it: “Mary Sue,” “fridging,” “the chosen one,” etc. Tropes … Continue reading →

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The Young Hero and the Chosen One Trope

Posted on September 17, 2014 by J. Sevick

Most people with any passing familiarity with the fantasy genre know about the “Chosen One” trope. In its most popular incarnations, like Harry Potter and Star Wars, it follows a young man with a prophesied destiny of defeating the villain … Continue reading →

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Romantic vs. Problematic Tropes

Posted on September 16, 2014 by J. Sevick

I’ve written in the past about my love/hate-to-love relationship with the romance genre. The problem is that romance novels can be so problematic—and it’s the problematic elements that are often the most fun! Take those away, and the story is … Continue reading →

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