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Burned out at the Austin Writers Conference last year
I sat through a panel where the speaker said every prompt has to be 'original' or it's worthless. That old school gatekeeping made me realize I should just write what feels fun, even if it's a total cliche. Anyone else get crap for using a common trope in their stories?
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shane_williams6d ago
I used to be one of those people who rolled my eyes at vampire romances or chosen-one prophecies. Then I tried writing a scrappy underdog story myself and realized, wait, these tropes are popular for a reason (they actually work if you put a fresh spin on them). The kicker was when I read a friend's draft of a "lost princess" plot that was totally predictable but still made me cry because the characters felt real. Now I figure if you're having fun writing it, someone out there is probably having fun reading it too.
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kelly.robin6d ago
Wait, you ACTUALLY cried at a lost princess story? I'm trying to picture that and I keep laughing but also I kind of get it. There's something about a trope done with total heart that just sneaks past your defenses, even when your brain knows exactly where it's going.
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