Hello~~ I’m an aspiring creator who wants to turn a blank page into something readable. I would like to know what are the most cliché tropes in manhua/manga/manhwa or novels involving romance. For example, a fl falls for her stepsister’s schemes and proceeds to have a one night stand with a random stranger who turns out to be a ceo or a reborn fl is determined to take revenge on her cheating ex, stuff like that. I welcome bl ones too. I’d like to use them as reference material for developing ideas in my head (either avoid or add my own twist to them). So in other words, you can use this thread to talk/vent about your likes/dislikes on some overused tropes/cliches.
Male MC helps out Girl A with a small problem Girl A falls for MC Trouble following/caused by Girl A catches up to her Girl A asks for help from/cries to MC MC deals with trouble +1 member of harem! Girl A is overshadowed by appearance/entrance of Girl B Rinse and repeat
Overly dense protagonist, dense protagonist is okay but I will start considering to drop a novel if protagonist is dense to the extreme without any proper reason
Girl who is super evil and annoying for no reason other than giving the mc a reason to rape her. I've seen to many stories where this happens, all of which i have stopped reading.
Obsessive Male leads for me. It's honestly tiring to repeatedly read multiple novels & mangas where male leads have the same character setting. & the most annoying part is they do the same actions, nearly the same dialogues. It'll be nice to read more healthy relationship between the main characters. Another annoying thing is a spoiled, cry baby MC despite the fact that they're an adult. & what I mean by that are those MC that even the slightest bump can somehow scratch or bruise their skin, & then they proceed to cry or act as if they're insanely pitiful. & in need of constant pampering. I guess in short they're useless af & literally add nothing to story aside from getting spoiled & lovey dovey with the male lead, and get abused by the villains so male lead will have a reason to deal with them.
Fl dies in her first life in the hands on his cheating fiance and trusted sister. Turns out his fiance and his sister were already planning to bring FL down from the beginning. FL later meets a big boss and becomes ML. ML falls in love first AND quick but their character doesn't match to someone who does it. They would be introduced as someone cold, domineering, and reserved but quickly falls for the MC just because they were "brave" enough to go against him. MC's with hero complexes/ hero syndrome. Can't they just stay away from someone else's problem for once and they also have unbreakable plot armour.
Cold OP ML but only soft for the MC x “independent” smart MC or it’s a naive but kind MC, the MC’s end up owing some debt or the ML hates the MC at first or something
- Reborn FL who was married to the ML, wanted to take revenge after dying under scum boyfriend (usually he'd be ML's nephew or cousin) and sister's schemes after this pair instructed her to harm the ML until the ML was dead. Revenge is fine but I dislike it when the reborn FL doesn't self-reflect herself that she also is among the others who harm the ML. Only knows to blame the scum pair. Why did you try to poison your own husband just because your scum boyfriend asked you??? And, you still haven't broken up with your supposed boyfriend after marrying someone else? - Abusive ML who keeps FL like a canary. I'm okay with redemption stories but most of them are too abusive I won't forgive the ML if I were the FL. Just by ML coaxing FL a little and the FL already thought to forgive him? Where's your dignity and self-love? You should make him suffer more! And the cycle repeats - The one-night stand between the drugged FL and ML. Can we have one where the ML doesn't sleep with her just because she's on heat after being drugged? Aren't you a powerful CEO, can't you call doctors to your hotel suite? Unless, the ML is drugged as well... That would be another story
Amazonian type women in fantasy novels, you know the type who says "I'll only marry a man stronger than me", while I understand where this come from I can't help but think what if the MC loses a fight or a stronger man appears? So I don't like those characters their affection and development comes as cheap and superficial even compared to the fantasy standard.
The left field kiss; where a guy pulls a shy/hesitant girl into his lips and she's putty from that point. Thus, they're a couple just like that. The shounen version of xianxia rape. I don't downright hate it, but there are so many more creative possibilities.
There are quite a few things, that I dislike. 1. Dont treat other minor characters like idiots. (And/Or dont make mc too smart) I've seen this in many isekais. The modern day heroine is reborn as a character in fantasy medival(?) Europe and teaches these dumb, primitive people how to brew tea and how to correctly wipe their own ass. Just because the MC was brought up in modern day, doesn't mean she is the smartest. It's even worse when she just makes one groundbreaking invention after another with ease. Hell, I know that if I was suddenly lets say the empress I would be hella stressed out because my education didn't contain what an aristocrat of that time should know. And one sentence of: "I got an teacher who thought me geography, history,x,y,z of this country" shouldn't change it momentarily 2. Next, if mc wants to change a country, abolish dont know, slavery, monarchy, whatever- it's a very slow process with many obstacles. Not a fuckin holiday side project. 3. The badass mc, who doesn't care about anyones opinion I will give an example: the king of this medival fantasy country is an misogynist asshole, who is feared by everyone. He tells our modern day MC to smile more because she destroys the scenery. Our modern day MC is the embodiment of fearlessness and righteousness, so she tells him to fuck off and makes a speech about women empowerment. And then everyone stood up and clapped. There are things in novels, that no one would say in real life. It's not easy to stand up for yourself. Especially in a society that has other values. And not to a king, who could easily kill you in a way or another. It's not easy to stand up to bullies, assholes and so on. Well for most people. 4. I dislike it when the MC is too special, the center of attention, everyone only talks about her, as if there is nothing else happening in their life and their only goal is to be her lover, fuck everything else. Also she is plain, but the hottest guys love her, because she was nice to the maid. Wow, how unique. 5. The boring, emotionless, cool guy with black hair, who is extremely handsome and of course rich. If he is not rich from the start, he will be at the end. Bonus points if he is the crown prince or the CEO. 6 when everyone seems to be born at the same time. Every one is young and good looking. Novels here hate people once they are over 40. If they aren't the MC parents they dont exist Well I will end it here, so it wont be too long. I hope you find something useful in my list
I hope you have fun writing your book and please share it with us! Cliches are fine if I could read the twist write by the author
This might seem minor but there's one thing I see in novels that always bug me: the head tilt. You know that thing where the ML (in either yaoi or straight pairs) interrupts the character talking by lifting them by the chin and says something like "you're so cute" or something. I've always found that gesture came across as weird rather than charming. I mean, just imagine trying to do that to someone in an actual conversation. They'll probably think you're a total weirdo and unless you two are very clearly a couple any passersby or other people in the conversation that see you will think "what on earth are they doing?". It's always played as this charming, dazzling moment, when to me it just looks plain weird especially if the characters don't know each other that well.
Hello. The romance genre has became my most hated genre over these last 2 years due to all the cliches that ^¥above users have listed already. I stoped reading them in novels. I swear their all the same recycled stuff with the same plot. But I also want to vent:/p:; Romance in transmigrated series: cliches - Female lead is perfect in everyways, gets transmigrated into the body of a bullied miss/princess/general daughter, she quickly starts talking trash about the original host, than we find out that the original bullied miss was dumb asf and she let herself be doormat and punching bag etc. get this. The original host of her body was madly in love with scum man or scum prince who was intimate with side sister or cousin ~ FL starts dressing up in male clothes, in her outing bumps into or meets the ML( or should I say ML’s) ML is powerful, rich asf, cold, indifferent to the female gaze but FL does one thing and he’s all like “interesting” “this women is not like any other women”. -ML that stalk fl, keep taps on her without fl knowledge. Takes care of all her problems, ruins her enemies and FL is oblivious to ML actions. Romance in Rebirth novels - Female lead with no redeeming qualities. She comes beck to the past and discovered the man she always hated due to nonsensical reasons has been the one who was always protecting her from the shadows even till her death. Than she’s like “[Insert ML name___here] “ I was wrong about you ___ in this life I promise to treasure you, promise to be a faithful wife, I promise I won’t repeat the same mistakes”. /:;:/;:: starts to repeat all her mistakes and continues to put the ML through utter suffering for her idiocy and actions. ~ Female lead was betrayed by her supposed bestfriend cause FL was beautiful, rich and male characters liked her, bestfriend orchestrate FL death with the help of scum male that fl had a crush on or was fl boyfriend and takes everything away from the fl, monologueing how they always hated FL for having everything said bestfriend always wanted etc. Than rebirth FL lead meets the true ML, Romance in modern/general novels ~ ML instantly falls for FL ~ FL is goody twoshoes. She’s so kind she must be an angel that was created for the ML. ~All the other female characters in the series can’t compare to her brilliance or beauty. Author creates female characters that hate on the FL for existing, or being pretty or having the ML attention. All the male characters in the series like and protect the mc from quote: vicious and jealous female characters for superficial or nonsensical reasons. FL works for the place that ML is ceo/boss of. He quickly makes her, his assistant/secretary Dense or Navie MC. Love triangle ~ indecisive FL who keeps being tossed around between 2 ML’s. She’s so indecisive and doesn’t know who to chose that the novel even changes genres lol, author makes the FL get together with one of the leads and falls for him but than shit happenes with the lead and instantly makes her rebound to the other ML but she still thinks of the first like no. Just no. Flawless ML. ( my advice to you as a reader and consumer is that don’t, do not make your male leads flawless, they don’t have to be the personification of perfection. It’s okey for them to have flaws and scars. That’s what makes them so memorable, their scars. Let your male leads be human, let them develop a personality of their own as the novel progresses, instead of giving them default persona of the mega rich, handsome, powerful . make them have personal motivations for why they are the man that they are. His goals and world shouldn’t have to resolve around his interest in the FL. Let the male leads have supporters and family that give his world meaning except having the FL filling the void. Final advice, don’t make all the other female characters in your story jealous one-dimension, let them have depth. Let the male lead have healthy relationships with women other than the FL in your novel. Like close, good friends that just happen to be female, ones who aren’t in love with the ML and won’t make the FL life miserable. ) p/s I wrote a lot , hope you don’t mind p: all these cliches used to be fun and acceptable when I started reading Webnovels, I was in middle school so I glossed over them and didn’t even bat an eye. I remember gasping on twists of novels but now I’m an adult, I’m no longer that 14-15 year little girl. I think it has to due with age. My 19 year old rn would never even read some of the trash I enjoyed 5 years ago. Like hell I remember loving the heck outta of the cultivation wuxia “King of Gods” and being hyped up whenever a new chapter was updated on wuxiaword. I still love it to shit till this day even if people/reviewers call it a piece of shit of a cultivation novel, generic asf novel. Same can be said for transmigration genre of powerful FL’s in cultivation worlds who are just master poison master, master medical practitioner, but now you won’t see me go near such novels ever again. .
Super harem (ie: Negima & TWGOK), anything w/ double-digits & over number of members (both primary & secondary ones) Over-dense character(s) & not just in romance department. I don't mind a character who's a bit dumb (or maybe play dumb) since they would probably be the comic relief, but not the idiots (ie: Aho Girl, Excel Saga) Chuunis. Chuunibyou & Megurin (Konosuba) are just on my borderline, anymore than that are just
- Easily fell in love with MC , low effort. - The Male protagonist never choose other gender beside female in his team , I mean oh this person is so pitiful I will make them my team mate but it is always girl , I mean there is bullied male too, why not adopt them to your team mate as well???!!, slave, ohh I choose all female over macho strong guy as team mate. - In a team mate there is no friendship, always I follow you as team mate because I love you! - Chuni - Pervert / Thirsty Protagonist, every summary: I need boyfriend / girlfriend, I want my virginity off, I want to make harem!! - MC who ditch kind good family for love interest - Other people dying / died / trampled / bankrupt for the sake of the mc & ml love - rebirth mc get back with ex (scum) - stupid low iq enemies, they exist for hindering FL / plot, not necessary. - romance with, if kingdom always end up with prince / emperor / duke, if cultivation always end up with God, they always end up with highest status guy. - quick transmigration, every single soul is same person - quick transmigration, ML (same guy) who hinder MC job ---> annoyed, cause because of you I end up with nothing! my all of effort goes to drain! - quick transmigration, every cannon fodder name is mc name - quick transmigration, you are tasked to help cannon fodder! but end up staying in that body until it died, you arent helping!!!, you are stealing their life
lol, one of the reasons I like the web comic Challenge of Zona; it does the 'Amazonian-type women' best. imo. As for me.... overly dramatic romance/emotions. Mainly because I recently dropped a story I was interested in. (Swarm: A post-apocalypse urban fantasy story) I understood where it was coming from, but didn't like the direction it was heading. To sum it up, without spoiling.... a love triangle misdirection, is probably the best description. Or at least that's what it appeared like, before I dropped it. Another example would be Chronicles of a Dungeon Core -- If you read the review, you may be able to spot what I'm getting at. Again, I see why the author did that -- story was going stale, thus needed something to happen, and there was technically hints that it could/would happen -- but I don't have to like how it was done. Basically drama for the sake of 'spicing up' the story. Edit: Also, romance/love interest needing to be in the story.
In the name of writing Xianxia countles crimes against human intelligence have been commited. At this point they are all shit by vitue of the used tropes but I guess I'll just drop the top 5 of the all-stars: 1: Enlightenment-based power system but everyone is dumb as a brick. 2: Rape victim becomes love interest. 3: Infinite exponential power scaling without established power ceiling so no rank means anything, especially if the "genius" mc with his "peerless foundations" is involved. 4: Harem filled with generic girls which have as much character depth as the sheet of paper they were written on. 5: The chinese-culture induced pridy thingy which is then turned to 11 a second time, aka until it makes zero fucking sense. This list is by no means exhaustive, as the entire genre is stacked with tired ass tropes of stupid, but there are the ones which made me stop reading CNs with certain tags.