Common Story Tropes by Genre
What Readers Expect and How to Use Them Well
Every genre comes with built-in expectations.
Readers don’t just pick up a book for plot; they pick it up for a promise. Tropes are part of that promise. They’re the familiar emotional beats, character dynamics, and narrative patterns that signal: You’re in the right place.
Tropes are not clichés.
They only become clichés when they’re handled lazily.
Let’s break down some of the most common story tropes by genre and how to use them with intention.
Young Adult Romance
1. Friends to Lovers
Two characters with history slowly realize their feelings run deeper.
Why it works:
Readers crave emotional buildup and vulnerability. The tension comes from what’s at stake, not just the romance, but the friendship.
How to elevate it:
Make the internal conflict stronger than the external one. What does falling in love cost them?
Example: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
Lara Jean and Peter begin in a complicated friendship dynamic that gradually deepens into something real and emotionally vulnerable.
2. Love Triangle
The protagonist must choose between two romantic interests.
Why it works:
It externalizes internal conflict. The two love interests often represent two futures.
How to elevate it:
Make both options genuinely viable. If one is clearly better, there’s no tension.
Example: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Katniss is torn between Gale and Peeta — two different visions of survival, loyalty, and the future.
3. Forced Proximity
Snowed in. Stuck on a project. Assigned seats next to each other.
Why it works:
Romantic tension thrives in closeness.
How to elevate it:
Use proximity to reveal flaws, not just chemistry.
Example: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Attending boarding school in Paris forces Anna and Étienne into shared spaces where emotional tension builds naturally.
Dystopian
1. The Chosen One
A seemingly ordinary protagonist has the power to change the system.
Why it works:
Readers love transformation arcs, especially when the character resists the role at first.
How to elevate it:
Focus on the emotional burden of being “chosen.” Leadership should cost something.
Example: Divergent by Veronica Roth
Tris discovers she doesn’t fit into one faction — and that divergence makes her dangerous.
2. The Corrupt Government
An oppressive regime controls information, movement, or survival resources.
Why it works:
It reflects real-world fears in exaggerated form.
How to elevate it:
Avoid cartoon villains. Give the system logic. Make it disturbingly reasonable.
Example: 1984 by George Orwell
A surveillance state manipulates truth, language, and thought itself.
3. Rebellion Movement
Secret resistance groups fight the regime.
Why it works:
Community + hope in bleak worlds.
How to elevate it:
Show moral gray areas within the rebellion. Not everyone fighting the system is pure.
Example: Legend by Marie Lu
A divided society and underground resistance movement drive the tension between June and Day.
Horror / Thriller
1. The Isolated Setting
Cabin in the woods. Abandoned town. Locked building.
Why it works:
Isolation removes safety nets.
How to elevate it:
Make the setting feel like a character. Give it history.
Example: The Shining by Stephen King
The Overlook Hotel becomes a character in its own right, amplifying dread through isolation.
2. The Unreliable Narrator
The protagonist’s perception cannot be fully trusted.
Why it works:
Readers question reality alongside the character.
How to elevate it:
Seed clues early. The twist should feel inevitable in hindsight.
Example: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The alternating perspectives force readers to question everything they believe.
3. The Final Girl
One survivor remains to confront the threat.
Why it works:
Resilience is powerful.
How to elevate it:
Make survival about more than luck; give her agency and growth.
Example: The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
A direct meta-commentary on the trope itself.
Women’s Mystery
1. The Amateur Sleuth
A woman outside law enforcement solves the crime.
Why it works:
Readers enjoy intelligence + intuition over brute force.
How to elevate it:
Give her personal stakes beyond curiosity.
Example: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
While not a traditional detective story, the narrative centers on women unraveling secrets within their community.
2. Small Town Secrets
Everyone knows everyone, and everyone hides something.
Why it works:
Familiar settings with buried tension.
How to elevate it:
Layer generational secrets, not just a single hidden truth.
Example: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
A reporter returns to her hometown, where buried trauma and secrets fuel the mystery.
3. The Past Comes Back
An old disappearance or betrayal resurfaces.
Why it works:
Memory and guilt create emotional suspense.
How to elevate it:
Interweave past and present structurally, not just through exposition.
Example: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Memory, perception, and buried events drive the suspense.
Superhero Fiction
1. The Reluctant Hero
The protagonist doesn’t want the responsibility.
Why it works:
Power without desire creates internal conflict.
How to elevate it:
Focus on the consequences of refusal, not just acceptance.
Example: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Miles Morales resists the weight of responsibility before stepping into it.
2. Secret Identity
Double life between ordinary and extraordinary.
Why it works:
Duality = tension.
How to elevate it:
Let the two identities collide in meaningful ways.
Example: Superman: Secret Identity
Explores dual identity in a grounded, emotional way.
3. Found Family Team
Heroes band together to fight a common threat.
Why it works:
Belonging is universal.
How to elevate it:
Conflict within the team should be as intense as the external threat.
Example: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Percy, Annabeth, and Grover form a tight-knit bond through shared danger.
Children’s Picture Books
1. The Small but Brave Protagonist
A child, animal, or object overcomes a challenge.
Why it works:
Empowers young readers.
How to elevate it:
Keep the emotional stakes relatable, even if the setting is whimsical.
Example: The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
A small rabbit facing big consequences.
2. The Big Lesson
Kindness, sharing, honesty, resilience.
Why it works:
Parents and educators look for takeaways.
How to elevate it:
Show the lesson through action. Avoid direct moralizing.
Example: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
A story centered around generosity and sacrifice.
3. Repetition and Pattern
Predictable structure builds rhythm.
Why it works:
Children love participation.
How to elevate it:
Let the final repetition shift slightly to show growth.
Example: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
Repetition builds rhythm and reader participation.
The Truth About Tropes
Tropes are tools.
Readers choose genres because they want a certain emotional experience. If you remove all tropes in an attempt to be “original,” you risk confusing your audience.
Originality doesn’t come from avoiding tropes.
It comes from:
Character depth
Emotional authenticity
Specific details
Meaningful stakes
A trope is a foundation. Your voice is what builds the house.