Tropes List

This is a list of tropes that I have used or would use for my stories, along with how I personally categorize and define them. This is so there’s no confusion upon what to expect in my stories in case your definition behind these tropes may differ. This list will not contain warnings or genres. Tropes and warnings are two different things, and anything I deem to be warnings will not be listed here. If you want to know about the warnings I provide, check out the FAQs for more

Type	Description
Character	A trope that is applicable to individual or certain groups of characters.
Fan Fiction	A trope that has direct correlation or references to canon or fandom, referencing major changes and alterations from the canon material.
Plot	A trope that is applicable to the overall plot, propelling the story forward, such as the inciting incident, or the big main conflict.
Relationship	A trope that is applicable to a group of characters and how they intermingle.
Theme	A trope that appears in numerous scenes or encompasses the theme of the story.

Trope	Acronym	Alternate Trope / Example	Type	Description
5 + 1			Plot	When five similar opportunities arise, but don’t come to fruition, but on the sixth, it does or is reversed. For example, character A asks character B out five times, but each time B says no, but then upon the sixth time character B finally says yes, or character B asks A out.
Age Gap			Relationship	If the pair in a romantic and/or sexual relationship is more than ten years apart in age.
Aged Up			Character, Fan Fiction	When characters are older than their age in the canon material.
All Human	AH		Character, Fan Fiction	When fandom canon characters that aren’t human, are made human in the fan fiction.
Alternate Reality	AR		Fan Fiction	When the canon universe stays the same, but there are changes made from the canon, such as characters living or dying, a canon character deciding to do something else rather than what they had done in the canon, etc.
Alternate Timeline	AT		Fan Fiction	When a story still takes place within the fandom’s canon universe and current character, but writes them in a different part of the fandom’s timeline.
Alternate Universe	AU		Fan Fiction	When a story uses fandom characters but changes the setting and the universe.
Alternative Character Interpretation			Character, Fan Fiction	When a canon character is explored from a differing angle.
Another World		Trapped in Another World, Isekai	Plot	When characters that live in one universe, some way, some how, get transported to another universe whether it be from reality to fandom, or from fandom to fandom, or fandom to reality.
Apocalypse			Plot	The end of civilization and civil acts of humanity.
Bait and Switch			Plot	When readers are lead to believe a certain situation will happen, or has happened, only to reveal that something completely different happened or will happen.
Be Careful What You Wished For			Plot	Either the wish granter takes the words too literally, and the wish isn’t at all what the wisher wanted, or the actual wish is granted, but it isn’t at all how the wisher thought it would be.
Before Canon		Pre-Series	Fan Fiction	When the story takes place before the canon fandom.
Being a Hero Sucks		Being Good Sucks	Character	When a character being a hero or being good doesn’t reap any benefits or rewards, or it backfires on them.
Being Good Sucks		Being a Hero Sucks	Character	When a character being a hero or being good doesn’t reap any benefits or rewards, or it backfires on them.
Big Brother Instinct		Big Sibling Instinct, Big Sister Instinct	Relationship	When a character has an instinct to behave like an older sibling to another character who isn’t in any way familially related.
Big Sibling Instinct		Big Brother Instinct, Big Sister Instinct	Relationship	When a character has an instinct to behave like an older sibling to another character who isn’t in any way familially related.
Big Sister Instinct		Big Brother Instinct, Big Sibling Instinct	Relationship	When a character has an instinct to behave like an older sibling to another character who isn’t in any way familially related.
Black Sheep			Character	In which the character is ostracized or doesn’t at all fit in with their family, often the scape-goat, and catches all of the blame.
Butterfly Effect		For Want of a Nail	Plot	When one small act disproportionately leads to an extreme disaster.
Canon Compliant			Fan Fiction	The fan fiction stays within the canon fandom and its universe rules and possibly within the timeline.
Chosen One			Character	When a character’s fate is decided and they must fulfill a prophecy (for the greater good . . . but not always) whether they want to or not.
Citrus		Lemon, Lime	Theme	Sex in a various range.
Closet. . .		Clsoet Gay, Closet Witch, Closet Hero, Closet Villain, Closet Foot Fetish	Character	When a character is keeping a secret about who they are or what taboo they are into.
Contagion Outbreak		Apocalypse	Theme	An add-on to the Apocalypse trope where the devastation is caused by a deadly viral disease.
Continuation			Fan Fiction	When the fan fiction continues where the canon fandom left off.
Crack			Plot	When the plot is all over the place and doesn’t make a lot of sense, often with canon characters behaving extremely out of character.
Crossover	X-Over, CO, XO		Fan Fiction	When two or more fandoms are combined in a fan fiction.
Crouching Moron Hidden Badass			Character	When a character seems to be an absolute buffoon, or is otherwise idiotic or pathetic, but turns out they have a side that is incredibly useful, or badass.
Damsel in Distress			Character	When a character is in distress and is unable to help themselves.
Deadpan Snarker			Character	When stoic characters have an arsenal of sarcastic quips.
Deal With the Devil			Plot	When a character accepts a crooked deal for a benefit. The “devil” can be a supernatural creature, or a shady mobster, and the benefit can range from riches and fame to not be evicted from their decrepit one bedroom apartment on the shady side of town.
Death of a Child			Plot	When a story revolves around the events of or the aftermath of when parents lose their child.
Death Seeker			Character	When a character seeks their death, not through suicide, but through battles, or other heroic acts so their death has some value or meaning to it. The reasons can vary, between guilt, unable to cope with a traumatic event, or even just bored with life.
Defiant Captor			Plot	When the kidnapped fight back.
Demonic Possession		Spirit Possession	Plot	When a spirit (usually demons and evil) possess people.
Disowned Parents			Relationship	When the character disowns or has disowned their parents with either little or no contact.
Distinction Without a Difference			Theme	In hindsight, a casket and coffin aren’t too different. But one just sounds better. And some characters prefer one over the other.
Dog Bites Back			Relationship	When the abused stands up to their abuser.
Doppleganger			Relationship	When characters look remarkably similar or the same, but they aren’t twins or related.
Dubious Existence of . . .		. . . Magic, . . . Supernatural, . . . God	Theme	When the existence of something is hinted at, but is in no way proven or confirmed, and can be speculated as to whether or not it exists.
Dying Town			Plot	When a town or city well known for a resource, loses that resource, and thus loses financial security, people are moving away, and the town will soon die.
Dysfunctional Family			Relationship	When the family is shown to be toxic, abusive, or otherwise dysfunctional.
Dysfunctional Romance			Relationship	When characters portrayed to be in a loving or romantic relationship, are dysfunctional, but, for some reason, these characters have reasons to stay together.
Elemental Powers			Theme	When the story has characters with nature-based powers.
Enemies to Friends			Relationship	When characters that start off as enemies grow to be friends.
Enemies to Lovers			Relationships	When characters that start off as enemies fall in love and/or engage in a sexual relationship.
Engagement and Wedding			Plot	When the story focuses on the character’s engagement/wedding.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones			Character	Even characters deemed evil have someone they love and cared for.
Even Evil Has Standards			Character	Even when characters deemed evil have standards they don’t sink below, such as not minding committing genocide, but wouldn’t dare kick a kitten.
Evil All Along			Character	When a character portrayed as the hero’s ally is revealed to be evil all along, and betrays the hero.
Evil by Association			Character	When something that is not actually evil, is deemed evil to others just by association, whether it be familially related to criminals, or just because of symbolism (bats are often associated with “evil”).
Evil Genius			Character	Characters with a prodigal genius IQ pursues evil and crimes.
F--		M--	Fan Fiction	When a biological male canon character is written as a biological female character. It is generally written as “Fcharacter”.
Fair Weather Friend			Relationship	When a character is only a friend during the good times, but ditches them when the other party is having a rough go at life.
Fake Friendship		Fake Relationship, Fake Romance	Relationship	When the friendship is fake, and is used for convenience’s sake.
Fake Relationship		Fake Romance, Fake Friendship	Relationship	Whether friendship or romance, the relationship is used for convenience’s sake.
Fake Romance		Fake Friendship, Fake Relationship	Relationship	When the romantic relationship is fake, and is used for convenience’s sake.
Fallen Hero		Fallen Princess	Character	When the glorious hero or character falls from their pedestal or grace, such as a knight is captured and imprisoned.
Fallen Princess		Fallen Hero	Character	When the glorious hero or character falls from their pedestal or grace, such as a princess sold into slavery.
Fatal Flaw			Character	When the character gets in their own way to progress or victory, such as a character being so deeply in love that they don’t see that person as abusive, and is instead being manipulated by them.
Fighting For a Homeland			Plot	When characters fight for the freedom and security of their homeland.
Fish Out of Water			Plot	When a character is put into an environment, or forced to do an activity they had never done before and is highly uncomfortable.
Flash Forward			Fan Fiction	When the story takes place a significant amount of time after the canon events.
Fluff		Warm and Fluffy Feelings	Theme	When a scene gives readers the warm and fuzzies. For example, when characters take the time to comfort each other, or when they share a tender or intimate moment. It doesn’t have to be loving couples, it could be family, such as a father-daughter dance.
For Want of a Nail		Butterfly Effect	Plot	When one small act disproportionately leads to an extreme disaster.
Forbidden Love			Relationship	When characters can’t be together, whether it be due to feuding families, differences in classes, religion, or race, or for any number of reasons.
Forced Out of the Broom Closet			Plot	When one character reveals to the public another character is a witch, pagan, Wiccan, or some other spirituality/religion in an environment that looks down on those beliefs.
Borced Out of the Closet			Plot	When one character reveals to the public another character is gay, lesbian, transgender, or other labels in an environment that may look down on those sorts of relationships or gender abnormality.
Framing the Guilty Party			Plot	When a character or group is already guilty of something, but not enough evidence can lead to their conviction; however, this group is found guilty of another crime they had nothing to do with because they were framed.
Friend Nobody Likes			Relationship	When one person in a friend-group is truly the odd-one out, and the group is only still friends with the person out of seniority (they’ve known each other for a long time and were once genuine friends), proximity (they live near each other, are family, coworkers, or some other combination), necessity (they have useful skills or resources), control (someone is making this group be the person’s friend), fear (they are afraid of the person), goodwill (the group is too passive to deny this person from hanging out), pity (the group feels sorry for him), abuse (the group uses this person as a punching bag), supervision (the group feels this person shouldn’t be left unsupervised), caring (deep down at least one person genuinely cares for them), deserving (despite not caring for the person, the group sees the person has some redeeming qualities).
From Bad to Worse			Plot	When already bad situations get progressively worse.
Genderbent			Fan Fiction	When multiple canon characters, established to be of one biological sex, is changed to the other biological sex, whether due to a spell or experiment gone wrong or right, or due to some other method of a character going through a sex change.
Good vs Evil			Plot	When the character faces a moral dilemma between doing the right thing or doing something bad for a good cause.
Gray and Grey Morality		Grey and Gray Morality	Plot	When two characters or parties have equally good reasons for their actions, and fight each other.
Grey and Gray Morality		Gray and Grey Morality	Plot	When two characters or parties have equally good reasons for their actions, and fight each other.
Harem			Relationship	One man and many women, he either chooses one, or he gets multiple.
Hidden Badass		Crouching Moron Hidden Badass	Character	When a character seems to be unremarkable, but turns out they have a side that is incredibly useful, or badass.
Hidden Evil			Character	When a character is thought to be an ally to the protagonist, but it turns out they were working for the bad guy (or their own goals go against the protagonist) all along.
Historical			Fan Fiction	An add-on to the Alternative Universe trope, where the characters are dropped in a differing historical setting, such as the characters of Naruto taking place in the Meiji era of Japan.
History Repeats			Plot	When similar events and conflicts from a character’s past happen again.
Horrible Judge of Character			Character	When a character, for one reason or another, can’t distinguish body language or social cues, and can’t tell a bad person from a good person, tending to trust everyone.
Horrifying the Horrible			Plot	When characters are trying to be more evil, more gruesome, or more terrifying than their villain or monster.
I Just Want to be Normal			Character	When a character wants to pursue a change in order to blend in more with their surroundings, or whatever it is they perceive as “normal”.
In Spite of a Nail			Plot	The opposite of “For Want of a Nail”, where despite a change happening, it doesn’t alter history to a drastic degree.
Interracial Love			Relationship	When characters of different ethnicities fall in love.
Interspecies Love			Relationship	When characters of different species fall in love.
Intimate Healing			Theme	When acts that would otherwise be deemed an intimate gesture, is used to heal injuries (such as mouth to mouth when all the character can think about is “Would this be considered a kiss?”)
Invasion		Apocalypse	Theme	An add-on to the Apocalypse trope where the devastation is caused by some sort of invasion, such as aliens.
Isekai		Another World, Trapped in Another World	Plot	When characters that live in one universe, some way, some how, get transported to another universe whether it be from reality to fandom, or from fandom to fandom, or fandom to reality.
Late to the Tragedy		Apocalypse	Theme	When the characters arrive after the tragedy had struck.
Lemon		Citrus, Lime	Theme	Sex.
Light is Not Good			Character	When elements that are popularized as good, turns out to be bad. For example, a character is shown as extremely lucky, but, really, this character spreads bad luck to those around them, and doesn’t care about others’ well-being.
Lime		Citrus, Lemon	Theme	Milder sex
Lost Lenore			Character	This character is a love interest of a prominent character, is dead (or believed to be dead or forever lost somewhere), and their death has an ongoing impact with consequences and relevance for the remainder of the story. A fourth unwritten criteria is that their death has more impact on the story than when they were alive.
Love at First Sight			Relationship	When one or both fall in love within the first official meeting, within the first conversation.
Love Potion			Theme	Whether it goes right or wrong, when a character uses a love potion to catch the person they love.
Love Triangle			Relationship	When three (or more) characters fall in love with one another, and they have to figure out who goes out with who, and who gets left behind (or how they all date each other in a polyamorous relationship).
M--		F--	Fan Fiction	When a biological female canon character is written as a biological male character. It is generally written as “Mcharacter.”
Mad Scientist			Character	Scientist characters that perform taboo or forbidden experiments.
Magic		Alternat Universe	Fan Fiction	An add-on to the Alternative Universe trope, where the characters suddenly have magic.
Magic and Powers			Theme	A story that contains magic or other powers.
Magical Girl			Plot	Girls that magically change outfits to pursue evil doers, usually with some animal or alien sidekick.
Male Pregnancey	MPreg		Character	When a biological male character is able to become pregnant and give birth whether an explanation is given or not.
Man Behind the Man		Person Behind the Person	Character	When the Big Bad turns out to be a flunky or a puppet to the true criminal mastermind. Despite “Man”, this is generally taken as gender neutral, and can be anybody.
Marriage of Convenience			Plot	When marriage is just another legally binding contract to these characters for some sort of benefit or convenience that otherwise couldn’t be possible.
Maybe Magic Maybe Mundane		Dubious Existence of (Magic)	Theme	When the existence of something is hinted at, but is in no way proven or confirmed, and can be speculated as to whether or not it exists.
Mentor x Student		Teacher x Student	Relationship	When student and teacher/mentor form an intimate and/or sexual relationship.
Miscarriage of Justice			Plot	When an innocent character is found guilty.
Missed the Call			Plot	When the actual destined hero misses their call to adventure, and the role was given to someone else, whether by accident or some other means.
Monster Clown			Plot	An actually evil clown, or some other monster that resembles or takes the form of a clown.
Natural Disaster			Theme	An add-on to the Apocalypse trope where the devastation is caused by natural disasters.
Neighbors to Lovers			Relationship	When neighbors fall in love and/or engage in a sexual relationship.
Next Generation			Fan Fiction	The next generation after the canon characters take over the story, having their own conflicts and adventures.
Original Fan Fiction	OFF		Fan Fiction	When a fan fiction story takes place in the canon fandom’s universe, but writes with a cast of original characters with little to no mention of the canon characters.
Person Behind the Person		Man Behind the Man	Character	When the Big Bad turns out to be a flunky or a puppet to the true criminal mastermind.
Plot? What Plot?	PWP	Porn? Where's Port?, Porn Without Plot, Poorly Written Porn	Plot	A story whose focus is on sex, often erotic or kinky (but not always) without a plot with risks or stakes.
Poorly Chosen One			Character	When the prophesied chosen one isn’t up to muster to their great task, and fails (repeatedly).
Poorly Written Porn	PWP	Plot? What Plot?, Porn? Where's Porn?, Porn Without Plot	Plot	A story whose focus is on sex, often erotic or kinky (but not always) without a plot with risks or stakes.
Porn Without Plot	PWP	Plot? What Plot?, Porn? Whrere's Porn?, Poorly Written Porn	Plot	A story whose focus is on sex, often erotic or kinky (but not always) without a plot with risks or stakes.
Porn? Where's Porn?	PWP	Plot? What Plot?, Porn Without Plot, Poorly Written Porn	Plot	A story whose focus is on sex, often erotic or kinky (but not always) without a plot with risks or stakes.
Pre-Series		Before Canon	Fan Fiction	When the story takes place before the canon fandom.
Religious Disaster			Theme	An add-on to the Apocalypse trope where the devastation is caused by some sort of judgment day, second coming, Ragnarok, or some other religious or mythological worldly disaster.
Retroactive Continuity	Retcon		Plot	When the story takes place before the main story to retroactively fill in inconsistency or plot holes without changing the main story.
Reverse Harem			Relationship	One woman and many men, she either chooses one, or she gets multiple.
School		Alternate Universe	Fan Fiction	An add-on to the Alternative Universe trope, where the characters are dropped in a school setting.
Slash			Relationship	Same sex relationship, whether the canon characters were confirmed to be straight or not.
Slow Burn			Theme	When the romance doesn’t come to fruition until the last quarter of the story.
Soldier VS Warrior			Theme	Fighting because this is how to get the job done, even though it’s grisly and grim, or fighting because you believe in a cause.
Songfic			Theme	When a story has song lyrics within the content.
Spiritual Possession			Plot	When characters get possessed by spiritual or divine entities.
Supernatural		Alternate Universe	Fan Fiction	An add-on to the Alternative Universe trope, where the characters are dropped in a setting filled with the supernatural, or the canon characters are of the supernatural.
Supernatural			Theme	When there is a heavy presence of the supernatural, e.g. vampires, werewolves, etc.
Teacher x Student		Mentor x Student	Relationship	When student and teacher/mentor form an intimate and/or sexual relationship.
Their Own Worst Enemy			Character	When the character is their own foil, getting in their own way when pursuing goals or resolving conflicts.
Then Let Me Be Evil			Character	When a character is treated a certain way no matter what, no matter how hard they work to prove themselves, they eventually give up and fully embrace whatever label was thrusted upon them.
Thicker Than Water			Relationship	When, despite how despicable a character is, they’re still family, so they are forgiven or aren’t left behind.
Time Travel	TT		Plot	When characters travel through the timeline.
Time? What Time?	TWT		Fan Fiction	When the fan fiction story has no set place in the canon timeline.
Trapped in Another World		Another World, Isekai	Plot	When characters that live in one universe, some way, some how, get transported to another universe whether it be from reality to fandom, or from fandom to fandom, or fandom to reality.
Unchosen One			Character	When a character does what they feel is right, whether or not they were prophesied to do it.
Unrequited Love			Relationship	When one character loves another, but that character doesn’t love them back.
Unresolved Sexual Tension	UST		Theme	When the sexual tension between characters are heightened, but they get interrupted or they stop before it gets resolved.
Very Loosely Based on a True Story			Plot
Vestigial Empire			Theme	An empire that has gone extinct, divided, or drastically changed with a few remnants of its glory still residing in the present.
Vitriolic Best Buds			Relationship	When the friendship is filled with bickering and arguing, but they still consider each other best friends.
War		Apocalypse	Theme	An add-on to the Apocalypse trope where the devastation is caused by a war.
Warm and Fluffy Feeling	WAFF	Fluff	Theme	When a scene gives readers the warm and fuzzies. For example, when characters take the time to comfort each other, or when they share a tender or intimate moment. It doesn’t have to be loving couples, it could be family, such as a father-daughter dance.
White Sheep			Character	In which the character is morally good in compared to their family (who may be criminals or works with criminals).
Work Force			Fan Fiction	An add-on to the Alternative Universe trope, where the characters are dropped in a setting surrounding the reality of the workforce, whether it be in offices, warehouses, city work, gas stations, fast food or retail.
Youkai			Theme	When the story, typically taking place in Japan, contains a heavy presence of youkai—demons.
Zombie		Apocalypse	Theme	An add-on to the Apocalypse trope where the devastation is caused by zombies.

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