I kinda hate resurrection in books. Not in like a "reanimating a corpse" way, but in a "Character X died and so we just magically brought them back more or less unharmed" way. It just feels like a cheap way to get an emotional response from readers without actually committing to the death, and also lowers the stakes for the rest of the book, because if you resurrect one character, why should I believe that you'll actually kill off another?
Oh my god I hate this so much! Resurrection has to be done in a really specific way for me to enjoy it because yeah, it feels like a cop out otherwise.
The closest thing I have in my writing to a resurrection is one character who was thought to be dead for like four years, but turns out he just faked his death. Doesn't really count I guess since he was never actually dead to begin with.
I kinda hate resurrection in books. Not in like a "reanimating a corpse" way, but in a "Character X died and so we just magically brought them back more or less unharmed" way. It just feels like a cheap way to get an emotional response from readers without actually committing to the death, and also lowers the stakes for the rest of the book, because if you resurrect one character, why should I believe that you'll actually kill off another?
Oh my god I hate this so much! Resurrection has to be done in a really specific way for me to enjoy it because yeah, it feels like a cop out otherwise.
The closest thing I have in my writing to a resurrection is one character who was thought to be dead for like four years, but turns out he just faked his death. Doesn't really count I guess since he was never actually dead to begin with.
Bad resurrection is bad because it can be so good. An entire arc or even story to try to bring back the character, lasting plot consequences, character development? Good stuff if done right. If resurrection is used well it becomes part of the story and not a cop out or easily repeatable thing.
sudden romance in a teen novel sucks. Especially when it’s like they stay with them all their life. Because you won’t stay with the person you date in high school all your life, it’s natural for people who fall out of love or have bad break ups.
^ Agree 1000% Not everyone meets their soulmate while they're in their teens but you'd never know that based on like 99% of YA novels. And like, yeah, some people do end up marrying their high school sweethearts but let face it- most people don't.
Yeah, I feel SUPER weird being the exception to that. I'm engaged to my hs sweetheart (we started dating 4 years ago, and we're probably getting married 2 years from now, once we're done with undergrad), but I wouldn't advise others to do the same necessarily. In fact, I would typically advise against it. I think a lot of people need time to mature or date around. And that's definitely the case with a lot of the characters we see in YA. They can't be faithful, or they think it's okay to fight, have manipulation in their relationship, and otherwise experience things that are otherwise not very healthy. Besides, you are NOT going to be 100% the same, even just a few years from then. Go through some major life changes and events together? Okay. Maybe then we can talk. Still on thin ice though.
Side note: if you're going to spend a lot of time developing a relationship and having them be adorable and wonderful, and then they break up and MC starts dating someone else and marries them, you have to make it feel like it's better than the other relationship. Develop it. Make MC happier and more comfortable. Show them being in love. Because if you do a bad job, everyone will end up hating the new person and resenting you
Also I want less betrayals that aren't fake and immediately followed with "I was just pretending so I could help you." I'm a whore for actual betrayals, stop using cop outs.
The trope that yesterday I dubbed Big Yikes Chad. Where a dude is after a girl, she refuses, and he continues his advances until she finally falls for him.
that’s a really great name for that trope
That name is iconic and I'm going to use in on every "nice guy" ever
I call those the Petruchio but I prefer Big Yikes Chad and am now adopting it for myself
I'm really tired of the thing when the main character keeps referencing a Big Thing in their past, but won't say what it is or give enough context for you to figure it out on your own. Did someone die? Did you go to jail? Did you get a terminal illness? Ma'am I have no idea, please stop referencing "Before"
Yes thank you!! Especially when they're super vague, like "something awful happened at school"
Like, do you mean bullying? A school shooting? Sexual assault? Murder? Those all have pretty different impacts, I'd say.
I read a book that kept referring to some traumatic incident in the character's past that made her drop out of school and basically become a nervous wreck, and it's never explained.
I like it when it's kind of left a mystery and slowly unveiled, but i hate it when it's hinted at and then never revealed
I like it when it's kind of left a mystery and slowly unveiled, but i hate it when it's hinted at and then never revealed
Agreed. Like, if you say "something awful happened" but give clues and explain it, that's fine and good. It lets you draw your own conclusions, but also confirms a canon one.
Constant hinting at "oooh this was awful" and never saying what happens is usually just bad writing.
Yeah I don’t think it needs to be directly stated. But it needs to be able to be guessed or at least in a few close options by a good reader.
Less "breaking up and getting back together" being depicted as a healthy relationship dynamic. Like, hello?! There's a reason you guys broke up in the first place!
Exceptions: It's depicted as a toxic relationship. Or the circumstances have to do with them parting ways for like, college, or a long journey, or they were forcibly separated, and couldn't handle a LDR for some reason.
Or depict how it is now okay for them to get back together based on change and character development.
Yeah, the whole "we broke up but we always get back together because twu wuv!" thing is really annoying and not commented on enough. That isn't healthy, that's a sign of a toxic relationship. You shouldn't be breaking up constantly.
Right! Like if they break up because of mental issues and "I love you, but you need to work on your mental health and get in a better place before we can be together again", and then get back together after that's fixed, that's a good thing. It's a healthy thing
Girl and guy are childhood best friends, obsessive controlling guy has a crush on girl and insists the girl date him, girl breaks up with boyfriend and falls in love with guy
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