Aww, you guys. This rant has over 9,000 reads! Thank you all so much! Hugs for everyone!

I’m trying to get as many written and posted as I can while I have a little spare time, so let’s just get started with this topic: Cliché Conflicts.

Okay, so I know I already sorta covered some clichés in the very first chapter, but someone suggested that one of the most helpful things I could do would be to simply list plots/characters that are now viewed as clichés, so writers know what to avoid.

Some of these topics I’ve already expanded on and some of them I’ve yet to get to, so if you have any questions about how to maybe twist a cliché, find that chapter or leave me a comment! I’d love to try to help.

So with the help of some friends, I’ve compiled some lists of the top ten clichés in different categories (and discovered that my life is a Wattpad cliché…). And these will be by topics so it’s more organized.

General Clichés

1.       Best friends fall in love

2.       MC has troubled past (experience of Physical, Sexual, or Psychological abuse)

3.       MC faces some sort of mental hardship (eating disorder, depression, suicidal tendencies, etc.)

4.       Love triangles

5.       MC lives with all males

6.       “Misfit” girl becomes “popular”

7.       Good girl falls for bad boy (by Wattpad standards of “bad”)

8.       MC has to be saved by a guy

9.       Student/Teacher relationships

10.   Falling in love with a rapist

(You have no idea how dumb I felt when I realized that eight and a half of those are my life (I won’t tell you which ones, y’nosies). I, Addy, am a cliché. I’m a goddamn cliché. It’s offensive but it’s also not. At least people have a love/hate relationship with my life, right? Moving on.)

Werewolf and Vampire (sorry I combined these, but c’mon. Gimme a break. I’m a damn cliché.)

1.       Rejection stories

2.       Being the alpha’s mate

3.       Being the “king” vampire’s mate

4.       Love at first sight

5.       Vegetarian vampires

6.       Vampire and Werewolf rivalry

7.       MC’s that are “ugly” but run away and become beautiful

8.       MC is the “chosen” one

9.       Secret vampire or werewolf societies

10.   Wars between covens (please stop calling them clans) or packs

Dystopian, Science Fiction, and Mystery/Thriller (what? We couldn’t come up with ten for each and I like to be parallel)

1.       MC is the “chosen” one

2.       Zombie epidemics

3.       Rebellion against the government

4.       MCs that are so bad-ass they don’t have emotions

5.       MCs that are all powerful

6.       MCs that are the “key” to solving epidemics

7.       Stockholm syndrome

8.       Overly obvious bad-guy (stereotypical attire, dialogue, laugh, etc.)

9.       Sexy kidnapper

10.   Misunderstood kidnappers

Romance/ ChickLit and Teen Fiction (most of these were covered in general cliché’s, plus these)

1.       Quick moving relationships

2.       One night stands at a party

3.       Love interest is a “God”

4.       Every male has abs

5.       Arranged marriages

6.       Absentee parents

7.       Awkward/pointless sex scenes

8.       From worst enemies to head-over-heels couple

9.       Girls that go from badass to dependent when meeting the male lead

10.   Trying to “change” the significant other

Pop Fiction (forgive me if these are wrong, because I know nothing about fan fiction…)

1.       Celebrity falls for “average” girl

2.       Celebrity buys girl as sex slave

3.       Celebrity and MC meet at concert/meet and greet and instantly fall in love

4.       Celebrity and MC meet at a coffee shop

5.       Celebrity adopts MC and subsequently falls in love with her

6.       MC goes on tour/set with celebrity (and the parents apparently don’t give a shit)

7.       All previously recorded songs were suddenly written for MC

8.       Shipping wars (whatever the hell that is)

9.       Girl doesn’t know she’s beautiful but celebrity thinks she’s perfect (no, not just the One Direction song)

10.   Secret siblings

And that’s all the lists we compiled thus far. If you guys have anything to add, feel free in the comments!

Also, (and I’ll be the first to say this), it’s not bad to have a few clichés in your book. I know that sounds really contradictory, but it’s really not always a bad thing. Audiences like comfort and that’s what makes clichés so popular. They’re predictable. They’re comfortable. (Apparently they’re relatable? Kill me now).

So don’t make an entire book of clichés. But if you have one or two clichés that play a minor role, that’s okay. Don’t break your neck trying to be overtly original because it will make things weird. Just try to put a little taste of yourself in them (did that sound wrong or am I just really tired?)

Now, here’s the fun part (YAY!)

Tell me, what are you top ten most hated (or loved if you’re a cliché lover (I feel obligated to love them now, since one through eight of the general are literally my life)) clichés! They can be for any category and/or they can be unmentioned!

Or, you can share with me clichés for the categories I didn’t mention. (I’d love to hear from fan fiction writers, because I got so many conflicting reports that I didn’t even make the list.

So lemme know in the comments, or on my message board, or even via PM. I wanna know how you guys feel!