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Hellooo, everybody! Last month we bitched about the worst family tropes in fiction
and today we're flipping the script! Sometimes fictional families are the best! They're caring
and supportive. Or, they're absolutely heinous and that's what makes the book SO fun to read. We're
talking about all the family tropes, whether it's parents, siblings, or married couples
that make my heart sing. But first, this video is sponsored by my good friends over at Skillshare,
so we gotta show them our love! Skillshare is an online learning community specifically
for creatives where millions come together in order to take their next step in creativity! If
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writers. One is all about how to grow your author platform so you can reach as many potential
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no assistance. Skillshare has some goodies just for you guys! Stick around until the end of this
video for details! First, I'm breaking down my all-time favorite family tropes in three, two,
one! Number One (1): The found family. There was no way I could make this list and not mention this
trope. After all, it's the law! Found family is one of the most popular tropes in fiction. I cannot
think of a single person who doesn't enjoy it. I'm sure someone out there doesn't, but they're
wrong! You can't sit with us! There are few things more pure and good than reading about a band of
outcasts coming together to form one big, happy family! Do I need to elaborate? Does this require
explanation? It's cute. It's adorable. We love it. On to the next! Number Two (2): Villainous
parents. I don't know why, but I really love it when the main character's parents suck. Make their
parents the villain of the novel, and it's even better! I feel like this reflects negatively on
me, so just be aware: I have a good relationship with my parents. I just think this dynamic in
fiction is juicy! It's bad enough for a character to have to face off with a villain, but when that
villain is someone who made them...with their genitals, talk about awkward! It adds an extra
layer of drama! Maybe the main character resents their parent's cruelty. Maybe they feel bad for
having to go up against them. I don't care! I want all of it! Number Three (3): The girly dad. We got
a big, burly dad character, usually some kind of soldier or warrior. But when his daughter's
around, best believe he's gonna let her paint his nails! Put on a tutu, and do ballet together?
Absolutely! Wear a tiara and join her tea party? Of course, he will! This dad is down to girl
around. First of all, it's just good parenting. Show up and participate, ya damn cowards! Second,
it's cute as fuck! I wanna join their tea party! I don't even like tea, but I know you're sipping
air, anyway, so whatever! I appreciate this level of adorableness in my fiction! Keep it
coming! I'll eat it right up! Number Four (4): The surrogate. Maybe the character is estranged
from their family. Maybe they're an orphan. Maybe their parents are the villains. That don't matter,
because the surrogate is gonna fill the void in their cold, black heart! Okay, it matters
a little... But still, I love a good surrogate character. Sometimes they act as a parental
figure. Other times they're like an older sibling. Sometimes they're just the weird aunt or uncle.
Extra points if the character is the last person you'd ever expect to see as nurturing! Why do you
think everyone loves Gordon Ramsay on MasterChef Junior? Hello! Number Five (5): Head of the house.
Shit went down. Could be a death in the family. Maybe financial struggles. Possibly the downfall
of all of mankind. Whatever it was, the MC had to step up and take on significant responsibility
in order to keep their family afloat. They don't necessarily have to be the head of the household,
but they usually take on some kind of leadership role. Usually, as a surrogate parent, or the
breadwinner, or both. I love this trope SO much, I think I've written it in every book I've published
thus far. One, I personally find characters in this position really endearing and easy to relate
to. A lot of people can understand having to sacrifice elements of your life in order to care
for someone else. And if they can't understand this, they can at least sympathize. Two, it allows
writers to craft mature protagonists, which is my personal reading preference. Characters who handle
a ton of responsibility tend to be more mature than other people their age, which is especially
helpful if the characters in question are young, like teens or 20-somethings. It's fine if the MC
is immature in other ways, but I at least want them to understand sacrifice and responsibility.
And this trope tends to cover that for me. Number Six (6): Stupid nicknames. I don't know about your
family, but in my family, the nicknames we got were either very weird or very embarrassing. And
if we're talking about siblings, the more annoying the term of endearment, the better. "Hey dickface,
get out of the way! Shit-for-brains, hurry up! We're gonna be late!" When I read stories where
everyone in the family is perfectly loving and respectful and not getting on anyone's nerves at
all, I'm calling bullshit! Obnoxious teasing is the lifeblood of a familial relationship,
and you can't convince me otherwise. Number Seven (7): Only I get to call them a bitch,
bitch! I think it's adorable when family members, specifically siblings who are constantly at one
another's throats, are the first to defend each other. "Yeah, he IS a dumbass, but I get to say
that 'cause he's my brother! Is he your brother? No! I didn't think so. Back the fuck up!" I love
this trope because not only is it relatable, but I think it reflects how families are supposed to
be. Sure, you might not always get along, but a healthy family who cares about one another
should have each other's back. Number Eight (8): Father versus son. I don't know why I'm this way,
but I fucking love it when a son is at odds with his estranged father. The dad is a controlling,
toxic dick weasel and his son is like, "Fuck that! I'm my own man. Get out of my face!"
I eat that shit up! It's SO entertaining and oddly attractive. I think it might be because
of the 'daddy's pride and joy' stereotype. That label is often linked to characters who have no
voice or agency, they just carry their father's torch. Fuck his torch! So a guy who is willing
to take a stand against the man he's supposed to 'make proud' is in my opinion pretty brave
and kinda sexy. You stand up for yourself, baby! I love you! Number Nine (9): Happily ever
after. Contrary to popular belief, sometimes people get married and LIKE it. Media tends to
present marriage as the old ball-and-chain, and while I don't think marriage is for everyone,
I also don't think this stereotype is beneficial to anyone. I love stories, particularly romances,
that capture the beauty of a couple who actually likes being together. For starters, this trope is
super versatile. Happy couples who have been together for a long time tend to act like
best friends, so not only do you have romantic instances to work with, you also have super fun
witty banter to play with. Two, the sex scenes, in theory, can be spicier. If the couple has history,
they should know one another's bodies and what they like. You don't have to trick the reader
into believing she had a million orgasms. Her partner has been fucking her for years now,
they should know how to flip that switch on. And Number Ten (10): The orphan. Everyone hates the
orphan trope. They were expecting it to show up on my worst list. Well, guess what? You're wrong,
bitches! Let me tell you exactly why the orphan trope is so effective. First of all, your
character is immediately sympathetic. Not a whole lot of people can relate to losing both of their
parents at a young age. But I think we can all agree that in a majority of circumstances, that
would suck. Second, your character is an automatic underdog. Unless they've somehow inherited a
fortune that's been locked away in a goblin bank, being an orphan will probably result in a life
that's an uphill climb. Because of this, we're rooting for the character. They've been dealt a
shitty hand and we want them to succeed! Lastly, and most importantly, the parents are gone. No
matter the age of the MC, useless parental figures fuck up a storyline. They get in the way! If it's
a young adult novel, we're gonna have to worry about curfews and permission. If it's an adult
novel, we're gonna have to worry about holidays, check-ins, and possibly their health. If these
elements do not play a direct role in the story, it becomes tedious to read. Here's an idea: kill
off the parents. Now you don't gotta deal with all that crap, and we can get on to the good stuff! So
that's all I got for you today! A huge thank you to Skillshare for sponsoring this video! If you
want to expand your creativity in the new year, Skillshare is the perfect platform to do exactly
that! Premium Membership gets you unlimited access to THOUSANDS of classes and it's super affordable.
An annual subscription is less than $10 bucks a month! However, right now you can get two months
of Skillshare Premium for FREE by clicking the link below! Click the link, improve your writing,
explore your creativity! I'm a student at Skillshare, as well as a teacher, and I LOVE their
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Bye! (Male Voice) Hey, this is Nick! The voice of Tobias and the narrator for The Savior's Champion,
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