(The sound of a pen scratching). LOGO.
Hellooo everybody! An ENORMOUS thank you to everyone who already pre-ordered a
copy of The Savior's Sister! Thanks to you guys,
TSS reached number one (#1) on Amazon! This is a big milestone for me and it means the
world to me! I really, REALLY appreciate you guys showing support for TSS, and I
am SO excited for you to read Leila's story! Thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, THANK YOU! And keep pre-ordering! Moving on, today we're
talking about friendship and how much it sucks...sort of, not really. I asked you
guys which tropes you’d like me to rip apart next and the landslide
majority vote was friendship! Sidekicks, besties,
friends to enemies, enemies to friends - we’re dissecting all that shit! Before we
get started, I want to give a shout out to Book Brush who has graciously
sponsored today's video! Book Brush is a super helpful platform that allows
writers to create a wide range of marketing images for their books. I'm
talking teaser quotes, social media banners, Amazon ads, box sets, and even
book covers! I make nearly all of my marketing images through Book Brush. If
you've been following me on social media then you've definitely seen this in
action! The quality of the images is gorgeous, the designs are super
professional, and the platform is beyond easy to use. Even if you're not tech
savvy, you'll be fine. Book Brush has an instant mock-up feature that allows you
to create hundreds of mock-ups of your books in minutes. I actually use those
mock-ups as the end cards for my videos. But even if you make your own marketing
image from scratch, it's super easy and I'm gonna show you how to do that right
now. So, I'm here on Book Brush and I've
opened up their Custom Creator. First things first is to select an image size.
I'm going to do an Instagram image. Then we move over here to templates. You can
choose from community templates or saved templates, but I'm going to start
something from scratch. I think I want fireworks. Ooh, lots of options.
Now, if the image isn't exactly what you want, you can always add an overlay. Here
are some of the overlays to choose from. For The Savior’s Sister, I've been using
this one a lot. Perfect! Now we move on to the books! As
you can see, there are a ton of different books to choose from - even box set
templates! Once you choose one you want, you click on the cover you want to
upload - BAM! Okay, once you're comfortable with the size, you can move on to the
text. “Hardbacks and paperbacks.” You can edit the text as you would any text editor. You
can change the font, the size, the color, add some shadow. If you want to add more
text, go for it! Once you've got everything laid out the
way you want, you can move on to stamps. You can use stamps that have star
ratings, you can use stamps that show where your book is available. I’ll put a
little stamp here in the corner, I think it looks nice! I think the image is done!
So all you do is click ‘download,’ select the file you want, and just like that - you
have your very own marketing image ready for you to use however you please! Wasn't
that fun? Book Brush has a special deal just for you guys! I will give you the
details at the end of this video! First, I am breaking down the ten (10)
friendship tropes that I absolutely DESPISE in fiction. Please note this is
my personal opinion, not objective fact. If you disagree, that is your prerogative.
And if you'd like to hear more of my rants, or if you want some advice
regarding the craft of writing or information about the publishing
industry, definitely subscribe to my channel and ring that bell! I post
content on Wednesdays and bonus content on Mondays. And of course, don't forget
that my upcoming dark fantasy novel The Savior’s Sister is currently available for
presale all over the place! I have the information listed below, along with
information about the presale giveaway, check it out! Get on it!
Yeah! On to the tropes! Number One (1): The friend-zoned loser. This is a trope you
can find in pretty much every genre of fiction. The main character’s got a skinny
boner for his smart, beautiful, and flawless best friend.
But she doesn't feel the same way, and he just can't figure out why. It's cause
you're a loser, dumbass! He's stupid, he's annoying, he's entitled, and as much as he
insists he's a nice guy, he's really not. I'm so sick of seeing
this trope! We are supposed to root for the guy and wish that the woman would
see just how great he is, and maybe I would feel that way if he WAS actually
great, but he's not. He's a stale cat turd that nobody wants to fuck. Just because
you're a guy with hormones doesn't mean every heterosexual woman is required to
like you back. Get your life together, and maybe I'll ship you with Pretty Mc
Perky-Tits. Number Two (2): The friend-zoned hunk. This is
the polar opposite of the previous trope. We usually see this in Young Adult
fiction, especially if the main character is a girl involved in a love triangle.
Two guys are madly in love with her. One is her best friend since childhood. He is
tall, he's smart, he's gorgeous, and he just so happens to be the nicest guy in
the world who is always there for her no matter what. The other is a petulant
douchebag with a six-pack and good hair. Guess which one she's gonna choose?
Bestie Mc Hunk-Face should be a shoo-in. He is literally flawless, but she
always ends up choosing the asshole, who you just know is the kind of guy who
constantly insists on ditching condoms because they feel weird. How is this
trope so common that it's actually a cliche? Who is enjoying this trope? I just
want to talk. Love yourself! That's all I'm saying. Number Three (3): Ugly
girl, pretty girl. The best friend is beautiful with a swan neck, golden locks,
and curves in all the right places. But the main character is a short, ugly cave
troll and she's bitter about it. It's fine if an ugly girl and pretty girl
become friends. I'm just tired of the envy it produces, at least in fiction. If
you resent your friend’s appearance - something they can't entirely control -
maybe you shouldn't be friends. I will say I do love this trope when it's
properly subverted. An ugly chick and a hot chick are best friends and there's
zero resentment in that regard whatsoever,
but I'm not gonna read a book about a girl moping because she has a unibrow
and her best friend doesn't. Just wax it, dumbass. Number Four (4): Guys and girls can't
be friends...’cause genitals! Look, if you can't be friends with another person
just because your genitals fit together you need to grow up. My pee pee fits into
her pee pee, gross! It's extra annoying when this shit is perpetuated in fiction
because it's not remotely realistic. Do friends sometimes thirst for one another?
Of course. It happens! But sometimes friends...are just friends. Sometimes guys
and girls like each other's personality and nothing more. Sometimes it's because
they're not each other's type. Sometimes it's because the boy likes boys and the
girl likes girls. If you can't write a convincing friendship between different
genders, I am convinced you're nine years old. You can't change my mind. Number Five (5):
The lone gay. In a group of ten (10) or more friends, we've got a single, solitary gay.
You know, for diversity! First of all, one out of ten ain't diversity. Pretty sure
that's just a token. Second, I believe this friendship group for about zero
seconds. Like attracts like, people are friends with those they can relate to.
Unless they live in an area where the pickings are slim, queer people are far
more likely to befriend other queer people, ‘cause straights are kind of boring.
Of course there are exceptions, maybe they've been best friends since
childhood. Maybe they're a found family of misfits. But nine times out of ten,
you're more apt to find a massive group of queer friends with a lone straight,
versus the other way around. Number Six (6): The asshole friend. In so many
books, there is always one friend who is a complete and utter asshole. If they're
female, they're usually a mean girl or a bully. If they're male, they're usually a
raging misogynist. But the kind hearted main character is close friends with
this person, often even best friends. They see the good in them, and my question is,
“Why?” I can understand if you're stuck with this person and clearly very
annoyed by them, but in any other situation,
why are you voluntarily spending your time with them? It works for love
interests, as well. If the main character is presented as this ‘heart of gold’
do-gooder and their best friend or love interest is a flaming
pile of shit, you're activating my side eye. We are a reflection of the people we
choose to surround ourselves with. If your best friend is a piece of shit,
you're probably a piece of shit too. Number Seven (7): The one-sided friendship.
This is very common when we've got a book with a hero and a sidekick. The main
character has a goal they're trying to achieve and the sidekick is hovering
around like, “Yes, master. Whatever you say, master.” I get that the main character's
story IS the story, so we need to focus on them. However, I expect there to be some
indication that the friend has a life of their own. Are they dating anyone? Got any
hobbies? Or do they exist solely to throw out zingers and suck the main character’s
dick? Not only will this prevent me from believing the friendship, it'll also make
me hate the characters involved. The MC is some kind of douchey taskmaster and
the best friend has about as much agency as a paper bag. Number Eight (8): Perfect
harmony. I don't know if it's just me, but I've noticed a trend in fiction where
best friends just get along perfectly. They never fight, they never argue, they
just agree on all things, ‘cause the author said so. I think this is the author's
attempt of showing how well they get along, but I'm gonna call bullshit. Cliff
is my best friend and sometimes we disagree. Doesn't mean we're in a fight -
it's often playful and funny, but we are still separate people with our own
opinions. And even if it is an argument, so what? Friends fight. They get on each
other's nerves. I'd like to see more instances where friends bother one
another, because that's how relationships work. It's not all perfect harmony and
unwavering support. People are flawed and rub one another the wrong way. I wanna
see THAT in the next book I read. Number Nine (9): The fight. This is the
opposite of the last point. They’re best friends, have been for years, decades! Then
they get into one fight. THE fight. It usually isn't very serious. One of them
is dating a jerk or maybe they're spending too much time at work. You know,
dumb shit. But they can't recover. The friendship is over.
Over ONE fight. Seriously? Friends fight. It happens. And if you've been friends
for decades, it's probably happened a lot. How did this one fight over something
so trivial destroy the foundation of your friendship? I could understand if
you’re acquaintances, but best friends? Unless your friend fucked your wife, or
fucked your mom, or fucked anyone of importance, really, this should be
something you can bounce back from. Dial it back a bit, the drama’s TOO damn high.
And lastly, Number Ten (10): Friends to enemies, back to friends again. You used to be
best friends, but then she fucked your boyfriend, killed your dad, and set your
house on fire. But now you're friends again, because redemption arcs are on
trend. I know I said friends should be able to bounce back from a fight, but
there is a HUGE difference between THAT and tolerating repeated abuse, and then
allowing the person to come back into your life. Have you no pride, or at least
standards? Look, I'm willing to overlook a lot of flaws, like not respecting the
Oxford comma, or listening to Taylor Swift. But if you become my full-blown
enemy, like ‘trying to ruin my life’ status, that bridge is burnt. I don't care if
it's fiction, write some characters with some goddamn common sense! So that's all I
got for you today! A huge thank you to Book Brush for sponsoring today's video!
I am a HUGE fan of their platform! They are so easy to use and I use them for
nearly all of my book marketing images. And right now, you can get 20% off any
paid plan on Book Brush using code JENNA20. This will give you 20% off each year
you're on one of their paid plans, so if you need any marketing images - which,
let's face it, most authors do - definitely check it out! JENNA20. The link is below!
Get on it! Don't forget to subscribe to my channel! I post new videos on
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Ring it! The Savior’s Sister is available for pre-order right now, and I'm hosting
a massive presale giveaway! I'm handing out over thirty-five (35) prizes! All of the
information is listed below, pre-order a copy and enter the giveaway! And be sure
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you can Tweet me @JennaMoreci. Bye! (Male Voice) Hey, this is Nick, the voice of Tobias and the
narrator for The Savior's Champion, written by our Jenna! If you enjoy her
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