A.G: Oooh I’m definitely going with Storyteller on this one. As an author, I looove stories, so obviously I’m going to love the character that tells stories. Also, the people who know me, know I’m a veryyyy talkative person, so the Observer just doesn’t really fit my vibe. The Storyteller can also be a really funny character, telling scary stories when the other characters are stuck in a situation. I love it when the Storyteller just kind looks around and goes “You know I heard these caves are haunted, and no one has ever left alive. What a shame, since we are stuck in here.” Those moments are always the best.

Damsel in Distress V.S. Femme Fatale

T.C.: Hmm, Femme Fatale I think? Damsels in Distress don’t have much depth as characters. Femme Fatale characters on the other hand have a mask on the outside and a secret evil persona on the inside. They have a certain aura around them that usually makes them compelling characters.

A.G.: Yeah I’m going to have to go with what TC said. Damsel in Distress can get really annoying- most of the characters are really whiny and spoiled royal brats (Lol I sound like one of those reluctant knights who regrets saving the damsel)

God/Goddess V.S. Super Soldier

T.C.: Although I love Captain America I’m going to go with god/goddess. God/goddesses usually start as arrogant, selfish characters but, can have a change of heart and realize their responsibilities as a deity. Although they are all-powerful, they find it surprising they have a responsibility to care for the things they created.

A.G.: Ooh most definitely God/Goddess. I looove mythology because all the deities are so unique and have really backstories. Also, as TC said, it’s fun to see the deities realize that they actually care for what they created and strive to be more involved in the world.

Noble Savage V.S. Reluctant Monster

T.C.: Ahh I choose the Reluctant Monster. I’m writing a character with this trope currently and while some of the dialogue is just heartbreaking, there is something so satisfying in the character’s ability to stand true to their beliefs despite everything around them telling them to use their skills differently. These characters often have a lot of power or strength and it’s interesting to see how their way of using it evolves as they show their true selves rather than the monster someone else created.

A.G.: Hahah there’s a reason why everyone calls TC and I twins- we think way too much alike. I’m also writing about a Reluctant Monster character at the moment. The scenes are heartbreaking (For the readers at least. As the author I’m just typing away, laughing and having the time of my life ;p ) I feel like you can do a lot more with the Reluctant Monster trope than you can with the Noble Savage. Like the only example of Noble Savage I can think about is Tarzan.

Anti-Hero V.S. Chosen One

A.G.: Hmmm this is a hard one. While having a Chosen One is always a fun thing, it can also be very cringy. It’s always an ‘I wish I was special *something happens* Omg I meant to save the kingdom?! Wait it's dangerous I don't want to do it *Is forced to do it one way or another*’ I think I’m going to go with the Anti-Hero. Their characters can have very intricate backstories that almost make you pity them and want to side with them, even if they are evil. Also, what would a story be without a wonderful, greedy Anti-Hero who goes about ruining everyone’s life?

T.C.: The Chosen One trope is used often, but I have read some genius spins on the trope lately. I agree with AG that the characters definitely can be cringy though. I will also choose the Anti-Hero because of their intense backstories and where those leave them years later. As these characters progress through the stories you can see elements of a softer heart starting to blossom and as the reader, it is so satisfying to see. The reason it is so satisfying isn’t because all of a sudden the character is just magically healed from their trauma. It's a very long journey and maybe the character still retains some of their corrupt nature but you like the character anyway.

Conscience V.S. Herald

A.G.: Okay so to be honest I don’t really care for either of these tropes. The Conscience usually guilts the character into doing an action with the thought of ‘Stop thinking about if you will live and try to save these 3 kids’. And that just kinda bugs me. I don’t want a hero who gets guilted into being a ‘good person- I want someone who actually believes their motives are for a good cause. As for the Herald, they can be fun at times (Like Gandalf), as long as they are actually involved with the quest. But if they say “Hey go save the kingdom, you’ll probably die but hey whatever” and then just leave, I get annoyed. It just seems like that character is all too willing to send other people into danger, then stand back and wait for the good times to come. If I had to choose, I’d say I prefer the Herald, as you can actually have some good ones.

T.C.: I’m also going to go with Herald. Having one character who is just supposedly so very morally sound makes the other characters sound overly cruel when in reality they aren’t.

Pessimist V.S. Straight Man

A.G.: Ahh yes, the funny characters. I personally love both of these. The Pessimist can be hilariously depressing, and the Straight Man can be so quiet and blank-faced that you can’t help but laugh. I think I’m going to go with Straight Man, because not only is he funny in his ‘I’m not trying to be funny’ way, but when he is paired with a funny character, the interactions are utterly hilarious. One of my favorite examples of this is Wei Wuxiang and Lan Zhan from The Untamed.

T.C.: Hmmm, I’ll go with Pessimist. I love both of these tropes but the Pessimist can exist well on its own without another character like the Straight Man. Even though this isn’t a book character, Eyore in the more recent Christopher Robin movie perfectly portrays the comedy the Pessimist can have. They complain so often the other characters start to ignore them, which only provides more to complain about so yeah these characters are hilarious.

Lovers V.S. Romantically Challenged

A.G.: Why must these choices be so good?! I’ll never be able to choose. Star Crossed Lovers are honestly some of the funniest couples out there. When you compare how they used to treat each other to how they act now, the comparison is hilarious. They go from ‘I WILL KILL YOUR FAMILY’ to ‘We have our own family now <3’. I also love the Romantically Challenged character because I totally relate to them. I see all my friends going out and dating and being happy while I’m just like… my true love will never meet me. (TC will slap me for being dramatic hahaha) I think I will probably go with the Lovers trope though because I’m a sucker for romance.

T.C.: Sigh, yes I would slap you if I could goodness gracious AG. Anyways, I will choose Romantically Challenged because they aren’t portrayed often and the character always fails to realize how amazing they are even if they don’t have a significant other. Reyna from the Heroes of Olympus is a great example of this. She is an absolute boss of a character, but she still struggles with the fact that she hasn’t found love. (It doesn’t help that her crush likes someone else…) I could also go on about Star-Crossed Lovers; however, I’m going to stick with my choice.

Loyalist V.S. Nemesis

A.G.: I’ll have to go with the Nemesis for this one. You can’t go wrong with a good villain ahaha. Loyalists are nice, but I prefer villains over friends of the hero.

T.C.: I’m gonna go with the Loyalist. It takes a lot of inner strength to always remain a caring friend when you yourself are going through your own troubles. This trait is important for side characters to have so their story does not overshadow the hero’s.

Mentor V.S. Shrew

A.G: Mentor DEFINITELY wins this round. Shrews are sooo annoying and usually don’t add much to the story other than small conflicts and bothering the protagonist.

T.C.: I agree with AG, Shrews can be very annoying. Mentors have a very emotional connection to the hero and they usually end up dying at some point which only strengthens their connection with the hero. They are very essential characters.

Jock V.S. Mother’s Boy

A.G.: Mother’s Boy wins this one. Jocks can be super annoying characters and aren’t much fun for me to write. As for Mother’s Boys, you can make some super cute and sad scenes where the protagonist is willing to do anything to save their mother, only to end up failing.

T.C.: Not too many characters, especially in YA literature, have a good relationship with their parents or even still have living parents. The rare Mother’s Boy is very sweet as long as the relationship is a good friendship and not the equivalent of the son always relying on his mother to fix whatever problems he has.

That's all for this week, so we hope you Readers are staying safe! Also, don't forget to checkout Elven Cursed on Amazon! See you on the author side!