The First Draft Pro Blog

We freaking love stories

You do too? Well, well, well. That smells like BFF potential.

An image of multple pathways weaving together and converging in a wood. It's meant to signify the way we weave mutliple storylines together.

3 min read

How to write a novel with multiple storylines

Whether you're writing across different timelines, or from the perspective of multiple point-of-view characters, here's how to make a multiple storyline novel work effectively.

The image is of a girl who has Been Through It. I capitalised the first letters of been, through, and it, in order to really convey what sort of a time she's been having. She's done. She's over it. She's the epitome of the final girl trope.

Tropes

3 min read

The ultimate writer's guide to the Final Girl trope

An overview of the Final Girl trope, with examples and guidelines for using it in your novel.

The image shows two buds. They might be undercover cops, or down on their luck car sales men. One looks like he could be a private investigator. He's mysterious. The other is happy go lucky. A very good boy. If you know what I mean.

Tropes

3 min read

The ultimate writer's guide to the Black Cat Golden Retriever trope

An overview of the Black Cat, Golden Retriever trope, with examples and guidelines for using it in your novel.

The image is of a fully grown adult woman, who has an innocence about her. She looks like the kind of person that you say "Oh, honey" to, like in that one episode of How I Met Your Mother. If you know, you know.

Tropes

3 min read

The ultimate writer's guide to the Born Sexy Yesterday trope

An overview of the Born Sexy Yesterday trope, with examples and guidelines for using it in your novel.

The image shows two people, a man and a woman. He's very clearly smitten with her. He's looking at her like she is made of literal magic. She has that messy bun and fringe aesthetic, and has shy girl appeal. His tie is loosened. It's a vibe.

Tropes

3 min read

The ultimate writer's guide to the One Hero Falls First trope

An overview of the Falls First trope, with examples and guidelines for using it in your novel.

This image is of a man in armor lifting the chin of a woman in a gorgeous dress up towards him. She doesn't look at his eyes though, she looks up, like she's trying to avoid the intensity of his gaze. You can imagine that he's saying "Look at me". And she's trying desperately not to give in. I would also be remiss not to tell you about the cheek bones on these two.

Tropes

3 min read

The ultimate writer's guide to the Lifting Chin trope

An overview of the Lifting Chin trope, with examples and guidelines for using it in your novel.

The image is of two characters, a man and a woman. She's been injured and he's tending to her wounds.

Tropes

3 min read

The ultimate writer's guide to the One Hero Takes Care Of The Other trope

An overview of the One Takes Care Of The Other trope, with examples and guidelines for using it in your novel.

The image is of a man with wings and a woman without them. She's holding on to his hand and coaching him as he tries to fly for the first time. He's not doing very well.

Tropes

3 min read

The ultimate writer's guide to the Teach a Skill trope

An overview of the Teach a Skill trope, with examples and guidelines for using it in your novel.

The image is of a man standing in front of a woman, protecting her.

Tropes

4 min read

The ultimate writer's guide to the Touch Her/Him/Them And You Die trope

An overview of the Touch Her/Him/Them And You Die trope, with examples and guidelines for using it in your novel.

The image is of two women, the one is beaten up and the other is standing in front of her, asking who is responsible.

Tropes

3 min read

The ultimate writers guide to the Who Did This To You? trope

An overview of the Who Did This To You trope, with examples and guidelines for using it in your novel.

Two princes stand before you. But they are marrying each other. Sorry for you. If it's any consolation, neither of them are that keen. It's a marriage of convenience. Personally, though, I'm rooting for them to fall for each other anyway.

Tropes

3 min read

The ultimate writer's guide to the Marriage of Convenience trope

An overview of the Marriage of Convenience trope, with examples and guidelines for using it in your novel.

The image is of a man and woman. He has his arm around her. She's grumpy, he's sunshine.

Tropes

3 min read

The ultimate writer's guide to the Grumpy x Sunshine trope

An overview of the Grumpy x Sunshine trope, with examples and guidelines for using it in your novel.