Unusual Trends in Your Writing

[WeilderOfTheMonkeyBlade]

Most of my characters are in positions of power-no one is just a common "grunt" or peasant. E.g In my main manuscript, I have a Jarl (governor), A pirate captain, A mercenary company captain, A very well born dude who starts of as a Tetrarch (captain) and ends up, due to other people dying and him surviving, becoming a Harbinger (general), an assassin who belongs to a cult and uses magical equipment to enhance himself, and a religious type who is a part-ruler of a big empire.

In another one, the mc is a high class merc who is the heir to a big peninsular, then ends up being the lord of his birthright (how original! there be twists though!)

 

[Guru Coyote]

The one big thing I recently noticed in my WiP was this: I ahve a cameo-appearance in it that not many would recognize. There is a young woman with a long red curls who is generally very likable, but who has serious issues at making decisions. At least that is how other people in the story see it. The more I worked on this side-character, the more I realized I was creating my own reflection into the story. I am a confesing Type Nine according to the Enneagram - more concerned with my own inner peace and tranquility than anything. I can give you the ins and outs of anything, but do not ask me for my final option on any subject.

The fact that Eiji is now a side-character (albeit a rather important one) in my story shows that I do learn... I have given up on trying to put such a character into a MC role... it just won't work

 

[Amanita]

My stories featuring a young protagonist (either male of female) have him or her require the aid of an older male person who's extremely accomplished in whatever is important to the story. Some of those things are morally dubious and he has wronged the protagonist or people close to him/her in some way in the past. The protagonist starts out viewing this person as an enemy he or she hates and fears at the same time but still needs to cooperate with him. The "mentor" starts out thinking the protagonist is weak, foolish or anything along those lines. In the end, there's grudging respect between them but never romance. His love interest is an adult woman already accomplished in whatever's important to the particular plot.
I really have no idea where this comes from and I was slightly disappointed that it hasn't shown up on any lists of mentor-tropes so far. I'd really like to read this too but stories that seem to start out like this always seem to become romantic and this puts me off extremely. So, if someone could recommend some stories along those lines...

 

[A.F.Grappin]

I've got some plot devices I apparently have decided to rely on... and I have to argue with myself not to use them in everything. I am constantly threatening to sell my characters into slavery (although they rarely actually do get sold) or they have issues with paternity. So many of my protagonists learn that their father isn't who it was supposed to be, or some other daddy issues. For some reasons, my mind always goes to those. I think I've finally gotten my mind wrapped around the fact that IT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK!

And LO, my writing is so much better.

 

[LucasHunt]

My protagonists always turn out to be smartasses and my villains always (unintentionally) remind me of an English teacher I had in the sixth grade.