Cliches That Make You Run

I think we all know about the very popular cliche of "I'm like fifteen and scene and BVB just adopted me WTF?!"
It's frightening, isn't it? If you even think about writing one of those nightmares, go have a long sit in the corner. It's been done to death and it needs to stop. But back to the point the title makes. This is my list of cliches to avoid like a diseased animal.
1.) One member drinks/cuts/anorexic/bulimic/suicidal/depressed
I understand that this is a realistic issue, and it attracts many readers, but it's been overused. Seriously. If your entire story relies on this one character having issues loving themselves, shame on you. Take it down immediately. Your story needs more to it than your character cutting in the bathroom every chapter.
2.) Zombie Apocalypse
I've seen a few of these now. The band having to work together to survive a zombie hoarde. But I can tell when you little bitches are stealing things from other stories. When you read a really good fanfic, don't turn around and WRITE ONE EXACTLY LIKE IT. You're a little thief and every view you get should come with a little notification saying "You stole this."
3.)Girl/boy almost dies/gets raped but luckily the band found them
I give up on you shitheads. NO NO NO NO! This will NEVER FUCKING HAPPEN! Stop it! I haven't seen one good story like this. Not a single one. It's a horrible start yet everyone seems to use it.
4.) Killing off the protagonist with cancer/suicide/getting hit by a car
*sprays with squirt gun* BAD WRITER! No! These are usually very bittersweet endings and they work well but NO! You parasites have used this easy way out too many times. Come up with something else.
5.)Product Placement
I get that you want the readers to know your character has a Ferrari, but don't over do it. Don't say your character ate Cheerios, then checked their IPhone and went to meet up with their friends at Starbucks but stopped at Walmart first. What the hell are you doing? You aren't being paid for mentioning these things. Instead, say your character ate cereal, checked their phone, and met up with their friends at the coffee shop but stopped at the market first. Now you aren't advertising things!
6.) Character gets hit by car, dies, then comes back to life
*sigh* Why? Why do you do this? It's sooo easy to write. Which is a problem, because now every little scene girl that once was told she was a good writer after plagiarizing a poem from the internet writes a fanfic with this *plot twist* in it. The band members are not four. They know how to look both ways before angrily stomping into the street.
7.) Interrupting Author
This isn't really a cliche, but it's still something you should avoid. Don't be telling us about Andy and Ashley having sex then put a fucking author's note in the middle of it. If you have to say something, put it in the Notes section, not in the middle of a sex scene.
8.) Stolen Jokes
Don't steal shit from Tumblr then put it in your story. It's lazy.
9.) Unrealistic Athleticism
CC isn't magically going to be able to jump onto the tour bus roof, and Andy isn't going to be able to run four miles without stopping. I don't know where people are getting these unrealistic abilities from, but cut it out. Literally, highlight that part of your story and fucking delete it.
10.) Abusive Parents
This is sad. This happens in real life, and it's sad. But there are too many stories with the parents as the antagonists and it just doesn't work well. I've seen very, very few stories where this has worked. If you plan on writing one of these types of stories, do a LOT of pre-writing and have someone read it over first before uploading.
11.) Teacher X Student
No.
12.) Andy cheats on Juliet with other band member and it's happily ever after
I don't care if you hate Juliet, so do I. But avoid the cheating thing unless you plan to do it right. DON'T MAKE JULIET COME BACK AS A PSYCHO BITCH WHO KIDNAPS ONE OF THEM EITHER! It's a been overused and you need to stop.
13.) Band member/antagonist escapes insane asylum/prison
If you do it, do it right. I am well aware one of my stories has this in it, but that's because I'm doing an entirely different take on it.
14.) Childhood best friends reunite as adults and fall in love
It can either be the cutest little story ever, or the absolute shittiest fanfic on any of Mibba's sites. I would avoid this because it can be very difficult to do correctly.
15.) Parents are against the same-sex relationship
I hate the whole bvb in highschool thing, but what I really hate is when they introduce their male lover to their parents. Too many have this big horrible reaction, then kick their son out. It's stupid. But even when their parents are very enthusiastic about the relationship, it still comes across as annoying. If anything, you want to make the parents indifferent to it.
16.) Ashley's parents
For those of you who didn't already know this, Ashley was raised by his grandparents. So all of the stories with Ashley living with his parents need to go. It doesn't make any sense to write fanfics with his parents if he wasn't raised by his parents.
So, that's my list. Feel free to comment, especially if you know why Ashley wasn't raised by his parents, because I'm quite curious about that.
Hopefully now there won't be as many shitty stories to have to wade through to find the good ones! ;)

Can we add Vampire plot lines to this list? Some are very well written, but others...not so much. Way over done and there are many other supernatural creatures out there to write about besides vampires.

17.) Twilight Rip-Off Stories
Okay. This shit sucked in Twilight, and now some people have decided that they want to further destroy it. Don't try to soften up werewolves and vampires.
18.) One member falls in love with insecure/suicidal girl
It's been done and done again, and it's just boring. Stop.

I agree with some of your points but I somewhat disagree also. I mean, yes I do agree that pretty much every thing you listed has been used and over used but I think that specific aspects don't appear to be so over used if you can write it really well.

For instance, the abusive parent(s) aspect of a story can actually be an interesting, if not, vital part of a story if it's written correctly. I wrote a story (about a year ago) based on the music video for Rebel Love Song which had an abusive father in it. That was probably one of the biggest hits out of all my stories, and I have a lot. I'm not trying to brag and say I'm an amazing writer or anything like that, but I know that I can write well, which is why I was able to pull that off. And as for the self harm thing, yes that has been way too overused. But I think if you don't put so much emphasis on it, it can work for you. Mentioning it every chapter gets annoying, yes. But if you have that one chapter where you not only say the character is cutting, but you can delve deep into their psychological mind and really portray the darkness and those feelings, it can make for an interesting story.

I think the thing that people are mostly interested in reading is dark things and/or things they can relate to. Sure, a lot of things have been used but using some of those things can be a step to coming up with something even better.

I read a story once where the character died from cancer at the very end and it was one of the most touching stories I had ever read. I actually cried. I think writing is all about emotion. If there's not enough emotion in the writing, that's what makes it cliche.

One thing that I 100% agree with you on though is the "I'm 15 and scene BVB adopted me wow". Those stories have to go. The fan girls who write those are really only dreaming of being "adopted" by the band, but every one else in the world knows it won't ever happen. They're all in their 20's. Keep dreaming, girls.

To piggy back off of that, I can't stand it when the main character is so scene that it looks like BOTDF had a child. (sorry if you're a fan, I absolutely hate them). The guys are all in their 20s. Fuck, Ashley is like 28 now. None of them are going to fall in love with a 14 year old scene girl. And if the main character is based off yourself (or someone you want to be), it's obvious even if I don't know you.

This is going to sound completely weird but I believe really great writers have universes inside their minds where the characters live. I saw this post on tumblr about how a universe is in the same shape as a neuron in the brain which made me think that writers are really attune to these parallel universes in their minds where all these characters reside. These characters are not just made up versions of yourself. They're real people.

I'm an adult now, so I'm over the whole scene phase and shit like that. I understand the realities of life and so I think that's what makes my writing unique. I'm out there in the real world every day and I see the shit that goes on unlike younger writers who don't understand how unrealistic their writing is or how the real world actually works.

Okay sorry for my long ass response. I noticed you said you were looking for good fics to read. After reading this, I would love to check out your stories. You definitely know what you're talking about. Because I'm almost 19, I've stopped reading fics because they're so generic nowadays (and also because I have no time ever to do anything) but I have a feeling you are a really good writer if you can notice and understand these things. If you're looking for fics to read, I would love it if you checked out mine. Pre-warning I do use some of these things in my stories because I either wrote it a very long time ago (I've been writing for almost 2 years now) or it's because I know how to use it in a way that will evoke emotion rather than some generic story.

@thatscalledyes
I completely agree with you on the parallel universe idea. All of my stories have a sprinkling of realism but essentially they occur in a time of their own. My Burn Series (A Love By Mistake to Together Burning Bright) has a main character that I treat as if she were a real person. Sometimes when I write for her I actually go back and change things because I know they aren't things that she would say. I would like to think that this makes me a fairly good writer but there's always room for improvement.

@Broken Wing
Agreed. I used to think I was a good writer but looking back at those stories now, I cringe. I wrote them when I was like 16 I think and I actually went back and re-wrote one of my stories The Mortician's Daughter because I loved the concept but the writing was shitty and I knew I had improved since the time I had written it. But yeah, I have a series going right now (Wretched and Divine - Ohio Is for Lovers) and the character Lena in the story is someone that I feel like could be one of my best friends. She's not me or someone I want to be, but she's someone that I can see myself being friends with. She's real.

Yeah, I should have noted that in this post. None of these cliches are bad if done correctly. But this is more of a guideline to help people write a story with a plot line that's completely original. And for that cancer cliche? I've seen it done well, but only once. I was bawling my eyes out. But I've seen too many stories where the character has cancer and die a week after finding out. Or they have no health issues whatsoever then suddenly there's cancer.
All of my stories have at least one character slightly based on me. It's easier for me to write about something I actually know about. What I really hate is when people write about something they know absolutely NOTHING about. It's incredibly obvious when people do this.
I'm only fourteen, so I try avoid subjects like court cases or encounters with the police. In fact, I might be deleting some stories I put up because they suck major ass and make it sound like I don't know a thing about the real world. If anything, I avoid sex scenes like you would a guy who scratches his balls and twitches his eye every three seconds. I don't know a thing about sex, and neither does any of these little girls writing them. It's like child pornography, except the children are the ones writing it.
I've actually used two of the cliches on this list; cutting and escaping from an insane asylum. But I'm giving myself a pass because I'm still in the exposition and I haven't even gotten to introduce the antagonist yet.
I don't think I have one heterosexual couple in any of my stories. It's a weird thing I have. For some reason I can't write about straight characters, probably because I'm not straight myself and my current boyfriend is the only male I've ever been attracted to (although to be honest he is rather feminine.)
I actually like BOTDF, but that's because I respect them for still making music for what little fans they have even though so many people hate them. I do think that they've matured a bit, but they have a long way to go yet.
As for the universe thing, that's cool.
*Sorry if this sounds childish or stupid, but it's midnight here and I'm tired

19.) Incest stories
These are gross. I don't even know why these exist, and it's really gross. Whoever writes these should go talk to a therapist. Don't make Andy and Ashley brothers then MAKE THEM FALL IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER! GO LOOK AT YOUR SIBLING. IT'D BE LIKE SOMEONE WRITING A STORY ABOUT YOU TWO FUCKING. STOP. IT. NOW. I've seen you sickos write stories about Bill and Tom Kaulitz, TWIN BROTHERS, having sex. EWWWW.

@Lacrymosa
How about my parents kicked me out and I'm on the side of the road and bvb's bus magically appears? And in the first chapter it's happily get after on the bvb tour bus. -.-
some of these stories it's just funny to read because of how cliche they are. So many people copy too!
Also I'm making one of my female characters realize her sexuality throughout the story so I've never been in a relationship and I was wondering if you could help me a bit :)

@Lacrymosa
I just read the second post and I wanted to say that I agree more with your second thoughts rather than your first thoughts. Many of your points in the first post are apparent in the second but it's good that you mentioned that not all these cliches are bad things. I also wanted to say that you're absolutely right about writing about things you know about. Almost all my stories involve dancing because it's something that I am heavily involved in and it's easy for me to express those feelings and emotions and actions because I dance in real life.

I believe you can write about something you don't know about if you do research on it beforehand like, for example, a pregnancy. I'm almost 19 years old and I obviously know little about pregnancy or the feelings and emotions of being pregnant. But, if I did some research on it and really came to understand how a woman's body works during pregnancy, it will be easier to make it more realistic.

I am completely against 12, 13, 14 year old girls writing sex scenes or pregnancy stories. Obviously because I'm so much older, I think of those ages as extremely young even though you might not think of yourself as that young right now. I know I thought at 14 years old I knew everything and I was super mature. Looking back now, I realize that wasn't the case and I knew absolutely nothing about the real world. Writing at a young age can be tough because there are so many experiences that you haven't been through yet that will enrich your writing. So my suggestion is to go off what ever experiences you have already gone through and use those to write your stories.

Sorry I'm like giving my writing advice on your post but I just feel like I have so much to offer and I don't want to be like intruding or anything. (honestly I think I might be the oldest if not one of the oldest people on this site and idk I like being a role model or someone that can provide guidance to young writers)

I agree with a lot of the stuff on here. I think my main concern, though it's not necessarily a cliché, is the underdevelopment of characters and plot. Even when using a generic plot, it can be made good and interesting if the right kind of detail and thought goes in to the characters and the twists you want to add. My biggest peeve is when it's so obvious that the main character has been based off of the writer, who, let's be honest, is using in their early teens, and they fall in love with one of the boys in no time. It's all 'I went here...I looked into his eyes...I couldn't stopped thinking about him...He was beautiful...I'm in love...Oh shit here's a totally overused problem...Our love got us through it.' It's just boring.

I'm not saying that you can't base things off of yourself, like you guys said, it's easier then to write characters when you have something in common with them. It's like using method acting, using your own memories etc to play the role of the character. Sometimes I pick situations and think 'how would I respond to this?' and exaggerate/develop that idea to be in keeping with the character I'm writing.

I agree. When I was 13/14 and trying to write, I felt I was more mature, and I had nice skills. When I look back on it now I cringe. But I also feel that it doesn't necessarily matter how old you are, as long as you can recognise the clichés and use good detail in your story, you can be fine.

When I read I want to be able to feel like you've put effort into these characters, not just searched scene girls on google images and based the main girl and her best friend on the appearance of someone you've seen. It becomes obvious that this is the case when you have more than one story that features a very similar main character every time.

That's why I find it so hard to find fanfiction, specifically on this site, that I want to read because it's all very generic. Same characters, similar situations. And commonly, bad writing. It's all about these fangirls wanting to get their feelings into writing about how they come across bvb and suddenly they're in love, they don't pay attention to what they're actually writing; don't take the time to read over it and make it the best it can be.

I understand there's the issue that, because of the scene and genre bvb are in, it's hard to find original situations for your main character and them to meet, without being generic. Eg, I wouldn't be able to write easily about a girl in a library and suddenly bvb's tour bus rolls passed, or ashley comes in to the library and they pick up the same book, bla bla. I would have to have something in there about that character to have their paths cross. It's hard to find an original, realistic meeting between them. But it's just about taking the time to develop the plot and work out any kinks rather writing chapters and making it up as you go.

I'm sorry if there's no real structure to my thoughts here. (My thoughts are stars I can't fathom into constellations (I just finished reading TFIOS))

ALSO also, a cliché that annoys me if not done well, is the whole double dating situation.

Two boys came up to me and my best friend. He started hitting on my friend while the other stood by me and bla bla the rest is history and now suddenly you're dating Andy while you're best friend is dating Ashley. It's got to be done well otherwise it's just a case of 'oh hey won't this be fun to make them start dating at the same time'

I have to agree with alot of this, there used to be tonnes of awesome stories on here, now theres just a few, another thing i cant stand is where the chapter is tiny, like one paragraph tiny, and not just for one update if you're short on time, me and Isischaos are writing together, if you're gunna do something similar, at least use google docs or something, so you can both edit each other at the same time, we started out not using this, and you can really tell when we started, not at the moment because we havent got to that point yet with the updating. There are so many cliche things, if you're unsure of your work, let someone else read it, with my earlier stories i sent them to another friend of mine, who said what he thought needed changing, I know i'm not the best writer, ive only been writing for about a year, but i read alot, so i think i know what good writing looks like, I know none of these will be Shakespeare or anything that will stand the test of time, but stories that will stick in your head, like Lenas story from you, thatscalledyes, and Dess/Andy/Lilly story from you Broken Wing, you want readers asking for more, and genuinely enjoying the story. I've tried to avoid cliches as much as possible, i know in a couple of stories i have used them, and not well i know lol, but the comments on stories, wheres the constructive criticism, isn't that how we learn? ok im gunna stop ranting now lol

@chipmunkcalling

Aww *blushes*...you mentioned my stories.

I will admit that most of my main female characters are based off of me-somewhat. Both Lily and Dess are light blonde, which is the color of my hair naturally. But I'm not a comic artist, now am I an Angel, so there's still some fiction mixed in there. I actually like basing characters off of people in my real life and then mashing them together to make one awesome character (Kit is a mix of several people in my life). I think treating your characters like real people also helps. Sitting at my computer when I write for Dess, I think to myself 'would Dess react that way? What's going on in her mind right now?' and it helps a lot. I don't really mind the self harm topic because honestly there are a few ways to spin it, but what I hate more than anything is the 'oh I love your band, I love you, you think I'm cute, we're dating, now we're in love and yeah did I mention that this only CHAPTER FIVE?!' Some times stretching things out-making stories long winded tends to keep people guessing and more people respond to it.

@Broken Wing
exactly! lol, i think me and isis got to about chapter 20 before anything happened (not between me and isis), even then its a drunken mistake lol, but yeah, the main characters in that story are actually us, and we're trying to figure out how we'd react in certain situations (are irrelevant now!) sorry, had that song stuck in my head all day lol, but the longer weve been writing the more we know eachother, and how random we are lol. but yeah, we've even added stupid stuff weve done over the phone, on one of our random facebook calls lol, (did you know you can call people through facebook messenger??) to each other in there lol, the more real the better! and of course I mentioned your stories, I love them lol

@chipmunkcalling

I'm co-authoring a story right now and it's been a bit of an uphill battle. I know we'll get there-it's just a matter of when.

Another cliche that isn't used a lot and isn't readily thought of is names. Raven, Magic, Lyric, and a few other 'dark' names are all over some of these stories and it's kind of frustrating. There are a lot of really awesome names out there and site like babynames.com are really helpful because they have names from all over. I guess maybe it's just a personal preference because I love using odd or older names (Odessa, Moira, Persephone) or names based off of flowers (Rose, Lily and Violet) so when I see names like Raven or Lyric it just kind of makes roll my eyes because it's become so typical.

@Broken Wing
omg yes! you see one name mentioned once and then its in every story! i must admit i love old names too, my sons name is joseph daniel lol, i cant stand modern names, my exs mum wanted us to give him a modern name, josephs cousins have fairly modern names, imogen and finley, but yeah, names do need to have some originality, even in fiction.

@chipmunkcalling

I actually like those names-not too out there but not too popular either, at least not where I live. I love old Scottish/English names(Odessa and Moira) and I also love Eastern European names (Katrina). Names when I was in school were Brittany, Kelly, Katie, David, Josh and Michael-very common. My name is Brandie, but I was often called either Becky or Brittany because there were already girls with those names in my class. I really love names that have nicknames-mostly because it makes it easier to write out a nickname then a long name. In my new story Land Of F.E.A.R the main character's name is Persephone, but I often call her Perry, which I love just as much.

@Broken Wing
see, i'm the opposite, i don't like names being shortened, strange i know from someone who called their son joseph lol, but i know hell be called joe or joey, or even JD in need of a Turk, by my best mate, but to me he'll always be joseph, or stinky monster, depending on what mood im in lol. But if im introduced to someone using their full given name i'll keep calling them that, i dont feel right shortening names, does that make me weird? lol. I even hate getting called Gem, makes me sound like a rock lol, the only name i shorten is my sister, and thats cuz it annoys her lol, her names tasha, but me and my son call her aunty tat lol

I guess because I don't have a name that can be shortened is why I love nicknames so much. I also like giving people nicknames that make no sense. One of my close friends I call her creampuff mostly because she's so sweet. Aunty Tat is hilarious!


@chipmunkcalling