Welcome to a brand new segment called "Trope Breakers!" We will be releasing these mini-magazines twice a month. Tune in to discuss writing, break the most disgusting tropes that plague our various worlds, and to just have fun! 

These will be written by two new authors, to be introduced later. 

Right now let's get into our first trope!

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The 18-year-old badass

Everyone has one. Admit it. Whether they're male or female you all know what I'm talking about--- the "Trained-since-birth," or even worse the "I-just-found-out-I-have-these-powers,"18-year-old badass is something often seen in YA fantasy. And I understand. No one wants to read about awesome uncle Bob with his jolly beer belly, but I think that too often we want our character to be an immediate, over-powered player in our stories. 

What about the delayed learners? The ones that stumble, that are never really the hero? Or the ones that even when they fail, and nothing is fully resolved. Is it just me, or is it ridiculous, that author's hype up their characters, but oh, they have to fail, and even when everything goes wrong--- They still manage to save the world.

Just something to think about. 

Got a trope you want busted? Comment it here.

From Peredorita: What's the best way to tackle a story rewrite?

I... Have no idea. I can at least tell you what not to do. 

Do not, ever, ever, ever start your rewrite before the story is done. Fight that need to edit, and revise until you have your first draft done. Otherwise, you will be stuck with 35 chapters of an unfinished manuscript that has been virtually torn in half. 

Have another question you want answered? Leave it here!

Here we shall list the five books we think deserve a shout out! You can find out more by clicking on the author's name and checking out there profile!

White Fire by CharlayMarie1

The Face Thief  by hiraethia

I forgot three... Hmmm, we'll get them next week. Have anyone you want to nominate? Do so here!

Writing Exercise #1: 

Write a fight scene in 500 words or less and post it here in the comments for feedback! Remember these elements of a fight scene: 

Make it fast. 

Keep flowy descriptions to a minimum. 

Describe fear, pain, and action. 

If no blows are exchanged (ie. a gunfight) you can describe the area more. 

Example fight scene from Turn by Mahana258. (Have a scene you think would make a great example of a writing exercise, private message it to us!)

I was in the middle of the pack when it happened. The spark of ensuing chaos that brought low one of our own blasted out from nowhere, tearing through the man closest to me. He went from standing tall to crumbling to the floor. Everyone's lights turned to train on him, blood seeping through his jacket from the center of his chest. No one moved, not within at least two seconds. We had time to blink, time to be confused, time to stare at the man on the floor. Then everything shattered.

"Break!" Stevels yelled at the top of his lungs.

One shot fired, then another, followed by more from our unseen assailants. I couldn't even tell who was shooting. Was it us or them? In all fairness, I didn't even try to answer that question. Our group spread out, quickly, every man and woman out for themselves. Everyone seemed to have the good sense to go low and find cover. For me, months of training came rushing back in the form of an infantile crawl as I scampered towards safety behind a stone pillar on the far side of the courtyard.

With my back pressed against the cold, hard concrete, I reached down to my belt, taking out my pistol. Closing my eyes, I tried to breathe, to drown out the yells and the gunfire. I tried to think.

Make yourself small, assess, then plan a way out.

Shots fired quickly, in an automatic rhythm, too quick to be simple handgun fire. I looked at the gun in my hand, tremors running through my fingers. Breathing heavily, I dropped my hand and edged close to the corner of my column.

With wide eyes, I peered around the corner----

An angry cloud of dust tore up from the ground in front of me as a round of bullets trekked closer and closer towards me. Closing my eyes, I pushed myself back around the corner, back to safety. My body curled in on itself. Like a ball, I waited, gun held close to my chest, breath stifled in my throat. In seconds, the shots on my position ceased. I opened my eyes. I had nowhere to run, and though my cover had saved me just now, it was only a matter of time before they found a new angle. I needed to move, but where to?

Plan. Try again.

Pulling my legs up beneath me, I rose up, the cold stone of the column seeping through my jacket as I pressed myself against it like a long lost lover. Dirt and grime clung to my face, sweat was cascading down my cheeks. With a deep lungful of air, I wiped my face before raising my pistol once more. Darting forward, I glanced around the corner, taking in anything and everything my gaze fell upon.

On the ground, nothing moved, so my gaze lifted to the upper buildings, the ones that loomed high above us. Shadows and darkness, but then----

A flash of light, followed by a gunshot came from an upper window on the far side of the street. Then another flash from the window next door then another and another. There were too many to count in such a little amount of time. With a gasp, I pulled back as they took a shot at me again.

These will be our new chat areas! Feel free to comment via inline, and get to know other authors. 

Leave comments via inline for easy viewing!

Chat topics:

How to Get Away With Literary Murder. 

To kiss in the first book or not to kiss?

Writing partners anyone?

Rant Section. What's bugging you about your story today?