Chatterbox: Inkwell

Writing Weaknesses!

Before I begin, take note that when I say "weaknesses", I don't mean problems with your writing. I mean the cliches, the tropes, the scenarios and archetypes of characters that you're strangely partial to writing about. The kind of thing that may be silly and overdone but you just really really have to write it okay.

I have a lot of these. Here are some.

- Misunderstood villains. The power-hungry bad guy, jaded and cold, with an analytical brain like a machine that disregards away human emotions with a flick of a gloved hand. This guy also being a sad boy lost in his own head, trying to find fulfillment and happiness in the only way he knows how. So basically the Darkling. Or Kaz Brekker. AHHhhhHh. *swoons* 

- Arguing. Oh man, this is a BIG one for me. Am I sadistic? Maybe. Do I love writing about my two main protagonists with fire in their eyes, spitting venom at each other, emotions keyed up to the max? Yes. Especially ones where it's all how selfish you are, don't you ever think about how your actions affect others, don't you ever stop to think that you're not the center of everything? So. Satisfying. Just thinking about it is making me all fluttery.

- Characters getting called out for selfishness/doing bad things. Yes. Gah, yes. 

- Open-ended death. Like, a character gets dragged away by the villain and the protagonist knows that they're most likely dead but holds onto the hope that they might not be. When other writers do this, and inevitably have the character actually not be dead,  I just sit there, like, "Pfft. Cowards," because you know what I like to do? Have them actually be dead. Lead the protagonist on this hopeless, grief-ridden wild goose chase, blocking out attempts to heal with their delusional denial. It's fantastic.

- Enemies to lovers relationships. It's inexplicably fun.

- Introspection/character analysis. I was writing a "novel" a while ago (which I abandoned after 20k) and had my friend read it. After about twenty minutes, they looked up. "There is literally no plot. Is this just a sixty-page character study?" And I said, "What? No!" Ya know, like a liar.

- Poetic descriptions. Every time my protagonist steps onto the streets of their city or enters a room or meets a new character, my brain goes, "aw yiss a cool thing! Time to write paragraphs detailing everything about this thing using confusing metaphors involving pumpkins until your readers want to die!"

- Crying. Oh my gosh I love making characters cry. They fall to their knees, legs unable to support the newfound weight that has come onto their shoulders. Wracking sobs burst from reluctant lungs, shattered, bloody pieces spill across their lips, leaving them vulnerable and open, the grass below them wet and dewy, stained by the fruits of heartbreak. ... Yup, I'm definitely a sadist. That was disturbingly enjoyable for me. 

So, what are your "writing weaknesses"? What are those things that, when your friends read your writing, they put it down and sigh and go, "Oh my god, not again"? Or maybe this is just me and you all think I'm insane. Who knows?