Tropes

The IWSG and 15 Sparkly Fun Fail Safe Ways to Get People to Buy Your Book, Guaranteed*

2026-03-04
SE White
Recommendations, Silliness, Top 10 Lists, Writing Process

*By “Guaranteed” I mean “I have no idea, take these suggestions at your own risk, this list is just for fun, please don’t sue me when it isn’t fail safe and doesn’t work”* The Insecure Writer’s Support Group meets monthly, online, so you can air out and dismiss your anxieties in the comfort of the group setting where we are always on your side. If you’d like to join, go here. Our generous co-hosts this month are PJ Colando, Ronel Janse…

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The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Wants a Review

2023-12-06
SE White
Blogging

The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer solutions to the ever-present problem which is marketing, and by ‘solutions’ I absolutely mean ‘there will be blood sacrifice made to the literary gods’. To sign up for the group and exchange tips and tricks for the appropriate sacrifices (timeline is important) go on over to the IWSG sign up page…

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Book Tropes: You Should See The Way They Look at You

2023-06-21
SE White
Blogging, Recommendations, Romance Tropes, Top 10 Lists

Otherwise known as: the fresh scent of pine. Ahhh, this is such a fun niche trope. It generally happens in a ‘hero falls first’ situation, and let’s all admit together that we love us a pining hero. But there is the delicious potential for this uncertainty when any character falls first and is now vulnerable, unsure their love is requited. The best part about all of this troubled water our main character has to paddle through? There’s a happy ending…

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Book Tropes: We Stan Step Parents!

2021-08-25
SE White
Blogging, Recommendations, Reviews, Romance Tropes, Top 10 Lists

Today’s niche trope is all about choosing to love. To me, the decision to step up as a parent figure is the definition of heroic, because it hits close to my own personal experience. I have been a single mom and I have been lucky enough to find a second chance with the most amazing husband and stepfather in the entire world. He’s the best. No arguing. Also, he’s mine. But you can have these books which feature a love…

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Book Tropes: Award For Most Adorkable

2021-04-14
SE White
Blogging, Book Reviews, Recommendations, Reviews, Romance Tropes, Top 10 Lists

Quick internet search tells me that a nerd is defined as; “a person seen as overly intellectual, obsessive, introverted, interested in obscure or not-popular things, and lacking social skills.” Basically? I am ALL OF THOSE THINGS. It’s like the internet knows my life!* *Dear NSA Agent skimming my blog: please do spend some quality time with my trope rec posts. I promise you will need reading material because my life is very boring and these books are more fun. Also…

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Book Tropes: I Can’t Argue With You When You’re Sick!

2021-02-17
SE White
Blogging, Book Reviews, Recommendations, Reviews, Romance Tropes, Top 10 Lists

For this post it’s that trope, nearly always employed in an enemies-to-lovers type situation, where one of the duo gets sick/injured or is suddenly in imminent danger. Ruh-roh, Scooby! Because they are acting like antagonists life conspires to basically FORCE their defenses down in a way the character would probably never do on their own. Isn’t it the best? When they’re happily spatting, all defensive maneuvers deployed, sarcasm shots launching A+ hard, and then it’s all “Wait, you’re sick? Really…

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Book Tropes: A Mail-Order Happily Ever After

2021-01-13
SE White
Blogging, Recommendations, Reviews, Romance Tropes, Top 10 Lists

Another trope rec post! This time the specific mood I’m in is that carefully arranged, sometimes mail-ordered happily ever after. I’ve always loved mail-order bride books (despite knowing arranged marriage is much more complicated in real life). This isn’t reality, this is fiction, and in fiction picking a partner like you’re ordering an entrée from a menu ends perfectly every time. For this list I’m focusing on the mail-order trope but including some of the more standard arranged-marriage books because…

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The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Wants to Know: When Do You Drop The DNF Hammer?

2021-01-06
SE White
Blogging, Critique, Insecure Writer's Support Group Post, Silliness

The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. You can find the group on social media with #IWSG. Every month a group of wonderful co-hosts steers us all towards meaningful discussion. We owe our January thanks to Ronel Janse van Vuuren (Hi Ronel!) J Lenni Dorner, Gwen Gardner Sandra Cox, and Louise – Fundy Blue! January 6 question – Being…

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Insecure Writer’s Support Group October

2019-10-02
SE White
Blogging, Insecure Writer's Support Group Post, Silliness, Top 10 Lists

It’s the first Wednesday and you know what that means! Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Awww, yeah. Come bask in the support, my friends, and know you’ve entered a judgement free zone. Possibly the only one left on the flame filled inter-web. As always you can sign up to be part of the group here. The awesome co-hosts for the October 2 posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Mary Aalgaard, Madeline Mora-Summonte, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor! The optional question this month…

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