Handsome fairies, evil advisors, rebellious princesses who are bad at embroidery...and 45 other fantasy cliches. I tier rank them on a scale from cold lumpy porridge to hot buttery pie.
Bow & Arrow Woman
If women fight, it’ll only be with a bow and arrow or with two daggers (one in each hand). Never a sword, axe, club, spear, or anything like that. (Dislike - well, I like them, but only when they're not presented as the only or 'correct' type of woman)
The Dragons Are Back
The dragons (and potentially also magic itself) used to exist. Then they went away for centuries. Now...they’re back. Maybe they were just out getting milk or something. (Love)
“By the Gods!”
It’s absolutely forbidden to say “oh my god” or “birthday” or “3 o’clock” in fantasy novels. If you don’t write “oh my gods” or “name day” or “the third hour” you’ll explode. (Neutral)
Hot Fairies
Sorry I mean *faeries. If you spell it f-a-i, they're usually written as little Tinkerbell creatures. If they're spelled f-a-e, they're usually massive and ripped. (Neutral - It's fine, but I wish fairies could be weirder)
To hear me discuss and rank 44 fantasy cliches, check out Writing Club by School of Plot, my writing podcast. It's available on:
