After exploring the afterlife academy of Immortal Consequences with I.V. Marie, we’re back with the author to talk about the tropes at the heart of the series. From rivals to lovers and found family to magical academies and dangerous trials, Marie shares how she gives familiar YA fantasy conventions a Gothic twist while keeping them rooted in character and story.
Guest post written by I.V. Marie, author of Immortal Consequences & Ruinous Ends.
When I first began writing Immortal Consequences & Ruinous Ends, I knew I wanted to incorporate some of the classic YA tropes I loved reading about––magical academies, rivals to lovers, dangerous trials, found family, a coast of morally complex, yet strangely endearing characters, romance brimming with yearning, longing and pining––to name a few. But I also knew I wanted to find a way to take these well-loved tropes and craft a unique, slightly more Gothic spin to them, allowing for something that felt nostalgic, while remaining fresh and exciting for readers.
I think the key to making sure tropes remain feeling fresh & unique is to look beyond the tropes and into the heart of the story. Each trope should serve a purpose and push the story forward, tying in directly with your characters desires & motivations, or perhaps even the setting itself. For instance, I knew I wanted their to be a rivals to lovers dynamic between the characters, and though that was achieved through an internal emotional conflict, I also used the academic setting and competition element of the story to create a physical, tangible conflict, as well. Additionally, I knew I wanted the characters to form alliances with each other throughout the competition, which led to the found family dynamic. These are characters who perhaps, under normal circumstances, wouldn’t have gravitated toward one another, but the added element of a competition forces alliances to be formed and connections to be forged.
Ultimately, when incorporating tropes into a book, try not to write around a trope, but find moments those tropes can seamlessly fit into the story and help propel the narrative forward. Of course there’s always the scene or two you simply want to add for the joy of it (like a classic ball scene or one-bed trope), but even those can help serve a purpose. A ball scene can be a great time for character dynamics to shine, and a one-bed scene can help build tension between characters and push a slowburn forward.
It’s my hope that readers find comfort in the tropes written in the pages of Immortal Consequences and Ruinous Ends, despite the unique spin some of them might have.
