TV Tropes

[bluejatheist]

I would like to recommend TV Tropes to anyone interested in the elements that make up fiction, or just like reading tidbits about fictional and nonfictional works. I use it often and enjoy reading through it to pass time.

What is this about? This wiki is a catalog of the tricks of the trade for writing fiction.
Tropes are devices and conventions that a writer can reasonably rely on as being present in the audience members' minds and expectations. On the whole, tropes are not clichés. The word clichéd means "stereotyped and trite." In other words, dull and uninteresting. We are not looking for dull and uninteresting entries. We are here to recognize tropes and play with them, not to make fun of them.
The wiki is called "TV Tropes" because TV is where we started. Over the course of a few years, our scope has crept out to include other media. Tropes transcend television. They reflect life. Since a lot of art, especially the popular arts, do their best to reflect life, tropes are likely to show up everywhere.
We are not a stuffy encyclopedic wiki. We're a buttload more informal. We encourage breezy language and original thought. There Is No Such Thing As Notability, and no citations are needed. If your entry cannot gather any evidence by the Wiki Magic, it will just wither and die. Until then, though, it will be available through the Main Tropes Index.
We are also not a wiki for bashing things. Once again, we're about celebrating fiction, not showing off how snide and sarcastic we can be.
Enough about what we are not. Go on, have a look at the welcome page, and have fun!

Here's an example: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/NineteenEightyFour?from=Main.NineteenEightyFour

You will find a list of Trope Examples. Each trope is hyper linked to a page that explains its meaning. At the top of the page you can find the following buttons:

Discussion: Similar to a talk page on a wiki.

YMMV: Your Mileage May Vary - Subjective tropes that are not always agreed upon.

Main: Return to main page of the work.

WMG: Wild Mass Guess - Contains hypotheses by users regarding unknown elements of the story. Not always serious.

Headscratchers: Where users post examples of what they consider plot holes or inconsistencies within a work, and where other users can provide corrections or hypothetical answers.

Quotes: Quotes from the work.

Trivia: Trivia about the work.

Synopsis: Synopsis.

Laconic: The work descried as simply as possible.

Literature: If a work exists in different mediums, this links to the literary version.

Haiku: Rhymes from a work, and rhymes about a work by users.

Fridge: Examples of unstated logical implications within a work.

Smiley face button: Examples of humorous moments in a work. (Subjective)

Heart button: Examples of heartwarming moments within a work. (Subjective)

Star button: Examples of awesome/impressive moments within a work. (Subjective)

Skull button: "Nightmare Fuel." It's name says it all. (Subjective)

Tear Drop button: Sad or depressing moments in a work. (Subjective)

You may see different combinations of these on different works. If they're grayed out, there are no entries under them. I'd explain more but it's easier just to browse the site and learn as you explore.

 

[australopithecus]

Every time I go on TV Tropes my day vanishes, and I end up 5 hours later wondering what the hell just happened.

 

[DepricatedZero]

Here we gooooooo!

 

[Nemesiah]

I do believe crack to be less addictive than TV Tropes. Specially if I land on BSG or STTNG my day will become a blur of hysterical laughter.

 

[DepricatedZero]

And I've only just broken free of its grasp

/gasp