{"id":7085,"date":"2024-07-16T16:41:55","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T15:41:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.novlr.org\/?p=7085"},"modified":"2024-07-24T16:47:58","modified_gmt":"2024-07-24T15:47:58","slug":"how-do-i-write-the-found-family-trope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/how-do-i-write-the-found-family-trope\/","title":{"rendered":"How do I write the found family trope?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cI’m working on a monster apocalypse story, but I’m struggling to make it unique. My focus is on the main character finding happiness and peace with his teammates, even though I plan to kill them off.

I want to explore how he will overcome his past abuse and traumas while not just portraying the team as a family. I want to depict them fighting together, growing stronger, and forming closer bonds because they have all lost their families at the start of the apocalypse.\u201d<\/em><\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Found Family trope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Found family is a classic trope in stories. But that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s overdone and can\u2019t be used to get deep into your characters\u2019 interiority. In fact, this trope can pack a deeper punch than most think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, it\u2019s easy to have a group in the story with you, the writer, telling how the characters work together\u2013like how one is easily the \u201cmom of the group,\u201d for example. But if you want something much deeper between your characters, and want the trope to work on multiple levels of storytelling, you must show<\/em> those group connections forming and existing. Get deep with the what, why, and how your found family became a tight-knit group and work well together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To do this, there are a few questions to ask while creating your characters. These questions flow from basic character knowledge, to in-depth details as an exercise you can do at any time, and with any story or pair\/group of characters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is each character\u2019s personality\/identity, and what role in the group are they assigned to because of it?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From friends, to couples, to even crime-fighting superheroes, each group is made up of personalities that fit into a role the group dynamic needs. And in most cases, it\u2019s natural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, let\u2019s say we have two characters dating each other as a couple. One character is more savvy with their finances while the other is not. This can lead to the money-savvy character filling a role for the couple as the money manager (or one with money advice, if the other character wants to learn how to better manage money instead).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also have a kind-hearted and loving character act as a parental figure in the group. That is, if other characters tend to get into trouble often, are opposite of kind-hearted, or are without their real parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, It\u2019s important to know exactly who your characters are<\/a> , how they act, how they respond in a crisis, and so on. Only then can you put together what each character can provide to the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s just as important to make each character in your group unique. Two jokers in a group is fine, but if they act exactly the same way, and think the same things, you may actually have two characters needing to merge into one, for the sake of redundancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s use my book\u2019s found family of superheroes for further example. I have:<\/p>\n\n\n\n