The BEST Tropes to Include in Fanfiction

 10 of the Best Fanfiction Tropes (and Ideas for Your Next Scene)

Fanfiction is a treasure trove of storytelling, fueled by passionate writers who take beloved characters and reimagine their worlds. At the heart of many great fics are tropes—those familiar, time-tested narrative devices that make us click “Next Chapter” at 2 AM. Here are ten of the best fanfiction tropes and scene ideas for you to incorporate in your next fic.

1. Enemies to Lovers

There’s just something addictive about slow-burning tension between two characters who can’t stand each other— until they realize they can’t stand being apart.

Scene Ideas:

• Knife-to-the-throat combat moments where one character gets pinned to the wall
• Sneaking into the enemy’s domain and “accidentally” getting caught
• The enemy kidnaps the main-character
• Main character kidnaps the enemy and interrogates them for info (only for them to end up mercilessly flirting)

2. Found Family

Not all families are born—some are chosen. This trope is especially popular in fandoms where characters are emotionally or physically isolated, bringing together misfits, loners, or even enemies into an unbreakable bond. Watching characters learn to trust, protect, and love each other like a real family is both heartwarming and deeply satisfying.

3. Time Travel/Fix-It

A beloved character dies? The ending of the story was painfully unfair? Enter the fix-it fic, where time travel (or some other cosmic reset button) lets characters redo events and make things right. Whether it’s a protagonist preventing disaster or a villain getting a second chance, this trope explores fate, redemption, and the power of different choices.

4. Fake Dating/Marriage of Convenience

The premise is simple: two characters have to pretend to be in a relationship for some external reason—maybe to fool their friends, save face in front of the media, or complete a mission. The tension? One or both of them start catching real feelings. The slow build of confusion, jealousy, and inevitable confessions makes this trope an all-time favorite.

5. Hurt/Comfort

One character is wounded—physically or emotionally—and another steps in to take care of them. This trope allows for deep vulnerability, trust-building, and those soft, intimate moments where characters reveal their true selves. Bonus points if the caretaker is usually emotionally reserved and suddenly shows unexpected tenderness.

6. Soulmates (With a Twist)

The idea of soulmates is romantic on its own, but fanfic takes it a step further with creative twists: characters who can hear each other’s thoughts, soulmarks that only appear after first contact, or destinies that shouldn’t be linked but are anyway. The drama of fighting fate—or embracing it—keeps this trope endlessly compelling.

7. Canon Divergence AU

What if a single moment in canon had gone differently? Canon divergence AUs take an established storyline and shift one event—maybe a character survives instead of dies, an alliance forms instead of falls apart, or someone makes a different choice. This trope lets writers explore what could have been while keeping the core of the original story intact.

8. There Was Only One Bed

It’s simple, it’s effective, and it never gets old. Two characters—often with unresolved tension—are forced to share a bed due to an unfortunate (or very fortunate) set of circumstances. Cue awkward moments, accidental touching, and way too much tension for something so simple. A true classic.

9. Mutual Pining/Idiots in Love

Two characters are obviously, painfully in love with each other—but neither of them realizes it. Maybe they both think it’s unrequited. Maybe their friends are sick of watching them pine. Either way, the slow buildup of longing and the eventual “OH” moment is why we keep coming back to this trope.

10. Redemption Arc

Sometimes, we want to see a villain get a second chance. A redemption arc in fanfiction can explore what canon didn’t—whether it’s a villain reconsidering their choices, an antihero seeking forgiveness, or a morally gray character finally making the right call. The emotional weight of this trope makes it one of the most compelling.

What’s your favorite fanfiction trope? Let’s talk about it in the comments!