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Do you have trouble remembering the difference between Deathbringer the Adorable and Fluffy the Terrible?

Do you have trouble recognizing when you've written a Zero-Context Example?

Not sure if you really have a Badass Bookworm or just a guy who likes to read?

Well, this is the thread for you. We're here to help you will all the finer points of example writing. If you have any questions, we can answer them. Don't be afraid. We don't bite. We all just want to make the wiki a better place for everyone.


Useful Tips:

  • Make sure that the example makes sense to both people who don't know the work AND don't know the trope.
    • Wrong: The Mentor: Kevin is this to Bob in the first episode.
    • Right: The Mentor: Kevin takes Bob under his wing in the first episode and teaches him the ropes of being a were-chinchilla.
  • Never just put the trope title and leave it at that.
    • Wrong: Badass Adorable
    • Right: Badass Adorable: Xavier, the group's cute little mascot, defeats three raging elephants with both hands tied behind his back using only an uncooked spaghetti noodle.
  • When is normally far less important than How.
    • Wrong: Big Bad: Of the first season.
    • Right: Big Bad: The heroes have to defeat the Mushroom Man lest the entirety of Candy Land's caramel supply be turned into fungus.
  • A character name is not an explanation.


Other Resources:


For best results, please include why you think an example is iffy in your first post.

Also, many oft-misused tropes/topics have their own threads, such as Surprisingly Realistic Outcome (here) and Fan-Preferred Couple (here). Tropers are better able to give feedback on examples you bring up to specific threads. We don't discuss Complete Monster or Magnificent Bastard examples; please don't bring them up.

Edited by SeptimusHeap on Jul 17th 2025 at 8:59:01 PM

badtothebaritone (Life not ruined yet) Relationship Status: Snooping as usual
RandomTroper123 She / Her from I'll let you guess... (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
She / Her
#22827: Oct 12th 2022 at 12:07:57 PM

[up](x4) I agree with cutting the final bullet and I think everything from the second bullet should be deleted. However, I actually think its first line might be able to be combined with the first since it sounds like an example to me. However, I think that part might need to rewritten since the flick is a Black Comedy.

Edited by RandomTroper123 on Oct 12th 2022 at 12:08:31 PM

BigBadShadow25 With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg. from Basement at the Alamo (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: Desperate
With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg.
#22828: Oct 12th 2022 at 12:22:35 PM

So this is interesting, Ryan Reynolds apparently had the first trailer for his new musical Film.Spirited 2022 timed to October 12 - the birthday of his “rival”, Hugh Jackman - so he could give Jackman “the gift of being much worse at singing and dancing” than him. Viral Marketing? Meaningful Release Date?

Edited by BigBadShadow25 on Oct 12th 2022 at 3:22:53 PM

You’re Gonna Carry That Weight.
laserviking42 from End-World Since: Oct, 2015 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
#22829: Oct 12th 2022 at 12:42:55 PM

Probably more Significant Reference Date

I didn't choose the troping life, the troping life chose me
BigBadShadow25 With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg. from Basement at the Alamo (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: Desperate
With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg.
#22830: Oct 12th 2022 at 12:44:53 PM

Cool. Now is that a trivia trope or can it go on the main work page?

You’re Gonna Carry That Weight.
BKelly95 Tame Racing Driver (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Tame Racing Driver
#22831: Oct 12th 2022 at 12:49:08 PM

A couple of months ago, I posted this query about an Exaggerated example submitted to PlayingWith.Brick Joke. A couple of weeks ago, another entry was added (also Exaggerated) which seems to have the same problem:

  • In the pilot for “Alice And Bob: The Series”, Bob makes an offhand mention of his cousin Eliza, who gave him a train ticket to the setting of the show. In the Grand Finale 14 seasons later, Eliza shows up out of nowhere to ask Bob what he thinks of where she sent him.

The problem in question is that this seem more like a Call-Back than an actual Brick Joke. It also seems to fall into the same kind of misuse where a Brick Joke is seen as a Call Back but funny. I don't think a write would plan that far ahead.

Should this entry be deleted as misuse?

RandomTroper123 She / Her from I'll let you guess... (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
She / Her
#22832: Oct 12th 2022 at 1:09:42 PM

[up]I believe it's misuse too, so I feel it's safe to remove it.

Cutegirl920fire Player 222 from the Squid Games (Five Long Years) Relationship Status: Paris holds the key to my heart
Player 222
#22834: Oct 12th 2022 at 2:59:37 PM

[up] Can you write down your example please? We can't guess with that little amount of info

CG for short
Smashman2893 Since: Sep, 2021
#22835: Oct 12th 2022 at 3:10:52 PM

Heart Beat-Down refers to powers involving emotions, specifically love. It can also be in the physical form of a heart. I think Ma-Ti's ring allows him to calm people and communicate with animals. His wiki has info.

https://captainplanet.fandom.com/wiki/Ma-Ti

RandomTroper123 She / Her from I'll let you guess... (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
She / Her
#22836: Oct 12th 2022 at 3:30:51 PM

[up]I think she meant the example that would be describing Heart Beat-Down not the trope itself, if that's what you're getting at. I also agree with her that that would be helpful.

WarJay77 It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000) from My Writing Cave (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love
It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000)
#22837: Oct 12th 2022 at 3:31:41 PM

Right, post an example here and then we can vet it.

Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper Wall
Smashman2893 Since: Sep, 2021
#22838: Oct 12th 2022 at 4:13:56 PM

  • Ma-Ti is the planeteer that possess the ring of Heart, which can calm down people who are anxious, as well as let hime communicate with animals.

laserviking42 from End-World Since: Oct, 2015 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
#22839: Oct 12th 2022 at 4:16:22 PM

I'm not entirely sure it fits, Heart Beat-Down seems to be more about using "love" as a weapon, like getting people to fall in love with you so they will do your bidding kind of thing.

I didn't choose the troping life, the troping life chose me
RandomTroper123 She / Her from I'll let you guess... (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
She / Her
#22840: Oct 12th 2022 at 6:10:05 PM

[up][up]I agree with[up]that it's not an example. I think it might fit something else, though. Therefore you might want to take it Trope Finder and see if you can find something.

FirstAidRules He/Him from House (Experienced Trainee) Relationship Status: Singularity
He/Him
#22841: Oct 12th 2022 at 7:51:33 PM

I was wondering if I could add these two examples:

Pop-Culture Urban Legends: TFWiki.net believes that Film/Bumblebee is a prequel to the Transformers Film Series. While there are a few details that point to the film being a prequel (e.g. no Megatron, Bumblebee losing his voice and learning to speak in his radio clips from the Michael Bay films), the film's looks for the characters and story indicate it being a reboot. The Transformers: Rise of the Beasts film further casts doubt on the whole "prequel" thing.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: Exact Words =/= Trolling Creator: Some news was announced to air on October 12, 2022. Said news turned out to be the Electric-Type Gym Leader Iono hosting a livestream wherein she asked viewers to guess who her partner Pokémon was.

Hi!
WarJay77 It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000) from My Writing Cave (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love
It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000)
#22842: Oct 12th 2022 at 7:55:19 PM

Uh, well, you can't add that second one as-is. You can't add two tropes on one bullet. You have to pick one.

Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper Wall
FirstAidRules He/Him from House (Experienced Trainee) Relationship Status: Singularity
He/Him
#22843: Oct 12th 2022 at 8:11:16 PM

I'd say Exact Words because we were promised news not just what kind of news.

Also, what about the Pop-Culture Urban Legends thing? The TF Wiki is the only website in existence that believes Bumblebee is a prequel to Michael Bay's films despite all evidence to the contrary (different looks for the characters, story, upcoming sequel) and only a few small pieces of evidence for a prequel (No Megatron, Bumblebee loses his voice and learns to speak in radio clips".

Hi!
Synchronicity (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#22844: Oct 12th 2022 at 8:55:39 PM

If it's the only site that posts that it's hardly what I'd call an "urban legend".

Malady (X-Troper)
#22845: Oct 12th 2022 at 9:22:01 PM

Pesky Pigeons: I don't think these pigeons are pesky enough? Even though it's referencing how a common depiction has pigeons being on statues?

  • Copy Kitty: In the first level of the Big City stage, a Sun Virs, basically a Living Statue, is inactive, and has pigeons resting on it.

Disambig Needed: Help with those issues! tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13324299140A37493800&page=24#comment-576
laserviking42 from End-World Since: Oct, 2015 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
#22846: Oct 12th 2022 at 9:26:13 PM

I fail to see how sitting on a statue is pesky at all, provided they haven't covered it in droppings (but the example would have to state that).

I didn't choose the troping life, the troping life chose me
FirstAidRules He/Him from House (Experienced Trainee) Relationship Status: Singularity
He/Him
#22847: Oct 12th 2022 at 9:53:00 PM

Yeah, it's not really "pesky" if the pigeons are just sitting there.

Hi!
FirstAidRules He/Him from House (Experienced Trainee) Relationship Status: Singularity
He/Him
#22848: Oct 12th 2022 at 10:03:20 PM

From King Boo (Sunshine) section: Dub-Induced Plot Hole: He's given the same name as King Boo in the overseas version when he's a separate character.

Does it really count as a Dub-Induced Plot Hole? I mean, 1. He's got the general look of King Boo from previous games and 2. There's a million cases where the localizers of the Super Mario Bros. games give enemies different names (e.g. Cheep Chomps being called "Bubba" in Super Mario 64 and "Boss Bass" in Yoshi's Island DS and didn't officially call them Cheep Chomps until New Super Mario Bros.) due to not having the Japanese only guidebooks that reveal the names.

Hi!
RandomTroper123 She / Her from I'll let you guess... (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
She / Her
#22849: Oct 12th 2022 at 10:14:06 PM

[up](x6) I'm unsure about the Exact Words one, though I agree with Synch that the Pop-Culture Urban Legends one is not an example.


[up](x4) That's shoehorning imo as I don't see how that's "pesky".
[up]I think Dub Name Change might be more fitting.

Edited by RandomTroper123 on Oct 12th 2022 at 10:14:21 AM

SoyValdo7 I mainly fix indentation issues from La tierra de lagos y volcanes Since: Sep, 2022 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
I mainly fix indentation issues
#22850: Oct 12th 2022 at 10:24:37 PM

From the YMMV of Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side (here):

  • Values Dissonance: In one of her messages, Shiho Arisawa feels insecure about being too tall for a girl. However, she is only 169cms tall, which depending on where the players live, could be considered as rather average at best or short at worst.

This sounds more of a problem of insecurities them values.

Should I move it?

And where?

Valdo

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