I don't know how I stumbled onto TvTropes, but I've been a fan of the site for some time now. If you're wondering what a trope is, the site defines it as a convention or device that a writer can rely on being present in the mind and expectation of a reader or viewer. The site's homepage is quick to point out that a trope is different from a cliche.
If that doesn't really give you a clear idea, you need only type in a show in the search engine and the show's page will provide you with a list of tropes that the show has utilized as well as citing the instance when it occurred.
Like Wikipedia, the site is user generated. That means that you can go on and add your own entries if you so choose. The difference between this site and the infamous wiki is the fact that TVtropes is much more laid back. Most of the posters, known as "tropers" on the site, are quite nerdy and part of the fun is seeing the tropers bounce off one another. They make jokes and random references that make for great entertainment.
Despite their name suggesting otherwise, the site covers a whole lot more than television. They discuss all forms of media such as comics, movies, manga, television, animation, and even internet media like webcomics or web entertainment such as the Nostalgia Critic or Spoony.
You should be warned though, this site is quite addictive. It's actually eclipsed Wikipedia for me when it comes to aimless web surfing. Like the other site, each article contains links to other pages so you can roam around for hours without even noticing.
I'm wary to suggest this site for writers. I mean, on the one hand it can actually be helpful in showcasing some of the more familiar story telling ideas and plot elements. On the other hand, writers need focus and a site like TvTropes tends to give you a reason to procrastinate. The fact that time feels like it goes faster while your on this site doesn't help.
You can really spend a whole day roaming the page and not even feel it. It's one of the greatest strengths of the site as well as one of its greatest weaknesses.
As long as you can pull yourself away to do things like go to work and go to bed at a reasonable hour, than the site really is quite fun.
While it may lend itself to the more nerdy, I think that even the non geek crowd can appreciate the humor of the site as well as pick up some interesting information along the way. If you're the type to watch television with your laptop on, this site is perfect for you. You can read and scroll through the pages without really detracting from the TV watching experience. It's a great site and if you haven't discovered it yet, I highly recommend it.
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