All my protags are 20+.

responsible somewhat functioning adults.

Mine tend to be later teens/early twenties

I think the commonality of the trope has a lot to do with the audience and overall message. A lot of books with 16-year-old protags tend to be targeted towards that age range. Plus it's a better fit if the writer is trying to explore themes of growing up and finding oneself, as the teens are an age where one's body goes through tons of changes and utter chaos.
But I do agree, there are some points where it becomes a little too strained and unrealistic.
It could be worse though, most protags in Pokemon games are 10-12 years old, and every time they inevitably defeat some horrible new evil that threatens to do something insane like destroy all the universes.

@Winter that’s a good point and I see where those authors are coming from, but it’s still irritating to see characters without the necessary skill set (which tends to be the younger protags) saving the world like it’s nothing, especially when it could easily be made more believable. For example, I have some 16-17 year old main characters that are tasked with completing an incredibly difficult quest, but I also have a solid cast of older, more experienced characters on their team so they can realistically not die a quick and horrible death.

i hate when YA books have really dramatic school settings, with really drastic personalities when there isn't anything that aggressive irl.

Well schools are pretty boring so I suppose one would have to try to spice it up.

i hate when YA books have really dramatic school settings, with really drastic personalities when there isn't anything that aggressive irl.

you clearly haven't been to a canadian middle school. drama is all those fuckers know

Lol

I mean, yeah school has some bad apples but most of the time it's not as bad as the media says. There's drama and stuff, but friends tend to stick together and the 'bad' kids do too.

I tried to write a slice of life type school thing at some point, but based on real life experience, school is very boring to write about.

I have one series that is a 'school based' setting, but it it more of like a magic college. Like Hogwarts but 200% more scary and intense.
Technically the characters are there only for the first book, so I don't really know if that counts.

I get really annoyed by cynicism done wrong. Don't get me wrong—I will love a cynical setting and a cynical story to death. But I'm kind of sick of characters being sad and pessimistic for no reason other than making them fit the "dark and brooding" archetype. I don't like a cynical setting used to excuse characters' behavior. And don't get me started with those "deep" protagonists trying to be cynics but just end up being whiney and melodramatic.

GRIMDARK

Goes to look that up.

GRIMDARK

I'm going to fucking scream at the next person that says that.

But it must be said that way. Just like

BRIAN BLESSED

(How does one make something big without the #?)

(How does one make something big without the #?)

(There are multiple methods)

THIS TEXT IS LARGE

THIS TEXT IS LARGER

THIS TEXT IS EVEN LARGER

And now it’s still large but not as bad

Now it’s getting smaller again

And smaller

(Just quote this to see all the methods used. Also, sorry it’s so long… Big text takes up space)

Thanks

B R I A N B L E S S E D

I get really annoyed by cynicism done wrong. Don't get me wrong—I will love a cynical setting and a cynical story to death. But I'm kind of sick of characters being sad and pessimistic for no reason other than making them fit the "dark and brooding" archetype. I don't like a cynical setting used to excuse characters' behavior. And don't get me started with those "deep" protagonists trying to be cynics but just end up being whiney and melodramatic.

Yeah, one of my characters is cynical but in a 'well, life's short anyways so what can you do?' way.

I thought you would understand!

Yeah, one of my characters is cynical but in a 'well, life's short anyways so what can you do?' way.

See, that is a character motivation. I love that. A character like that can genuinely drive a story. I get annoyed by characters who are like "I'm dark and hot and miserable and I'm going to spend an entire book sulking over it."

Yeah, one of my characters is cynical but in a 'well, life's short anyways so what can you do?' way.

See, that is a character motivation. I love that. A character like that can genuinely drive a story. I get annoyed by characters who are like "I'm dark and hot and miserable and I'm going to spend an entire book sulking over it."

So you like the Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities kind of cynical

I have a character that is very cynical/broody/edgy/dramatic and my other characters make fun of him nonstop for it.
Also, I would just once like to see a character with a tragic backstory that ISN’T all broody and sulky because of it and instead uses humor or something else as a coping mechanism.

As someone who is cynical for no reason, o feel very called out by this conversation lmao

Also, I would just once like to see a character with a tragic backstory that ISN’T all broody and sulky because of it and instead uses humor or something else as a coping mechanism.

Did you mean: Leo Valdez