So, I went through a romance reader phase for a couple years before Bookstagram became a "thing." But after a while I got burnt out. The predictability got to me. I knew I’d always get a happily ever after (or HEA, as the pros call it), but I needed more—more twists, more variety, more anything to break up the monotony. I started craving unpredictability. So, what did I do? I jumped back to my old love sci-fi and fantasy, hoping to find what I was missing.

But guess what? Predictability followed me there too. I started to scream (yes, literally scream) on TikTok begging for a story that didn’t follow the same tired patterns. "Please, I need an author to surprise me!" And then, boom, I found diverse BookTok. I started reading more diverse authors, and there it was—a divergence from the pattern. For someone like me, who thrives on variety, this was a glorious discovery. (For those of you who started there, yes, you were the ones in my comment section like "they're right in front of you dummy, ever use google?" and yes, I learned. Thanks fam ;) )

But let’s circle back for a minute. Like most readers, since I was a child I've been toying with writing my own books. I get all excited, start plotting, and then—BAM—imposter syndrome kicks in. Suddenly, I’m knee-deep in editing instead of completing anything. As a neurodivergent person (you know, gifted kid, gifted adult, oh surprise! turns out it's autism!, but that’s a whole other can of worms), my pattern recognition is spot on. So, when I plot an idea for a book, I follow this pattern that’s everywhere—a pattern I’ve seen repeated in thousands of books. I’ve never been trained as a writer, but the formula is so easy, so accessible, that it’s hard not to follow it when plotting for fun.

Now, before you go thinking I’m conflating good books with best sellers, let’s get something straight: this “formula” isn’t necessarily a mark of a good book. It’s a mark of a book that will sell. Publishers know this. They know what readers want, and they know what’ll make money. Does that mean these books are well written? Absolutely not. It just means there’s a predictable formula that works, even if it’s a little... well, formulaic.

I've had this marinating in my brain in my brain for so long, and I’m finally ready to spill the tea. Here’s the pattern I’ve identified, based on reading thousands of books in the sci-fi/fantasy/YA genres. And honestly? It’s a pattern you’ve probably noticed too.

The Pattern of a Best-Seller in Sci-Fi/Fantasy/YA

1. The Oppressed Protagonist
The protagonist’s life starts in a truly unjust, gut-wrenchingly oppressive situation. We’re talking about the kind of world where things suck—and they suck hard. There’s no escaping the unfairness, and the protagonist’s only desire is to survive. But it should make you FEEL.

2. The Inciting Event
Enter the big twist: an event happens that is so out of the ordinary it shakes the protagonist’s world to its core. This moment catapults them from their oppression into a world of the oppressors—the 1% or whatever metaphorical elite class controls everything. They see how the “other half” lives, but they’ve left someone important behind. It could be a sibling, lover, or best friend, but that person becomes their anchor to their home, and to their oppression.

3. The Drive to Help
The protagonist’s sole focus becomes helping the person(s) they’ve left behind. And how do they do that? They must figure out a way to subvert the oppressor. This is where the real fun begins. Usually, they have to work their way into the oppressor’s world—through a game, a school, or some kind of challenge.

4. Enter the Ally
Along the way, the protagonist meets another oppressed person OR an oppressor who becomes their ally, perhaps not in their oppression but at least in the game. This ally might just be a love interest. Either way, angst is key. Keep us on our toes, folks. Three is the magic number here—protagonist, anchor, and ally. Maybe more, but don’t overcomplicate it. We can get into the anti-intellectualism discussion another day, but suffice to say that best sellers aren't complex, because the average reading level of a person in the United States is typically around the 8th to 9th grade level. So you're catering to more readers by writing at or below that level. (I'll remind you again because I know I just pissed you off - I'm talking about numbers, about best sellers, not about QUALITY.)

5. Building a Movement
As the protagonist works to subvert the oppressor, they end up becoming the face of a larger movement. This is always always always on accident. Why? Good leaders never wanted to lead, the don't want the power. If they wanted power they would become a villain. The protagonist must accidentally gain followers. Maybe even spark a revolution. But here’s the catch: this movement becomes a double-edged sword. They often start to learn that who they thought were their rivals in the "game" or "test" are also victims of the oppressor. They learn who the real enemy is. Think Cato in The Hunger Games or Nizha in The Poppy War.

6. Divide the Fandom
Here’s where things get juicy: create a divide in your fandom. You know, like “Team Edward” vs. “Team Jacob” or the houses in Harry Potter. This kind of division sparks discourse among your readers and keeps them engaged between books.

7. The Battle for Freedom
Throughout the books, the protagonist must battle the oppressor. Book one, they do it alone. Book two, they’ve got a few allies. By book three, they’ve got an army of revolutionaries they never planned on creating. And, of course, each book must end on a cliffhanger. The protagonist wins a battle, but guess what? A bigger, scarier problem or villain looms on the horizon. You’ve gotta keep the suspense going!

8. The Ultimate Loss
I hate to say it, as a reader I absolutely hate even giving this idea voice, but the protagonist has to lose something BIG in the final battle. A loved one, their innocence, their powers (ugh, yes, patriarchal trope, I know). Even better if the thing they wanted to protect in the beginning is the thing they lose. Think Katniss losing Primrose or Aurora losing her powers. It’s a necessary sacrifice to make the stakes feel real. This is the part where you pull at the reader's heartstrings. You've just emotionally destroyed your reader, and now they're going to remember your name. Because we are nothing if not masochists in the reader community.

Some Key Examples That Follow This Pattern

• The Hunger Games

• ACOTAR

• Red Rising

• The Cruel Prince

• An Ember in the Ashes

• Twilight (kinda)

• The Bone Witch

• The Poppy War

• The Selection

• Aurora Rising

• Divergent

• The Fourth Wing

If you’ve read any of the above - congratulations, you’ve seen the pattern in action. These books may differ in tone and setting, but the structure is strikingly similar. And now maybe you have a little insight as to WHY some of these books that seem so bad sell so well. And why a lot of our reader community absolutely cannot shut up about them (even when we wish they would.)

The Romance Pattern: Short and Sweet

Let’s switch gears and talk about the romance genre for a second. If you’re wondering if there’s a similar formula there, the answer is yes. And actually this was where my pattern recognition first kicked in. The romance formula is simpler, but still effective:

I. Protagonist A is unhappy with something in their life.

II. Protagonist B may also be unhappy in their life, that's up to you. But they come along and remove Protagonist A from their situation. Protagonist B often believes they are "saving" Protagonist A, though Protagonist A frequently disagrees with this assessment.

III. Protagonist A & B must act together to resolve a situation. Unwillingly.

IV. Third Act Breakup. Protagonist A & B are now physically separated. This is often done through a miscommunication, but I'm personally begging you to find another trope. I hate that one!

V. Angst. The more the better.

VI. Protagonist A is put in an adverse situation and Protagonist B must save them. They make up, Happily Ever After.

(Bonus: Often a writer will add two secondary characters who seem to have a spark in order to rope the reader into the next book.)

I'd list examples of this pattern but I'd actually challenge you to find me a romance novel that doesn't follow this pattern! I'd love to know your thoughts! What patterns do you see? Do you follow this pattern consciously, or possibly unconsciously?

Final Thoughts

So, what do you think? Are you seeing the patterns? Do you follow them consciously, or is it all just instinct at this point? Either way, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do these structures work for you as a reader or writer, or are you tired of seeing the same old thing? Hit me up in the comments, or, better yet, share your own favorite pattern or trope!

And as a final note: I recently had a mini-rant about this on TikTok and stumbled upon Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces. In case you’re interested in deep diving into this theory, it might be worth a read—just don’t expect me to do it anytime soon. Nonfiction just isn’t my jam.

Let me know your thoughts, and remember—write what you love. But maybe keep the pattern in mind... just in case. 😉