DISCUSSION: Bullies in Episode Stories

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I know this is a topic that was covered in the forums already and probably still is, but I found a lot of potential for more discussion in many posts about writing bullying or bullies in general. So yep, I had to create this thread!

A part of the reason I made this thread as well is because I’m having a hard time writing or portraying bullies in my story. :sweat_smile:

Questions for Discussion

a.) How do you feel about stories with bullies?

b.) Do you think bullies are portrayed well/correctly in Episode stories?

c.) Do you think this trope is clichè and overused?

d.) If you said yes to c, how can writers who use this trope make it not or less clichè? Or should writers not use this trope at all?

e.) How can authors better write and portray bullies? Or should they not write bullies at all?

f.) What are the most common type of bullies you encounter in Episode stories?

It’ll be much appreciated if you answer the questions, but if you have anything to say about this topic, don’t hesitate to post!

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I feel fine with them, only if it’s portrayed correctly.

No, not really. I feel like they portray bullies back then vs bullies now. Bullies now will post mean things under your insta comments/ talk shit/ threaten to fight you if you miss with them.

No, it’s not cliche at all. What’s cliche about using something that happens in everyday life? Speaking of which, the word “cliche” is thrown around way too often.

They could read articles and watch news reports on what type of bullying happened, and try to shift that into their story. I just feel like if you don’t have the slightest info on bullies you should find out something.

Bullies that steal your man and talk about you the second you enter the room or they just pop up out of nowhere, come up to you and start talking stuff.

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With bullies or about bullies? Because I feel like most stories have some kind of a bully in one form or another anyway, so I guess I feel neutral about that. I accept that they exist and are sometimes there to drive the plot. Though, I prefer to find out their motivation. Especially if they’re only mean to the MC. If they’re mean to everyone then I get that’s a personality thing

I feel like the stereotype high school bullies aren’t most of the time. They just always seem very two dimensional. But I think stories that include a work-placed bully or a frenemy bully are often included in a way that I think feels more authentic.

I’m not too sure on the trope here, but if you mean something like the mean girl always picking on the new girl or shy girl, then yes I think it is. But like I said before, some stories need a bully to push their plot along.

Give your bullies something to actually be pressed about other than someone’s mere existence. Stole their parking spot, beat them for school president, took their favourite seat in class, got the last can of pepsi from the vending machine. I think simple things can build up to give a bully a validation in their head to bully the mc. No one just hates you out of nowhere, you know.

I wouldn’t say not at all, but I guess I would encourage people to develop them more. Treat them as if they were another main character or a love interest and figure out their personality beyond “hates mc”

I guess the mean girl. Or even, the mean posse. Idk if the ex-partner can’t count as a bully but they’re always out to get MC. Then there’s the frenemy. That’s a common one. If the MC has two or three side friends, one of them is guaranteed to secretly despise MC and will set her up to sabotage them

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With a strong and smart-mouthed MC? Mostly boring.

This question is a bit too in general. Some stories have bullies that are nothing but annoying cameos, forgetting that they’re also people with different characteristics and backstories. Some actually give them character development and turned out very well-written.

Referring to my answer to the 1st question, yes. I don’t even get the “badass MC” impression anymore. It’s become too dull.

I’d love to see creative twists on this trope; make the bully as a possible LI, and one I’ve never seen anyone do before: make the MC as one.

Bullies are a common problem in society, and I wouldn’t advise anyone against having them in their story. But if you do decide to have them, give them a reason on why they (for example) specifically hates on MC, what made them behave that way, their home life, etc. Build their personality like you would build your own MC’s.

Two or three girls with minimum amount of fabric on their bodies, hating on MC and her best friend for no apparent reason. Also the most exhausting one.

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I feel fine with a few but not all

Not in all stories I’ve read
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Not at all coz it shows what happens in everyday life

Read more about bullies, ask around them.

Those who will talk about you and bring you down for no reason.

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a.) How do you feel about stories with bullies?
I think, when written well, a bully can add motivation to the MC to accomplish a goal, stand up for themselves, or give an antagonist for the MC to overcome. But, in EpiLand, the bully is a mean girl named “Candi” who calls the MC mean names or doles out stupid insults that add nothing to the story- at all.

b.) Do you think bullies are portrayed well/correctly in Episode stories?
Not really. I think most people just throw in a mean girl so people will pity the MC for being “picked on” or show how “not popular” their “nerdy” MC is. Yes, there are people who bully just because they can. Most, usually have a reason and it’s not always directed at the person they’re bullying.

c.) Do you think this trope is clichè and overused?
I think if the bully adds to the story and isn’t there for sympathy points, then no. If the bully is there just to say some rude things then never be seen again, yes.

d.) If you said yes to c, how can writers who use this trope make it not or less clichè? Or should writers not use this trope at all?
I think if you are adding a bully, they should add something to the story. Give them a real purpose for their being there and having dialogue beyond “i want readers to pity my MC”.

e.) How can authors better write and portray bullies? Or should they not write bullies at all?
I think writers should do research into the psychology of bullies. They usually have a reason for being bullies.

f.) What are the most common type of bullies you encounter in Episode stories?
Mean Girl: ew, look at the nerd. Stay away from my man! insert her posse of other meaningless characters agreeing

There are many reasons why a bully is a bully. People aren’t just mean to be mean. And for the love, most bullies are NOT the popular girl. Yes, some popular girls bully… .but really if they were horrible all the time, no one would like them- thus, they would not be popular, everyone would hate them. Also, bullies usually have some kind of reason or internal struggle that causes them to lash out and cause another person to feel bad- they just want to spread their hurt around.

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How do you feel about stories with bullies?
Bullies are annoying on principle, and I feel like most authors don’t write them that well, so meh. I won’t drop a story for it, though. I don’t usually read stories that are just about high school anyway.
Do you think bullies are portrayed well/correctly in Episode stories?
In some ways, but in other ways not. When discussing stories, people say “Bullies don’t just pick on people for no reason!!!” Sure they do. Or at least they did in 2005-2012. But the kind of bullies that pick on you for no reason only do it because they’re mean and bored, they don’t stalk you when there’s something more interesting for them to do.
Do you think this trope is cliche and overused?
Cliche, a little, you can always count on seeing it in a high school story about an underdog. Overused, not really, as it does happen to several of us.
If you said yes to c, how can writers who use this trope make it not or less cliche? Or should writers not use this trope at all?
Idk, honestly, I don’t really read/write high school stories.
How can authors better write and portray bullies? Or should they not write bullies at all?
Establish a motivation for the bully. If the story isn’t about the bully, their three dimensions don’t have to be shown; I never really knew more about my school bullies other than the fact that they were bored in class or on the bus and wanted to be funny for their friends. But these ‘bored bullies’ didn’t really seek me out when I wasn’t within reach, bullying me wasn’t that interesting, just more interesting than staring out the window. A bully that comes to school every day and searches for the MC will need some kind of motivation, some misguided desire for revenge, etc.
Even though I haven’t read/watched Harry Potter, just from what I’ve seen from the memes, Professor Umbridge was likely one of the better bullies that an author has ever written.
What are the most common type of bullies you encounter in Episode stories?
Almost always the cliche mean girl. I can’t really attest to how accurate that is in reality, I was mostly bullied by boys except a brief stint in fourth grade. I can see it if the trope started as someone with a desire for control trying to crush a MC who was “stepping out of line,” but it became diluted again and again through a game of telephone as more and more people started using it without the motivation in mind.

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It depends on the story.

Not really, though some genres fare better than others.

It can be.

Generally? Just make your bullies three-dimensional, not a stale cutout. There are so many things you can do with mean or angry characters who have a bone to pick with your protagonist, but people always come back to “bully who hates MC for little to no reason.” They don’t need to be redeemable or have a bad past that helped mold them into the person they are today; I just want to see some depth.

Answered above. :+1:t2:

Popular girl/popular boy bully is the most common one. The ex-friend bully. Bullies who become love interests. (:mask:) White female bully, tan skin with bigger lips - who the white MC hates for “looking so plastic” even though in reality she practically has the exact same features if the author was being honest with themselves. The black (or “racially ambiguous”) female bully who has it out for the white protagonist… I obviously hate certain bully cliches more than others.

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These would be pretty interesting. I don’t think I’ve seen people really utilize the power of a workplace bully who’s just subtle enough to weasel out of any coworker complaints.

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a.) How do you feel about stories with bullies?
I usually don’t like them. I understand that stories need some drama to be added in, but that drama can happen between friends and family members too. I personally have most of my arguments with people I like, and I think it’s much more interesting to read about too.

b.) Do you think bullies are portrayed well/correctly in Episode stories?
I’ve read a few stories in which they were portrayed well, but it’s very rare. What I see quite often is authors introducing every character with backstories and all, except for the bully. It’s like: “She is the mean girl.” And what is even worse when the conversation starts with the MC being rude. And I’m like, what just happened? I don’t even know why they hate each other, and it feels like I’m supposed to hate the “bully”, while what I see is the MC starting a fight for no reason.

c.) Do you think this trope is clichè and overused?
It’s definitely overused in high school stories, and I find this pretty unrealistic. I mean, do all MCs really need a bully to deal with? There are people we don’t like, I get it, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that we want to destroy their lives I hope? Sometimes we just ignore others :woman_shrugging:

d.) If you said yes to c, how can writers who use this trope make it not or less clichè? Or should writers not use this trope at all?
I think it becomes less cliche if the motives are well defined and realistic. For example in the story Bad Behavior, the MC has a male best friend and the girlfriend is jealous of her. I really liked this idea, because it’s simple but it actually might happen in real life, and this is what makes the character believable and interesting to me.

e.) How can authors better write and portray bullies? Or should they not write bullies at all?
I can’t say I’m keen to see more stories like this, but if you decide to add this character in, develop their personality, and don’t just put her in for the sake of it. In Hollywood movies and series I often like the worst villain characters too, but I don’t think that would be the case if I had no idea about their motivations.

f.) What are the most common type of bullies you encounter in Episode stories?
The mean girl and her minions in high school.

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