Popular Tropes in Urban Fantasy

Urban Fantasy is a popular and multilayered genre that has really proven a hit with readers. Urban Fantasy authors include Kelley Armstrong, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Kim Harrison, but what is Urban Fantasy.
Urban Fantasy refers to a subgenre of books that feature magic and the supernatural in a modern-day setting. The appeal of these books is the idea that magic could exist in our world, we just don't see it. 
If you have thought about writing Urban Fantasy but don't know where to start, you should be aware of the most common tropes for this genre. If you are unfamiliar with tropes, these are elements that go into a story that tells the reader what genre they are reading. For example in a romance book you would have boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy and girl find each other again. They are familiar events that shape the story and give readers what they want. 
So what are Urban Fantasy tropes. While some can come and go, the main tropes of UF are -

• Fantasy elements including magic
• An urban setting - a city 
• Supernatural creatures - vampires/werewolves etc
• A main character who lives in both worlds. She could discover she has magic, or be raised in the human world, but she has a connection to the magical world too
• A mystery to solve, or events that force the MC to delve further into this world

The MC tends to be a woman, although there are male leads in a lot of popular UF series including that of Jim Butcher. There will be little to no romance, or it can feature but it won't be crucial to the plot. 
When it comes to writing these types of books it is important to take the time to worldbuild before beginning. What are the rules? What creatures exist? Do humans know about them?The rules you create in your world could add more conflict for your MC. For example, perhaps the humans don't know about magic and she accidentally reveals it to the world. Or perhaps the supernatural community has revealed themselves, but they are forbidden to harm humans. When someone is found dead, seemingly by a supernatural creature, your MC could investigate and try to clear their name.
The possibilities are endless and you can have a lot of fun coming up with new ideas for these types of books. Be sure to check out Urban Fantasy authors and read their work to familiarize yourself with the genre. 
​Happy writing!