This video by Just Write from last December on MacGuffins is probably something you should at least take a look at

Something to remember is that the MacGuffin is a trope that seems to permeate all genres but seems prevalent in certain story types, which are addressed admirably in the video. Something that is only lightly touched on in the video is the concept of there being different MacGuffin types. Now, MacGuffins aren’t good but they aren’t bad either, you just need to know when and how to use them, like any other trope. But you also need to make sure the tropes you are using match with the aesthetic of the story you’re telling.

A mark of a good writer is using tropes in a manner seldom seen or a novel way; a mark of a bad writer is relying on tropes to explain things to the audience; a mark of a terrible writer is throwing together a bunch of tropes and thinking it constitutes a story; and a mark of an astounding writer is effectively creating tropes that haven’t really seen before

6666962 Do terrible writers even know of the tropes?

6666993
Probably only the most popular ones or ones that have been explained to them. But in all likelihood, I have no idea what tropes are and just write what they think is cool with no sense of structure or are told is really popular.

6666993
Actually, it's more than that.
All you have to do is read and watch tv or go to a movie.
Consume media and you get your tropes.

6667060
But it’s a toss as to whether or not they know or realize they’re using/consuming tropes

6667522
In the beginning, they don't know.
Later on if they become writers, they will know or at least have some idea.
If they don't become writers, it becomes a tossup.

6667578
True, but there are some really big things people are advised to avoid when decent and greater writers are asked about pitfalls to avoid while writing.

Like cafe scenes are advised to be avoided, with extreme prejudice, do to how those sorts of scenes tend to be rather lacking in dynamics and things going on. I mean, if you want to show a character is feeling like they can’t progress a few cafe scenes are okay, but if cafe scenes comprise the majority of places your characters are interacting or just going then chances are your writing has issues.

6667584
Yeah, tropes should be known and used properly when needed.