there are a few topics you can (and should!) consider when writing romance. these include, but aren't limited to:
genuine relationships
attraction
conflict
physical reactions
verbal reactions
tropes
as a general rule, romance should feel genuine enough to feel replicable. although it doesn't need to be set in a modern or realistic context, readers should still be able to associate with their own experiences and perception of romance.
as such, it's important to consider how your two characters meet, and their reactions. if they instantly fall in love, with no challenges, you're likely going to end up with not only a boring romance, but a boring plot. part of what makes a story genuine is the challenges characters face, and hopefully overcome!
romance interactions shouldn't feel forced, or faked. they'll be awkward moments, and moments of conflict - just like in real life!
although your characters might not have the love at first sight moment, there's often a noticeable spark right from the beginning between two characters. it might be disguised as another emotion, ignored, or not recognised, but it’ll still be there! some possible causes of attraction include:
sexual (physical)
personality (humour, kindness)
intelligence/job
social status
the initial attraction between your characters and their subsequent reactions depends heavily on the plot of your novel! in an enemies to lovers, two characters reactions to their feelings will be very different to a friends to lovers.
if you've read a lot of romance, you might notice a slight theme around 3/4 of the way through a book. nearly every novel has a third act breakup - which some people love/hate! this is where just before your characters get their happy ending, a huge event occurs, stopping them from doing so.
as a general rule, a minor conflict should occur halfway through the novel, and then the major conflict 3/4 of the way through. it's often so major it seems irreversible!
even if you choose not to have a third act breakup, remember to still include some form of conflict. unfortunately, it's unrealistic for everything to go perfectly - and it's even slightly boring when it does!
physical reactions are one of the most obvious signs of romantic interest - and chances are, you've included them in your novel without realising! they're pretty essential when writing, they show how your characters react to a scenario, and give insight into how they feel.
often, you'll notice the main reaction authors use is blushing! while people do blush, there are many other - more interesting - ways to show interest, such as:
maintaining eye contact
sweating/sweaty palms
fidgeting with fingers
rocking back onto heels
averting eye contact
leaning forward/towards the other character
eyes widening
lips parting
as well as physical reactions, including verbal reactions can be a great way to deepen the genuineness of your novel! there are many ways in which a character's vocals can change, whether purposeful or involuntary.
just like how blushing is a common physical reaction in novels, stuttering is a common verbal reaction! however it can be overdone, negatively impacting your work. instead, try other indicators such as:
stumbling over words
speechlessness
changing the topic suddenly
changing the pitch of voice
coughing/clearing throat
and lastly, if you've run out of ideas for your plot, you can always fill a gap with some popular tropes/sub-tropes! these are also great if you want to do some short writing practice to get over writers block.
popular tropes:
enemies to lovers
friends to lovers
love triangle
soulmates
fake dating
secret billionaire/singer/actor
grumpy x sunshine
roommates
popular subtropes:
one bedroom
hurt comfort
coffee shop
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