Writing Romance Across All Genres

Love is in the air–or rather, the print for this topic. Regardless if you are writing a romance novel or not, there’s a good chance that at least some aspect of your writing will feature at least one romantic couple. A well-written romance can immerse readers into your world and give them something to believe in and a bad romance…well, it works as a great Lady Gaga song but it’s also a great way to yank a reader out of the story. The good news is that you can write romance regardless of your current or former relationship status, you just need to follow a few guidelines.

First, a good romance has to have a balancing act between the pair. Something needs to be missing from their lives, a need that is unmet, a quality that makes them feel complete from the relationship. That is where their potential partner comes in. We often use phrases like, “they’re my other half, they complete me” and the same goes for our story characters.

A great way to start is to look at your ideas you have for your character. What are they missing? All characters need to have something driving them forward, some form of conflict. Is there some kind of quality a partner could have that would help this character? Use it so the readers have the undeniable feeling that your characters were meant to be together.

Second, a good romance has to be believable. It sounds obvious, but it’s easier said than done. Think about the genre and category of your novel. What are the ages of the characters? Teenagers aren’t going to have the same type of relationship that adults do. Characters in a contemporary novel won’t have the same type of relationship as a fantasy or sci-fi. If I read a contemporary novel and a character was talking about how they would “burn the world for their lover” and it was about a dentist pursuing a relationship with a coffee-shop owner…that would be concerning. If you aren’t sure, read some novels in your desired genre and category. What feels like too much? What do you wish was utilized more? Were the characters believable? Does their relationship feel natural?

Third, avoid problematic tropes and themes if your goal is to showcase a healthy relationship. Significant age-gaps, minor-adult relationships, abusive or violent behaviors in a relationship can be a quick way to get your book thrown in the trash. Some stories feature problematic themes on purpose, if you do, be very careful about your portrayal. Is it necessary to the story? Are you writing in such a way that the reader knows you are not trying to get the reader to root for the relationship? Does it serve a message that is positive and not just for shock value?

I’ve read books that have an amazing plot but the relationships they wanted me to cheer for made me absolutely cringe. TLDR: I didn’t pick up the other books in the series. Did you know that Shakespeare intended Juliette’s age (13) to be problematic to the story? She was far too young to be romantically involved with Romeo in the way she was. Romeo and Juliette shouldn’t be a couple you cheer for–their love story ended in blood and tragedy (in only a few days).

All in all, your romance should feel natural to the reader. It should make sense that the two are together. If you aren’t sure, beta readers and critique partners are a fabulous source of information. Utilize other eyes that have different perspectives to make sure you’re writing something a reader can believe in, not something cringy that will get chucked into a trash bin.

What’s your favorite ship? Is there a couple that makes you want to throw a book at the wall? Let us know in the comments. See you next time!