#how to write romance

[liv-is]

Liv’s {Totally Optional Non-Mandatory Completely Voluntary} Pointers for Fleshing Out Character Relationships

Hi I’m liv e. and by middling demand I am going to blab a liiittle* bit about relationships.

So I will start by saying that I’m trained & licensed as a marriage and family therapist. So this is kind of what I do all fucking week. And I like this whole writeblr thing so why not make it fun and about fiction instead. LOL.

The purpose of this liiiiittle** post is to offer some ways in which you, a writer (great job btw!), might deepen your own understanding of the relationships between two or more characters in your writing. More specifically, by thinking a little deeper about how relationships function in real life.

These are ways in which I might conceptualize a relationship between people who seek my services as a clinician.

A small disclaimer: the VAST majority of my work is with couples (because I. prefer to see couples over families, lol), so this advice is coming from that perspective. Please keep in mind also that there are certainly infinite other ways to think about relationships. This is just the way I was trained. Or at least, the parts of my training that resonated with me the most, especially as I began writing more seriously.

My hope is that reading and practicing/toying around with these tips will help add another dimension to how relationships play out in your writing. So um. Cheers! Let’s chat.

*it’s not a little. it’s a lot.

**it’s a long post.

i. What I Say vs. What I Mean

When was the last time your partner or good friend pissed you off?

Maybe they were flippant about your feelings. Maybe they blew you off to hang out with someone else. Maybe they keep loading the dishwasher like a neanderthal.

And did you say to them, “Baby/honey/sweetums/bestie, it really upsets me when you load the dishwasher like that. I’ve asked you to do it X way several times, and it feels like you’re not listening to me, or that you don’t care about how I feel” ?

Probably not? Because, hello? (If you did, first try, then, wow! you’re a better person than i’ll ever be.)

You might’ve said “Dude, stop cramming shit in the dishwasher like it’s a fucking suitcase,” or “Haha, wow, again with the dishwasher. Awesome. No, it’s like, whatever.“ Or you might not’ve said anything at all, on purpose.

There is a tension that exists, there, in the CONTRAST between what we are thinking/feeling/meaning (e.g., I love you/I miss you/You hurt me) and what we are communicating via our words and actions (e.g., You never make time for me/You’re so lazy/You’re such a(n) [expletive of choice]).

That tension is ... really fucking interesting to read, huh!

Personally, I have a lot of fun watching the needs/wants/feelings of a character (that we might be privy to, as readers) get filtered through their unique... voice.

So say you write a character who is quite rough around the edges, and not very skilled in affection. They have a deep yearning to be close to [love interest], but they just aren’t accustomed to languaging their true feelings. Maybe we see how scared they are of putting their feelings out there. It’s vulnerable. It’s terrifying.

So instead of “I really care about you, [love interest]”, maybe it comes out something more like “Don’t you have anything better to do with your time than follow me around all fucking day?”

And we, the readers, are like, wow! That’s not what you were thinking at all man! You’re so bad at this, that’s awesome.

So the point of all this is that it’s very helpful to clarify for yourself, in any meaningful interaction between characters in or soon-to-be-in a relationship:

What are the characters individually thinking during this interaction? What are the emotions that are present? How does it show in their body or their movements? Are they careful not to let these things show, or do they not notice at all?

How are they expecting this interaction to go? (Are they afraid something might go wrong? Are they looking for a certain reaction from each other?)

What DON’T they know about what the other person is thinking? What are their assumptions about how the other person perceives them--in general, and in this moment?

What is the GAP or the CONTRAST between all of the above and what actually ends up coming out of their mouth? Or what actions they end up physically taking (or not taking)?

Are the characters aware of their own contrast, here? How do they feel about it? Or, do they think they are being perfectly congruent?

In this way, you have the ability, as a writer, to create some devastatingly (or delightfully) poignant moments between characters. These are the moments that can really sell the reader on the relationship--its importance (why are you showing us this?) and its appeal (thank you for showing us this, this blew our tits off, etc).

ii. Tender Spots and How to Attack Them for Fun and Profit

So we’ve got issues.

What are the things that really fuckin get at you? Those topics that, when brought up, make you really upset and really defensive at like, mach speed. Maybe you’re insecure about your skills. Maybe it really bothers you when people see you as weak/unintelligent/a burden/unattractive. Maybe you have a rough and complicated relationship with a family member.

So these can be thought of as, like, tender spots (lol). You can also think of them as “raw” spots, sensitive spots, or triggers.

Figure out what your characters’ are!

This is another key way in which you can create deep and believable interpersonal drama--Character A (accidentally or intentionally) stomps all over Character B’s sensitive spots. So to speak.

A very cursory and relatively uncomplicated example of this in action:

Tasha and Mimi are two adults in a committed partnership.

Mimi’s got a real fucking chip on her shoulder about being seen as a burden--her father always went to great lengths to make sure she knew just how much he did for her, just how many opportunities he passed up in order to raise her, just how great his life would have been if she’d never been born.

Tasha is the oldest of five siblings. She was frequently tasked with their care, growing up. She did her best not to complain, as her parents were always very busy working to keep a roof over their head. So, Tasha did her part. She would’ve loved to rest and play and goof off like other kids and teens, sure, but it never felt possible with all of her responsibilities.

Mimi is suddenly injured and is unable to do certain things on her own that she had been doing before. Tasha goes about taking care of these things as well as taking on certain other tasks on her own that the pair of them may have tackled as a team before. Tasha feels stretched very thin by the workload, but is deeply concerned about how Mimi feels. There’s nothing to be done about the situation, she reasons, so there’s no point in complaining about how stressed out she is.

Mimi offers to help to the best of her ability, but Tasha is very concerned about her, and insists that Mimi rest and not exert herself. Mimi insists back. Tasha insists back back.

Mimi points out how stressed Tasha must be. Tasha agrees that she is stressed, but does not elaborate on her feelings. Mimi assumes that Tasha must think that she is a burden.

Mimi then becomes very emotionally activated--she is reminded, consciously or unconsciously, of how shitty it felt to have her father tell her over and over again what a burden she is, and how better off he would be without her. So this must be how Tasha really feels about her, Mimi accuses.

Tasha, who is very stressed but who cares very deeply for Mimi and her well-being, and who does not see Mimi as just a burden, becomes very activated in turn--she feels maligned and misunderstood. And now she certainly can’t talk about how stressed out she is, because it will only convince Mimi that she is right.

So Tasha is now convinced that she must continue to hold her feelings in in order to keep the peace--she’s reminded of her childhood spent taking care of others, and how she never felt allowed to express herself.

This example is obviously from a very zoomed-out view, chronologically, and is not exactly the way we would see it written in fiction (fiction is much more moment-by-moment and, well, exciting, usually). BUT we can see where Tasha and Mimi’s sensitivities lie, and how they specifically hurt each other with their behavior (unintentionally, in this case) by stomping RIGHT ON those sensitivities.

Readers love drama. And drama makes the plot go ‘round! So don’t be afraid to lay it on them!

In your (very good and compelling) writing, ESPECIALLY if you want to write engaging relational conflict, you would do well to clarify what your characters’ deepest sensitivities are. Consider the following:

What needs went unmet for them, growing up? A very cliche therapist-y question, but for good reason--our upbringing is where many of our deepest insecurities originate.

Additionally/alternatively, what do your characters understand to be their role in relation to other people? E.g., are they always the caretaker, the burden, the comic relief, the heartbreaker, the lonely hero, the boss? How did they first get this idea of who they’re ‘supposed’ to be towards others, and how was this reinforced throughout their life? Are they satisfied or dissatisfied with their ‘lot in life’? What do they hate about their ‘role’, if anything?

What sorts of situations might remind them of what they hate most about this role? E.g. ‘I enjoy taking care of others, and I’m good at it, but my partner gets upset if I discuss how stressed I get sometimes--I’m never allowed to express myself.’ How can you incorporate these situations into your story to create conflict?

How does your character respond when these sensitivities are triggered? Do they lash out? Do they retreat and get quiet? Do they ghost people altogether?

What do they think will happen if they are unwilling or unable to fulfill this role in their relationships with others? E.g., ‘My partner will leave me if I am not a good caretaker’, ‘Nothing will get done right if I’m not the one taking charge’, ‘If I don’t keep others at arms’ length, even if they say they love me, I’ll end up hurt.’

This is another way in which you can help your relationships really come to life! Anyways. Read on for more cheer and relational joy!

iii. We’re Attracted to What Hurts Us Sometimes, AKA Oops! I Ran into the Knife, Ten Times,

(less of a part 3 and more a part 2.5, but it was simply too long. so,)

So maybe you have a good idea of what your ideal partner/bestie looks like. It’s probably any number of positive traits: kind, considerate, good sense of humor, shapely posterior, ambitious, active, fun-loving, studious, etc.

What probably don’t make the list are things like: emotionally distant like my mother with whom I long to have a reparative experience.

Maybe you’ve witnessed (or been in) a relationship wherein all parties can be described as ‘just so bad for each other’. And maybe this relationship should not have lasted as long as it did (or shouldn’t be lasting as long as it is). And maybe you’re like--’Why are these assholes still together?’ Or, importantly: ‘Why did these assholes get together at all?’ The answer may surprise you! But more likely, it won’t.

Sometimes, we pick people on purpose specifically because they stab us right in the sensitive spot (again. so to speak).

(i should clarify before moving on: I am specifically NOT talking about relational abuse, here. That’s kind of an entirely different subject that is like. the cousin of this subject. In this discussion, I specifically mean relationships in which there is no major power differential--you’re just bad for each other. These relationships can be what we might call ‘toxic’, sure, and painful, but not abusive. The distinction is important, moving forward. ok ty)

[Author’s Note: I need everyone to know that I wrote and subsequently deleted 700 words here because I realized they didn’t make any fucking sense ok. let’s try this one more time.]

Essentially, it’s a known phenomenon among humans that, when we have experience with relational distress in the past (e.g. a partner who neglected you emotionally, or parents who disregarded boundaries you tried to set), we like to seek out similar people with whom to form relationships. Weird! But not really.

The human brain seeks closure and resolution--where we couldn’t get things to work out with our parents, or our exes, we try to get the same situations to work out next time, with someone new.

Let’s look at another example, together. Take my hand,

Suppose you write a character (Character A) whose mother was in and out of their life from a young age, and never seemed to prioritize them. Now suppose you are looking to craft a fraught or tragic or dramatic romance (or other relationship) with this character. Using what you’ve written of your first character’s backstory, you can do just that!

It’s perfectly believable, you know now, for your Character A to pursue a love interest (Character B) who has a tendency to... not want to stick around. Maybe this love interest seems to fear commitment and intimacy.

Now, maybe Character B in actuality has a very dangerous profession that requires that they maintain the utmost discretion, and be ready to flee anywhere at a moment’s notice. Maybe the fate of the city/kingdom/nation/world relies on B’s profession.

It probably doesn’t make them leaving all the time hurt A any less, though.

Character A, unconsciously or not, is determined to make things work this time around. As the relationship deepens, B is faced again and again with the choice--stay, for your love, or go, as duty commands. Maybe they’ve taken a vow for their profession that is no light thing. They leave, time and time again.

Character A, unconsciously or not, remembers this feeling--it’s an old one. Mother, time and time again, chose something else over them. It would be understandable for A to feel a deep anger towards Mom and B both. Maybe A takes drastic action to get back at B (action that is also, symbolically, retaliatory towards Mom)--maybe they cheat on B, or do something that endangers their own safety.

When all they really want is just to get B to stay.

It’s probably very clear now why it’s not so simple a thing for A to choose to date someone more consistent--this is something that goes beyond B alone.

In this way, you can very easily weave themes into the relationship(s) of your main characters. Maybe the story of A explores the pain of abandonment, or loneliness. If B is the protagonist, maybe the story explores the way we excuse our shitty behavior in relationships (maybe the job is a pretext--maybe they really are scared of commitment), or maybe it’s about the dilemma of duty over love.

Relationships don’t always make sense. Or rather, they do make sense, just in a different way than we might expect. You can use this understanding now to intentionally explore a number of complex relationship dynamics, and to create nuanced (but sympathetic) characters. As you do, consider:

In your existing characters’ relationships--what keeps these assholes together? Why do they have to be with each other, as opposed to anyone else? This is important, again, for selling the reader on the relationship, especially if it’s your work’s main relationship.

What initially attracted your characters to each other? Consider again from the previous section (what is this, a fucking textbook?) the historically unmet needs of your character(s).

How do your characters go about expressing their needs? Think again about CONTRAST here--what is the discrepancy between what the actual need is, and how the character seeks to fulfill it? E.g. ‘I need to keep B from leaving me, because it really hurts me when they go, so I’ll go risk my life just to keep their attention (rather than express this pain to them).’

What similarities, if any, exist between your MC’s relationships with the people in their present lives, and your MC’s childhood relationship(s) with their caregiver(s)? Could you expand on/deepen any similarities in your writing? What themes might emerge if you did?

iv. Change / The Arc

So you’ve got your work’s central relationship. It’s believable, it’s just the right amount of dramatic, it’s suitably tragic, and just all-around devastating. People will cry. Great job!

Now what?

Well, that depends--what ending do you envision for your relationship?

If they remain together, do they get the happily ever after? The happy-for-now? Is the reader left to wonder about whether or not their relationship will survive?

Do they not make it at all? Are they separated by tragedy? Do they crash and burn? Or maybe they try their best, but despite how badly they love each other, it’s just not enough?

Whatever the Point B of the relationship is, if it’s central to the work, you’re gonna want to have a clear arc in there. Or not, idk, I’m not your mom.

You might already know, if you inhale every piece of writing advice you come across (like me), what makes a compelling character arc. The good news is that it’s much the same with relationships! Kind of.

Systems (relationships) tend towards homeostasis. Without deliberate intervention, relationships want to remain the way they’ve always been. Just like people!

And just like characters, relationships need a reason to change. Like a catalyst, or a motivation. Whatever the hell you wanna call it.

It’s not always, like, complicated to figure out the driving force behind change in your central relationships. Sometimes the pieces fall together!

Pay attention to the characters within the relationship--as your characters progress through their arcs, their relationship will naturally shift. It will probably not look exactly the same as it did when it began--there might be similarities, of course (they’re not entirely different people.. usually. And there’s a beauty to bookending a story with the familiar, certainly). But in this case, the relationship can be thought of as an extra character, almost. It’s unsatisfying to read a whole story wherein a central character stays exactly the same. It’s further strange and incongruent for a relationship to stay exactly the same while the characters have like, achieved actualization or whatever.

Outside events can force change on a relationship, just as they do individual characters. A couple that’s close to Characters A and B get married--and A & B start to wonder what their future together even looks like. B’s company hires a fiiiine honey, who’s exactly B’s type, and A starts steaming about it. A pandemic ravages the nation, and to prevent the spread of the virus, A and B have to stay inside togeth

YOU GET IT ok anyways I’m fucking tired of writing. If you’re wanting to develop the arc of your MCs’ relationship(s), think on some of this:

Do your characters see any problem(s) present in their relationship? Are they all equally aware of the problem(s)? Do they agree on what the problem(s) are?

How secure are your characters in their relationship? If anything could possibly cause doubt and conflict to arise, what is it?

Where do your characters see their relationship going in the near future? In the far future? Do their visions align? If not, how do they differ? Do they even want the same thing?

Is the arc of the central relationship congruent with the arcs of the characters who comprise it? I.e. does the relationship remain exactly the same as it was when it started, despite the characters undergoing wild metamorphoses? Is the reverse true?

When you think about their relationship, INDEPENDENT of any ending you may already have decided, where do you see it going? Like, where do these people feel like they’re headed, realistically? Does this align with the ending you’ve decided on for them? If not, this doesn’t mean you’ve written a bad relationship or anything, it’s just a possible sign that some really intense shit might have to happen in order to shift their course, y’know? Or not--the world is your oyster and you are the God of your own creation!

What are you trying to say with your story, and do the arcs of the central relationships reflect that message?

final thots

If you read all that shit, thank you. I wrote it all in one sitting and posted it without proofreading 💜

In all seriousness, I want to emphasize that, although some of these aspects of relationships are most visible in rels with a lot of anguish and maybe even some toxicity, you by no means have to write this kind of relationship in order to make use of these tips. You could write a very Normal couple!

The idea is to offer you some avenues through which to consider aspects of your characters’ psychology and personalities, and how they mesh or clash with their partners’ or besties’.

Anyways I hope this was helpful. I love talking about relationships I could literally go on and on all day. Which I kind of just did so. lol.

I’ve been liv and I’ve got two main WIPs I’m working on right now: The Romance of the Demigods and The Marking Blood and they’re full of really really super normal relationships and examples of me definitely taking my own fucking advice.

Cheers and happy writing! 💖💖💖

#writing advice #writing tips #writeblr #writers on tumblr #writers of tumblr #writeblr community #writing community #writing tutorial #how to write romance #i guess #lol

[3hks]

Tips on Writing a Romance Novel

Romance is a pretty popular genre, but most of the time, it is used as a subgenre for the characters. So how do you write a complete romance novel, where it's the center of the story? Well, here are some tips!

Note: these may seem like advice for more stereotypical books of this genre. However, you are not asked to use all of them, and these tips don't only have to be used when romance is the core of the story!

>> Make sure that the romance involved is connected to the conflict. What does this mean? While some books include romance, not all of them actually impact the plot. They add some stuff, sure, but the novel could definitely continue without it.

To fix this, create a conflict that can be at least partially resolved by someone, while love follows. Basically, the significant other helps resolve any physical issues (if present), while their presence and relationship help fix any internal struggles that the main character may have. And sometimes, the conflicts are caused by the love interest, but a similar idea applies--someone (can be the same or different person as the love interest) interjects to help. Overall, the solution to the problem cannot be solved by the main character alone, which is why a significant other is needed to assist in resolving the issue on hand.

Here are some examples!

The (main) character feels unwanted and struggles against their feelings of loneliness.

The (main) character is overcoming a conflict with their family and/or friends and feels unsupported.

The (main) character is having a difficult time overcoming a loss and finds themselves going in circles without said person.

See? Even with these simple, emotion-related examples, having another person around can help solve some of the problems present! Now, if you want to, just add a physical conflict on top of that!

>> Make sure the romance involved is connected to the characters. Romance itself does little for the characters; it can come from anyone. The magic comes from the love interest themselves, and romance is just the whipped cream on top of the sundae. However, that does differ from character to character and from book to book--for some books, a relationship will have a stronger effect on the plot, while that won't be true for other stories. Still, the love interest must have some noticeable impact on the main character.

That being said, the love interest and/or romance in your book needs to inspire a positive change in--at the very least--the protagonist and/or themselves. This could be a change in personality, thinking, self-view, actions, or even how they live their life.

>> Keep an eye on the pacing. I'm sorry to say this, but no matter how fast you want your favorite characters to get together, do not rush the process. Yes, a character can most definitely fall in love at first sight, but there are two people in a relationship and at first, the second will more than likely not feel the same way. Take some time to build up their connection before they establish a relationship so it feels more realistic.

Additionally, characters who are uninterested in love, distant from people, or struggle to grasp the idea that they could be loved will need more time regarding romance.

On the flip side, however, you also do not want to drag the story out for no reason. This will make your readers lose interest and is pointless to your plot.

>> Keep the relationship realistic. When two people start dating, there are two main changes: they are able to physically and verbally demonstrate their affection, and they are more open with each other. With that being said, your characters should not suddenly switch personalities, if the characters aren't the type to be all lovey-dovey, then they aren't going to suddenly be all over each other in a relationship.

Having a couple that seems 'too good to be true' to the reader can make them doubt if they're being completely honest and real with each other. A beautiful relationship can most definitely exist, but it must be correctly suited to the characters. Keep in mind that not all people's love language is verbal. Some of them are small actions, gifts, and/or spending time together.

>> Tie up all the loose ends. When your story is coming to an end, make sure you have cleared up everything. Verify that you have confirmed their relationship and any problems between them need to be resolved through some sort of communication and action. This way, you can show that their relationship is healthy and will last quite some time!

Boom! These are my tips regarding this genre! Make sure that the romance is connected to the plot and characters, be careful with your pacing, keep the relationship realistic, and tie up all the loose ends! Hopefully, this was able to provide some sort of guide to help those who struggle with writing these things! Thanks for checking this out!

Happy writing~

3hks <3

#writing #writeblr #writerscommunity #writing tips #creative writing #writing advice #writing inspo #romance #how to write romance #romantic genre #how to write the romance genre #tips on writing romance #tips on writing a romance novel

[alesuggestprompts]

Slow burn romance prompts and tips

Slow burn romances are awesome but taking so much time for the people involved to realize they love each other can be exhausting for the people enjoying the piece of media.

To make things exiting you have to give the reader/audience reasons to enjoy the slowness of the romance and not strive to get to the point where it becomes canon.

In order to do this, your characters should be involved in the relationship (even if it's not romantic yet) and the audience should feel the reasons why this romance is going to happen.

Here are some tips and prompts on how to do it:

.

Make them bond

Show how they're unconsciously building their relationship by spending time together. Give them reasons to constantly seek companionship even if none of them is fully aware that they're in love.

Some prompts can be:

They have a common hobby they decided to explore together

They are involved in the same organization (volunteering, community service, defending human rights, local organizations about whatever, but if it's fantasy even thigs like a group of people with the same powers)

They have to work on a project (it can be about their work, education, hobbies, organizations they joined, bringing a dictator down, fighting aliens etc)

They have to take care of a mutual friend

They are in the same team of a competitive sport/field.

They bond over common past experiences

They are going to have the same experience (for example, they bond over the fact that they're going to move in the same town for external reasons)

Give them chemistry

Sexual chemistry is good, but it's not good in a slow burn romance. There are other types of chemistry, however, that can make your romance a lot more interesting:

Intellectual chemistry

Humor chemistry (they easily make the other-s laugh and be happier)

Habits/believes chemistry (they feel more connected by basing their lives on the same principles)

Love language chemistry

Theoretical sexual chemistry (they just view and live sexuality in the same way, more similar and linked to belief chemistry)

Make the audience understand the reasons they're in love

Love isn't merely based on logical reasons, but healthy relationships are based on them too. Chose some reasons for why they're going to be in love and develop them overtime.

They could be - but not limited to:

Great admiration for what other-s do

Cooperation and complicity

Trust and communication

Same life goals

Healthy emotional support

Same life philosophy

They feel good together

Sense of safety

Make it human

Even if relationships have to be based on principles that mustn't lack, like consent and other fundamental things, it's important to not write about perfect ™ relationships but make them good in a human way.

Give characters involved bad days for external reasons, give then some fear, misjudgment or just a moment when they miss their past.

Allow your characters to be good humans and not dreamy perfect partners.

Plus: make it clearly possible

Minorities are unrepresented in medias and often this can lead to a lack of diverse love stories. So when it comes to a slow burn romance, it can be easy to want to rush to it only to be assured that this is going to happen.

To avoid this, make it clear that this can potentially happen without hitting at their romance yet.

For example, if your audience can be scared that this slow burn romance won't become a thing because it's queer and often queer baiting is chosen over actually queer representation, give to the story other happy queer love stories. They can be fully developed or just mentioned, like a character's friend cleary involved in a queer relationship that's often hit at but not important.

Other examples can be mentioning a past where this kind of romance already happened (like a poly character that was in a poly relationship years before) or showing people similar to this character in a happy relationship.

#story prompt #writing #writing prompt #prompts #writing ideas #love story #slow burn #slow burn romance #slow burn romance promots #love prompts #relationship prompts #queer love #polyam relationship #queer relationships #how to write romance #romance prompts #writing tips #love story tips

[lady-fey]

How to Write Healthy Romance

The trick to writing a healthy romance is to write a couple who would be cute, but boring if not for circumstances entirely beyond their control. For example, take Westley and Buttercup from The Princess Bride. Remove the pirates and the evil prince and you have a young couple who gets together and that’s it. That’s the story. He goes off, makes some money, comes back to her, and they get married. The end. Roll credits. Exit stage right.

This is how you write a healthy romance.

Every struggle the couple faces needs to come from something beyond them. A war, evil magic, illness, and so on. Then you get to watch them bond and fall ever more in love while struggling against that external force. There’s never a time where you question if this is really a good pairing because there’s never a moment where they do something unhealthy. They might make choices that you don’t agree with (ex: Buttercup sacrificing herself for Westley in The Fire Swamp), but those choices are always understandable and driven by love and trying to make the best of an impossible challenge.

And, no, this isn’t my favorite couple or anything. They’re just extremely well know, so I like to use them as an example. My favorite is probably(?) the main couple from The Good Place, but that would require me to give spoilers whereas The Princess Bride establishes the main pairing in the first five minutes.

#writing advice #how to write romance #romance #the princess bride

[mothmanchronicler]

here's a romance plot explainer i made because i'm a maniac and can't just write a fic for the fun of it

ps i made this for myself because i wanted to, but there are an endless amount of ways to structure and outline your fics and stories. just because this is a traditionally profitable and well known structure doesn't mean that fics/ stories need to have this structure to be good!! in fact, i think stories that deviate from a formula are fundamental to the literary world

#yes that's my bullet journal!!! no more to do lists i'm a full time fic writer now #anyway lots of my favorite long fics (and romance novels) follow these patterns and structures #and i noticed that i am more satisfied when long fics (i'm talking 150k+) use this blueprint because it creates a really #good emotional roller coaster momentum that carries me through the story #plus i think it's fun that for some reasons we as humans really just enjoy stories told in this way #somewhat interestingly the three act structure is often attributed to aristotle but that doesn't seem to be true #aristotle envisioned a two act structure for story telling (binding and unbinding) (before and after tragedy strikes) #there's so many more plot structures that are too complicated for me to think abt lol #if anyone ever wants me to regurgitate writing and plotting advice i'm here lol #i've researched myself into oblivion #how to write romance #fanfic #writing advice

[universitypenguin]

I’m absolutely in love with the princess and lawyer series! You write Lloyd with such amazing detail and I love watching as he realizes he’s basically falling for princess. It’s so nice seeing how soft he is for her. Your writing is amazing and I’m patiently waiting for the next chapter 🥹🥹

Thank you! I’m glad you’re enjoying the story. He’s such a complex character, with an unusual personality and psychology. His attachment to Princess is so deep and pure that I just can’t stop adding more scenes. On her side, she’s definitely put in the work to soften Lloyd up and prove herself trustworthy. (The man is paranoid, we all know it!) He’s never had someone like her in his life before, and he’s very aware of that, which is why he’s so protective of her.

There’s a piece of writing advice about romance that goes: “Show why each character is a rose. Then, show us their thorns. Once we’ve seen the thorns, show how their stems can be braided together so the thorns don’t cut each other’s stem, they only point outward.”

That’s what I’m aiming for with this plot. Lloyd has a ton of thorns, so I’m definitely pulling my weight over here!

#penguin replies #penguin comments #behind the scenes #how to write romance

[hopelessromantice-author]

So I need some help or tips. I'm currently writing or planning a stage of writing a regency romance book. I was wondering if you guys have a type of pet peeve in the regency romance or just romance in general that just ruins the reading experience?

#how to write romance #romance #writing #writing tips #book writing #send help #regency romance

[urfriendlywriter]

How to write smut ?

(@urfriendlywriter | req by @rbsstuff @yourlocalmerchgirl anyone under the appropriate age, please proceed with caution :') hope this helps guys! )

writing smut depends on each person's writing style but i think there's something so gut-wrenchingly beautiful about smut when it's not very graphic and vivid. like., would this turn on a reader more?

"he kissed her, pulling her body closer to him."

or this?

"His lips felt so familiar it hurt her heart. His breathing had become more strained; his muscles tensed. She let herself sink into his embrace as his hands flattened against her spine. He drew her closer."

One may like either the top or the bottom one better, but it totally depends on your writing to make it work. Neither is bad, but the second example is more flattering, talking literally.

express one's sensory feelings, and the readers will automatically know what's happening.

writing, "her walls clenched against him, her breath hitching with his every thrust" is better than writing, "she was about to cum".

here are some vocabulary you can introduce in your writing:

whimpered, whispered, breathed lightly, stuttered, groaned, grunted, yearned, whined, ached, clenched, coaxed, cried out, heaved, hissed

shivering, shuddering, curling up against one's body, squirming, squirting, touching, teasing, taunting, guiding, kneeling, begging, pining, pinching, grinding,

swallowing, panting, sucking in a sharp breath, thrusting, moving gently, gripped, biting, quivering,

nibbling, tugging, pressing, licking, flicking, sucking, panting, gritting, exhaling in short breaths,

wet kisses, brushing soft kisses across their body (yk where), licking, sucking, teasing, tracing, tickling, bucking hips, forcing one on their knees

holding hips, guiding the one on top, moving aimlessly, mindlessly, sounds they make turn insanely beautiful, sinful to listen to

some adjectives to use: desperately, hurriedly, knowingly, teasingly, tauntingly, aimlessly, shamelessly, breathlessly, passionately, delicately, hungrily

he sighed with pleasure

her skin flushed

he shuddered when her body moved against his

he planted kisses along her jawline

her lips turned red, messy, kissed and flushed.

his hands were on his hair, pulling him.

light touches traveled down his back

words were coiled at his throat, coming out as broken sobs, wanting more

he arched his back, his breath quivering

her legs parted, sinking into the other's body, encircling around their waist.

+ mention the position, how they're being moved around---are they face down, kneeling, or standing, or on top or on bottom--it's really helpful to give a clear picture.

+ use lustful talk, slow seduction, teasing touches, erratic breathing, give the readers all while also giving them nothing. make them yearn but DO NOT PROLONG IT.

sources to refer to for more: (will be updated soon!)

#otp prompts #romance writing #imagine your otp #writeblr #writing prompts #urfriendlywriter #writing inspiration #writing help #writing scenarios #how to write a kiss #how to write smut #physical gestures #romantic gestures #hot gestures #hot prompts #love prompts #smut prompts #kisses prompts #types of kisses #kisses #otp writing #otp things #imagine your characters #imagine your ship #tips to write smut #writing tips #writersociety #writers of tumblr #prompt list #writing

[essvagon]

Book Review: How to Write Romance collection.

How to Write Romance 3-in-1 Collection: Fiction Writing Skills for Romance Authors by Julie Spencer Author Julie Spencer has written over thirty books and now adds How to Write Romance 3-in-1 Collection: Fiction Writing Skills for Romance Authors to that growing list. From her previous three titles in her How to Write Romance series, she has combined the essentials into this easy-to-digest…

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#Book review #Book Reviews #How to Write Romance #How to Write Romance series #Julie L. Spencer #Julie Spencer #Nonfiction #Romance

[ao3-crack]

(x)

#archive of our own #ao3 stuff #ao3 quotes #archive of our own quotes #fanfic #fanfic quotes #funny #ao3 #ao3 tags #ive never written romance before #or a kiss #and im writing it for a NICHOLAS CAGE MOVIE #you can understand how I feel right now #nicholas cage #but as the next tags say on the fic #this movie? so good

[keyotosprompts]

in between ᯓ★

jealousy prompts (oooooo)

⇴ person a sees person b absolutely hit it off with person c (and is very obviously pained because of it). person b comes over to talk to person a, but is only met with awkward conversation instead of the same boisterous talks they usually have.

⇴ person b sees person a with another person, and they have to bite down on their lip so hard whenever person a talks about the other person, because deep down person b wishes that a was with them (this was more pining than jealousy but oh well).

⇴ "was that a good conversation?" "oh... yeah. it was great" "great." [and there's this thick, awkward silence afterwards].

⇴ person a wishes that they could be person b. person b has it all: charisma, hilariousness, the friends, the partner, etc. (but maybe person a isn't jealous of person b... maybe person a is desperately craving person b's attention and that's why they're jealous)

⇴ person b is watching person a from afar, chatting it up with this other person. b has a strong urge to pull a away from everyone and pull a into b's own little world, but refuses because they want to keep a happy, even if it's at a cost at b's own happiness.

⇴ person a and person b are dating, and person a just finished a conversation with someone person b was jealous of. when they get home, person b is a bit more clingier and so much more touchy. cue a's teasing and b hiding their face in the crook of a's neck.

⇴ ^ "so... are you finally gonna admit you were jealous?" "uh, no, because i wasn't" (b says as they press kisses to a's neck and hold a close to their body).

⇴ "you guys look good together." "really?" (and a/b wants to shout NO!!!!!!)

⇴ "and i love you. i love it when you do the double-tuck thing with your hair when you're nervous, does [person c] notice that? do they know that when you shove your hands in your pockets, you're really just doing it so you can fidget without anyone knowing? or, what about the way you look at people–" and person a is in total shock the whole time.

⇴ "i can't take it anymore. i want–need you. i don't care about what [person c] thinks, i only care about you. tell me you need me too, and i'll stay."

⇴ person b is sulking after seeing person a reunite with someone they've been close to since forever (think family friend...yikes). person a thinks it's adorable and goes to "comfort" b by peppering their face with kisses and giving them words of affirmation.

⇴ "hey" kiss on the jaw "you don't have anything to worry about" kiss on the corner of the lips "i chose you for a reason" kiss on the temple "you're the one i love" kiss on the lips.

⇴ ^^ cut to person b being like "really?" with a cheeky grin.

⇴ person a is about to reach out to person b, only to see person b walk past them to go see person c. person a turns around to person c and immediately feels flooded with comparisons. specifically, "why don't they like me like they like them?"

⇴ person a is constantly checking the relationship status of person b, and their heart always aches when they continue to see person c's username in person b's bio.

#keyotosprompts #fluff prompts ⋆˚✿˖° #angst prompts ⋆⑅˚₊ #dialogue prompts #angst prompts #light angst #otp prompts #otp writing #writing #writing prompts #writeblr #imagine your otp #angst #jealousy #jealousy prompts #whump writing #whump prompt #prompt list #romance prompts #idk how to tag this (is it obvious)

[euthymiaaa]

— getting jealous over a crush prompt *ೃ༄

jealousy is such a dangerous feeling lol, enjoy!

constantly noticing them smiling so brightly with that one person

when was the last time they beamed at you like that?

violent churns agitating your stomach

an aching feeling starts nagging profoundly at your heart

"who was that"

not even being able to process the jealousy; solely that one scene of them with someone else repeats in your head

desperately demanding your crush's friends if you're seeing someone

the urge to search for answers from your muse, yet you don't want to strain your friendship (you do it anyways)

helplessly convincing yourself that your friendship has more worth compared to whoever that person was

"how long have you known them? are you both friends?"

self-doubts viciously devouring your thoughts; what if they were genuinely happier with them?

“why are you acting like this all of a sudden”

"if you're so worried that someone will snatch me up, why don't you just confess to me right now?"

#imagine your otp #otp prompts #dialogue prompt #otp ideas #romance prompts #writing scenarios #angst dialogue #jealousy dialogue #jealousy prompt #jealousy prompts #writing ideas #friends to lovers #this lowkey happened to me and i just drafted it and now im just trying to recall how i felt cuz it was during finals LOL

[youneedsomeprompts]

How to write a kiss scene

requested by: anon request: How do I write a good kiss scene? As how do I describe it? What details or words would make it good?

What goes into the writing of a kiss scene?

details to incorporate:

the sensations in their stomach, their chest, and their knees

the way their breathing changes shortly before the kiss

the feeling of the other's hands

the texture of the other's clothing

the moment they realise they've reached the point of no return

the feeling they're left with after the kiss

words to use...

... to describe the kiss:

tentative

tender

hesitant

quick

soft

gentle

delicate

languid

feathery

familiar

exploring

hungry

heated

fiery

frantic

impatient

sloppy

messy

aggressive

... to describe how they feel about the kiss:

nervous

excited

giddy

anxious

apprehensive

ambiguous

surprised

reassured

certain

confident

relieved

eager

greedy

... to show what the lips do:

exploring each other

brushing over each other

locking

devouring

touching

sealing

pressing against each other

capturing

lapping

tasting

crushing together

travelling (the other's body)

trailing (down to the other's chin)

grinning into the kiss

caressing

lingering

... to show how their body reacts:

feeling warm all over

buzzing

humming

pumping/palpitating heart

clenching lungs

joy bubbling up

tingly stomach

warm chest

burning cheeks

sweaty palms

blood rushing through their veins

... to describe what their hands are doing:

tangling in their lover's hair

wrapping their arms around their lover's neck

intertwining their fingers with their lover

resting on their lover's hips

pressing into their lover's shoulder blades

cupping their lover's cheeks

touching their lover's chin

curling their arm around their lover's waist

resting on their lover's shoulders

grabbing their lover's collar

sneaking up under their lover's shirt

brushing over their lover's bare skin

lightly squeezing their lover's butt

focus on:

the sensations instead of what's physically happening. (the protagonists might very well not know themselves what is happening exactly, but they feel very precisely)

I hope this helps <3

#how to write a kiss scene #how to write kissing #writing romance #writeblr #writers on tumblr #writing advice #creative writing #romance #romance prompts #writing kissing #kissing prompts #types of kisses #otp #writing #writing inspiration #writing ideas

[viviennevermillion]

Seeing people only use "but some asexuals have sex!!!" and "some aromantics are in romantic relationships!!!" so they can sexualize & ship the little representation we get makes me hope someone explicitly establishes a popular character as sex-repulsed so we can see the shippers get cooked online for it

#i'm not even complaining if someone specifically writes an asexual character as a sex-favorable ace #or puts the aros in qprs or writes a romantic relationship exploring how a character who doesn't experience romantic attraction navigates i #but if all you do is discard their asexuality & use the existence of sex-favorable and romance-favorable aces as a gotcha #to hide the fact that you're just portraying this character as allo anyway #we all know what you're doing #asexual #asexuality #aromantic #aro #ace #aroace #sex repulsed

[batbusiness-schooldropout]

Conner: *looking longingly at a pair of diamond earrings*

Tim: What up? Did someone forget to oil your hinges?

Conner: Those earrings are really nice but I can't afford them

Tim: That's all? Have the cashier grab them and I'll get them for you

Conner: Are you sure? It's a lot of money and-

Tim: Kon I think we need to have a conversation. I'm rich.

Conner: Ok?

Tim: I don't think you get it. I'm supervillian rich. I'm richer than hell. My money makes money. My stacks have stacks on stacks. To quote Nikki Minaj "My money so tall that my Barbie gotta climb it". You could ask for a small European country and I'll have it for you by the end of the week. A pair of earrings is easy.

Conner: Is it weird that I'm a little turned on right now?

Tim: Considering one of your "parents" is just as rich as me? A little bit. We should sue him for child support.

Conner: Stop! You know my brain thinks your schemes are flirting!

#sugar daddy tim #the origin story #is this how you write romance? #batfam #tim drake #red robin #conner kent #superboy #timkon

[blackcathjp]

ppl seem to like the idea of harry courting draco or harry doing big public displays of affection to ask him out (think promposals). but i feel like he'd be so awkward at dating. he doesn't quite know what to do with or show physical and emotional affection, the weasleys give him bad advice on romance, he's also oblivious when ppl are interested in him.

what he does have is earnestness and determination - he makes the first move on accident, just bursts out his feelings, brave and embarrassed.

draco knows all about courting and respects tradition, but he's not the type to make the first move (not anymore at least, not like when he was a kid, where running to his parents for safety and comfort was a luxurious option). he's calculating and weighs his options - what if he confesses but harry doesn't like him? what if he confesses and harry DOES like him? what if harry likes him, but doesn't like dating him? he's more hesitant and guarded with his feelings, but is more likely to show his affection towards loved ones.

harry asks him out in the middle of a conversation, just because he loves watching how passionate draco gets about something he loves. even after weeks of dating, draco insists on courting him the "proper way", showering him with gifts, writing letters that make harry blush, leaving loving post-its all over harry's home and work desk, delivering anonymous flowers, publicly asking if he can escort harry home (they're both embarrassed). he's touchy feely too, which harry isn't used to, but physical contact becomes easy and second nature now with draco. harry doesn't quite get the courting, yet still loves it.

harry: you already have me, draco 😊😆

draco: i still want to woo you though 🥹😤

#harry is earnest and determined in life but always had a bigger responsibility to be a hero #romance and physical affection are just kinda like. there in the back of his head #still trying to figure out what he wants and trying to express that #yet he's also touch starved and touch deprived #draco knows exactly what he wants but w/out $ and status he doesn't know how to get it #he's a very prideful person who takes a bad hit and gets humbled and becomes a better yet still prideful person #anyway this is supposed to be a cute idea of drarry courting ways #fics where harry figures out what he wants bc he's never wanted before >>> #drarry #harry potter #draco malfoy #drarry blurb #drarry headcanons #writing