Not every story needs an attention-grabbing romance, but for some books, it’s essential to the plot.

A romantic relationship, when executed well, can add depth to your protagonist’s internal and external arcs.

The emotional stakes of falling in and out of love will emphasize your main character’s fears and misbeliefs, even influencing their growth throughout the story.

Each romantic relationship is unique, providing essential pain points and revelations for your protagonist to grapple with.

If you’re writing a romantic relationship in your story, this blog post will guide you through four key moments that build an authentic romance that supports your protagonist’s transformation and engages your reader.

If your protagonist and their romantic interest meet for the first time in your narrative, this is where it all begins!

To craft a romance that feels realistic, your characters’ attraction will grow throughout numerous interactions. 

Will your story incorporate slow-burn romance? Might there be an instant attraction that your protagonist attempts to ignore?

There are multiple avenues you could take to develop this chemistry.

But before your characters come together, your job is to provide hints of a brewing romance for the readers to follow.

Check your plot for key events where your characters might interact. Determine what misbelief your MC’s romantic interest might challenge.

The buildup isn’t one sweeping first meeting.

It begins there, and then is crafted through quiet actions and roundabout conversations that leave your audience waiting for more.

By this point, you’re eager to send your protagonist off into an eternal romantic sunset.

But you won’t reap the full narrative benefits of this plot by ending their storyline too soon.

Adding emotional tension to the romance can influence character growth.

How can you use conflict to encourage their relationship to evolve?

Ask yourself:

Is there a reason that the external plot might keep them apart?

What worries or fears might plague your protagonist, influencing them to remain distant or hold back from this romance?

What secrets or past conflicts might haunt the present-day relationship?

How might miscommunication cause tension in their relationship?

These tensions and conflicts can be implemented before their relationship takes off and during the romance. 

Overcoming them will be a key part of your protagonist’s journey, ultimately determining whether the relationship will endure or end in heartbreak.

How the relationship evolves will greatly influence your character-driven plot when it’s expertly used to comment on and move your protagonist’s internal transformation forward.

At some point, there will be an emotional shift between these two characters.

They’ll overcome their conflicts and internal hangups. They’ll develop a deeper understanding of each other. 

A realistic romantic relationship will demonstrate this connection for your audience.

It won’t feel like you’ve just chosen a romantic interest for your MC to liven things up, like you could take any secondary character and drop them in their place.

To develop this intimate connection, consider the shared experiences that your characters will have throughout their journey.

Will they be a witness to the other person’s lowest point? 

Will they have a similar background, an understanding of the trials that each has been through? 

Will they be willing to keep a secret for the other?

Perhaps, they will witness an event that shifts their understanding of who their romantic interest is. Possibly, they will realize that they were wrong.

Plan out the emotional shifts that each key moment will have in your protagonist.

Use action, reaction, and their point of view to demonstrate how their strong connection has been well-earned.

This isn’t necessarily the resolution to your entire plot.

Instead, we are talking about what is to become of your protagonist’s romance in the end.

Will it survive, or will it end in heartbreak?

If they’ve waited until this point to let the other know how they feel, will there be a grand gesture or quiet confession?

Knowing your characters will guide you toward how they’d naturally express their feelings, whether it’s to sustain the relationship or break it off.

Consider using the relationship’s outcome to highlight your theme.

Happily ever after isn’t the only satisfying ending.

Sometimes, when earned, bittersweet, tragic and unresolved will serve your story best.

So, you’ve utilized the 4 key moments to craft a compelling romance. Before you go, check that you haven’t incorporated these pitfalls that may damage this relationship’s believability.

1. Love at First Sight Without Depth: I’m not telling you not to use the love at first sight trope. I’m just encouraging you to spend time piecing it together. Ask yourself why it serves your story and what your MC will learn from this experience. How will you use this trope in a way where you can still develop a strong connection beyond physical attraction?

2. A Forced Breakup: We can fall into the trap of thinking that a whirlwind romance that’s rife with conflict needs a breakup or two. Perhaps, they will break up, intermittently or for good. But, don’t hang all of your emotional tension on this technique. There needs to be a real reason for them to break up.

3. A Romance Irrelevant to the Main Plot: Your story must remain character-driven. Romance on its own will not sustain your story. First and foremost, this romantic relationship must weave into the protagonist’s internal arc. Ensure that it challenges their misbelief and influences, to some extent, their transformation.

Ready to write an authentic romance that drives your protagonist’s journey and gains your audience’s approval?

Start by reflecting on your story’s theme and the internal revelation your protagonist will ultimately have.

Use those to guide the creation of this romance.

Feel free to experiment with different romantic arcs.

Play it out multiple ways until you land on the resolution that feels right for your protagonist.

Let the relationship influence your MC’s growth naturally.

Have a romantic relationship from a story that you love? Why does it jump off the page?

Share in the comments.

Talk soon!

Julia