The Do's and Don'ts of Writing a Story

HOW TO: Relationships your readers will ship

relationships, especially in beginner writer's works, have a tendency feel forced. Even in some popular and famous works of fiction, the relationship doesn't feel natural. It seems like a boring afterthought which the writer added in last minute. Far too often, I find myself completely indifferent in a character's romantic life. A good romance in a story will give the reader a bit of second-hand infatuation. they'll root for the relationship, beg for it. If the romance is well written, you can make the reader smile and blush just by reading a few sentences. when done properly, it can even compensate for a weak and cliché plot.

But first, decide whether the romance is needed. If you're adding a character to the plot simply for the sake of being a love interest, it's probably not a needed romance. You can still add it, of course, but it will be much harder to keep your story focused on the central plot. 

Step 1 - make sure the characters have chemistry.

The characters should compliment each other's personalities. If he's loud, stubborn, and aggressively opinionated, a more tranquil and soft spoken love interest would suit him well. Two headstrong people wouldn't be likely to have a lasting relationship in real life, unless they (impossibly) agreed upon every subject. But, there should be some similarities. While opposites do attract, polar opposites will not and the whole relationship will feel forced. the characters should have morals, a parallel story, the same motivations etc. As long as there's reason for them to be drawn to each other, there's potential. 

Step 2 - slow burn ships are fantastic. 

Don't make your characters fall in love right off the bat. there can be attraction, of course, but genuine feelings of true love don't happen instantly. Your characters should become closer as people, feel at ease around each other, and truly know each other before they fall head-over-heels. the readers will crave the relationship far ore, like dangling a treat right in front of a dog's nose, but keep pulling it away. Teasing is a beautiful thing.

Find ways of showing (not telling) the characters are falling for each other. Have them stand up for one another, be protective. Have them break their normal routine for the other. For example, a callous guarded character could lower their walls for a moment if their love interest needs emotional support. These scenes can be awkward for the character changing their typical behaviour and that discomfort can demonstrate how much they care for the other, altering their own selves for the other's benefit. 

However, make sure that you combine these cute emotional moments with distance. make the characters deny their true feelings or even distance themselves from their love interests upon discovering their feelings. The more the characters long for each other, the more the reader will long for them to be together. Build barriers between them for your characters to have to work to knock down. keep them close, but maintain that distance until the moment is right. 

Step 3 - "____" translates to "I love you."

First example I think of when I think of this is The Princess Bride, where the male protagonist tells his soulmate "as you wish" when he really means "I love you."

This falls under the category of show, don't tell. Hearing a character say "I love you" has become boring. Unless it's done in a surprising confession or unique ways, it's boring and stale. 

Come up with a phrase that you can repeat in moments throughout the story until it has a meaning of love for the characters and both know exactly what the other means when it's spoken. 

Step 4 - taking a break can help create tension. 

You know you love someone if you leave them and feel awful. Apply this into the writing. Your characters can break up, then get back together in a joyous reunion. 

Step 5 - not every couple has a happy ending.

Sometimes, things don't always work out for different reasons. An ending that leaves readers craving more can be good move.