Romancing the Reader

If there’s one thing people from any background are looking for in a story its romance. They might not tell you that’s what they want, but it’s a factor that could completely overhaul the popularity of your story. Why? Because everyone loves a feel-good tale where you can’t help but root for the protagonist to finally get the attention of their crush. It’s natural, as readers we can live vicariously through the characters and the romance aspect certainly plays into that.

With that said, readers can become very adamant about their particularly couple, even if as the writer, you don’t put them together. This is another aspect of the process that you have to be okay with people interpreting as they please. Especially since in young adult novels, there seems to be an abundance of love triangles or squares . While I agree, the conflict propels the plot, it’s becoming tiresome with the Team This and Team That. Two teams that resent each other is pretty much how these things go, but it would be nice for a tad more diversity to be entered into the plot. Must the girl always choose between two guys?

For that matter, once the choice has been made, our young protag is usually somewhere in the years of teenage-hood, getting the attention of their crush and yet, somehow that develops into a marriage-worthy relationship. How many people do you know that married their middle school or high school sweetheart? Honestly? Sure, they’re out there, but apparently every book has been written with them in mind. What about those of us who have been through many relationships, or a few, or none?

If you’re going to have a prominent romance, I would suggest that above all you make it believable in whatever terms that means for your novel. Remember though, that again, your romances should vary just like your characters and that each relationship should develop differently. I doubt even a few people have experienced the same situation as another person. Stories are all about variety and the romances within them are no different.

Share your thoughts on romances! What is the best relationship you’ve read in a novel? The Worst?