Wattpad Writer Tells 5 Essential Elements Of Writing A Great Love Story

Ever wondered what is it about a good romantic book that fills our hearts, ignites our passions and makes us go weak in the knees?

While romance may seem like the easiest genre to write, it is definitely not. There are many ingredients to a great romance novel, moreover, a romance reader is smart, discerning and not easily impressed.

To write a successful romantic story, it takes a thoughtful strategy. It won¡¯t just happen magically.

So, here's a list of essential elements that goes into writing an appealing romantic story compiled by Wattpad's one of the top romance writers Celeste A Brook. Take a look.

1) Compelling characters

Writing romance requires strong main characters. A reader¡¯s engagement with the story will likely be determined by the chemistry of your protagonists. Make sure your characters have compelling backstories that inform their points of view about romantic relationships.

A romance novel is only as intriguing as the dynamic between the lovers. The best romance authors know how to create rich, complex characters to fuel the love story.

Representative Pic: Pixabay

Further, the main characters need to be three-dimensional. Readers want to read about relatable characters, but that doesn¡¯t mean characters need to be perfect. They actually need to be real, raw, believable, have flaws and a life that goes beyond the romance side of the story.

2) Romance tropes

Romance tropes exist for a reason. We¡¯ve all read stories in which best friends become lovers, or in which love is forbidden due to class, caste, or family affiliation. These romance plots consistently engage romance readers, and you shouldn¡¯t be afraid to include them in your novel.

While there are different devices you can use in your story, such as rich and sadistic billionaire playboy meets mousy, unsure girl, you can¡¯t go wrong with the above tropes. Readers want to see themselves in the heroine. They want to believe that this love interest exists. And they want the story to be in some way relatable to their own lives.

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However, if you spend your whole writing career rehashing the same tropes with every new book, readers may become bored and disinterested.

3) Strong emotional conflict

Conflict is a block or barrier that prevents their romance from sizzling and blossoming. Conflict is what drives your main characters apart. It is more of an emotional thing than a physical one.

In romance novels, a realistic obstacle is preventing the main characters from being together. Something deeper and meaningful that will require some character growth, despite the high stakes of the story, in order for them to see love is worth putting themselves in the line for.

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4) The right feels

Love stories must grab the attention and affection of readers so that they never want to let go. The core emotion, however, is what a reader wants to feel¨Cthe reason they choose a particular type of story. In a love story, the core emotion is Romance.

Readers want to experience the excitement and mystery, the joys and tears, the guilt and passion associated with love without the real-life risks involved. Romance readers want to embark on this rollercoaster and experience the emotional connection along with the two main characters.

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5) The ending

One of the implicit promises of the romance genre is that of a happy ending. No matter how much turbulence your main couple experiences over the course of your novel, they should end up in each other¡¯s arms. It doesn¡¯t need to be a ¡°happily ever after,¡± but it should at least be a ¡°happy for now¡±: something to reassure the readers that these two characters are stable for the foreseeable future.

(This story is a part of #StoryCollective, an Indiatimes and Wattpad initiative to encourage storytelling and provide a platform for this generation to meet in a story.)