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How to Write Characters With Romantic Chemistry
Writing great chemistry can be challenging. If you’re not super inspired, sometimes the connection between your characters feels like it’s missing something.
Here are a few steps you can consider when you want to write some steamy romantic chemistry and can’t figure out what’s blocking your creativity.
1. Give the Love a Name
Tropes have a bad reputation, but they can be excellent tools when you’re planning or daydreaming about a story. Giving the romance a name also assigns a purpose, which takes care of half the hard plotting work.
You can always read about love tropes to get inspired and think about which might apply to the characters or plot points you have in mind, like:
Friends to lovers
Enemies to lovers
First love
The love triangle
Stuck together
Forbidden love
Multiple chance love
Fake lovers turned soulmates
There are tooooons of other tropes in the link above, but you get the idea. Name the love you’re writing about and it will feel more concrete in your brain.
2. Develop Your Characters
You should always spend time developing your characters individually, but it’s easy to skip this part. You might jump into writing the story because you have a scene idea. Then the romance feels flat.
The good news is you can always go back and make your characters more real. Give them each their own Word or Google doc and use character templates or questions to develop them.
You should remember to do this for every character involved in the relationship as well. Sometimes love happens between two people who live nearby and other times it happens by:
Being in a throuple
Being in a polyamorous relationship
Being the only one in love (the other person never finds out or doesn’t feel it back, ever)
There are so many other ways to experience love too. Don’t leave out anyone involved in the developing relationship or writing your story will feel like driving a car with only three inflated tires.
3. Give the Conversations Stakes
Whenever your characters get to talk, what’s at risk? This doesn’t have to always be something life changing or scary. Sometimes it might be one character risking how the other perceives them by revealing an interest or new fact about themselves.
What’s developing in each conversation? What’s being said through their body language? Are they learning if they share the same sense of humor or value the same foundational beliefs? Real-life conversations don’t always have a point, but they do in romantic stories.
4. Remember Body Language
Body language begins long before things get sexy between your characers (if they ever do). It’s their fingertips touching under the table, the missed glance at the bus stop, the casual shoulder bump while walking down the street.
It’s flushed cheeks, a jealous heart skipping a beat, being tongue tied because one character can’t admit their feelings yet.
If a scene or conversation feels lacking, analyze what your characters are saying through their body language. It could be the thing your scene is missing.
5. Add a Few Flaws
No love story is perfect, but that doesn’t mean your characters have to experience earth shattering pain either.
Make one laugh so hard that they snort and feel embarrassed so the other can say how much they love that person’s laugh. Make miscommunication happen so they can make up or take a break.
People grow through their flaws and mistakes. Relationships get stronger or weaker when they learn things that are different about them or that they don’t like about each other.
6. Create Intellectual Moments
When you’re getting to know someone, you bond over the things you’re both interested in. That’s also a key part of falling in love. Have your characters fall in intellectual love by sharing those activities, talking about their favorite subjects, or raving over their passions. They could even teach each other through this moment, which could make them fall harder in love.
7. Put Them in Public Moments
You learn a lot about someone when they’re around friends, acquaintances, and strangers. The chemistry between your characters may fall flat if they’re only ever around each other.
Write scenes so they’re around more people and get to learn who they are in public. They’ll learn crucial factors like the other person’s ambition, shyness, humor, confidence, and if they’re a social butterfly or wallflower.
Will those moments make your characters be proud to stand next to each other or will it reveal something that makes them second guess everything?
8. Use Your Senses
And of course, you can never forget to use sensory details when describing the physical reaction of chemistry. Whether they’re sharing a glance or jumping into bed, the reader feels the intensity of the moment through their five senses—taste, touch, sight, sound, and smell.
Characters also don’t have to have all five senses to be the protagonist or love interest in a romantic story. The number isn’t important—it’s how you use the ways your character interacts with the world.
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Anyone can write great romantic chemistry by structuring their love story with essential elements like these. Read more romance books or short stories too! You’ll learn as you read and write future relationships more effortlessly.
Not sure if anyone is still following me on here BUT, I didn’t abandon grief and guillotines, I’m writing the ending rn and I hope to have it done soon, like end of the month soon.
Update on grief and guillotines!
I’m sure you’ve all noticed my incredibly slow upload time on this latest chapter, it’s been about month or so, but writers block has hit me hard while I’m busy with life stuff!
Nevertheless I am still, albeit very slowly, writing the final chapter! I have no plans or intentions to abandon the fic, so please bear with me!
Friendly reminder grief and guillotines is on a hiatus, not abandoned!! You will see them again :)
New TogaChako oneshot! If you love hurt no comfort and major emotional angst, have fun! It’s my interpretation of a canon missing scene after my hero’s ending!
Chapter 9 of my spideypool fic grief and guillotines is out!
If you’re new to the fic, here’s what you can expect!
Childish banter, begrudging friends to lovers, idiots to lovers, heavy angst/hurt comfort, a deep dive into grief, death, and the effects it has on our relationships, and gay people!
Feel free to give it a shot!
Grief and Guillotines update!
Chapter 9 will be up in the next 30 minutes! Thank you guys for the patience while I was sick!! (I'm still sick but I powered through for this!)
Grief and guillotines update!
I am still working on the fic, so dw, it’s not abandoned! But I am totally busy and it’s taking a while for this chapter to come out!! So sorry but hang tight!
Grief and Guillotines chapter 8 is out!!
Formatting and typos have been fixed!! If you had any trouble reading before (Especially the formatting glitch in chapter 5), it should be much better now!
Grief and Guillotines minor update
I'm going back and fixing up some typos, so if you get any notifications for the chapters! Sorry!
Good news is that chapter 8 is fully written, and just needs to be looked over again by me and few beta readers once im done fixing typos in the story! Ty all for your patience! (Possibly another Monday upload? :)
Grief and Guillotines minor update
I'm going back and fixing up some typos, so if you get any notifications for the chapters! Sorry!
Good news is that chapter 8 is fully written, and just needs to be looked over again by me and few beta readers once im done fixing typos in the story! Ty all for your patience! (Possibly another Monday upload? :)
Was goodness abandoning your friends as they struggled to breathe in hospital beds while you stood beside your enemies? While your thumb caresses the back of her soft hands to comfort her, for her tears are the one thing you cannot endure?
Or
Himiko Toga lives, and Uraraka struggles with the concept of heroism.
Good news! Chapter is almost done and will be set to release on Wednesday at the lastest, Tuesday at the earliest! This is going to be a very dark chapter, so get some hot cocoa and make sure to take good care of your mental health :)
Quick update! Chapter 7 is gonna be postponed for a few reasons!
• I have jury duty on that day, and will not be able to upload
• I am behind on my artfight attacks!
• my life has been very busy this month, and it’s hard finding the time to write and finish the chapter!
Even if I finished it now, I want to not rush my beta readers into one day lookovers like I’ve been doing! Ty guys for your patience :,)
Quick update! Chapter 7 is gonna be postponed for a few reasons!
• I have jury duty on that day, and will not be able to upload
• I am behind on my artfight attacks!
• my life has been very busy this month, and it’s hard finding the time to write and finish the chapter!
Even if I finished it now, I want to not rush my beta readers into one day lookovers like I’ve been doing! Ty guys for your patience :,)
While I've been busy with artfight, I've still been writing Grief and Guillotines, and you can expect a regular upload on Monday! Heres a blurb from the upcoming chapter!
Back to writing! On a side note my goodness its confusing to remember little details in such a big story, whats the weather like?????? IS IT WINTER???? SUMMER???
I NEEDED THIS SM
helpful sites for writers
i have a little collection of websites i tend to use for coming up with ideas, naming people or places, keeping clear visuals or logistics, writing basics about places i've never been to, and so on. i tend to do a lot of research, but sometimes you just need quick references, right? so i thought i'd share some of them!
Behind the Name; good for name meanings but also just random name ideas, regardless of meanings.
Fantasy Name Generator; this link goes to the town name generator, which i use most, but there are lots of silly/fun/good inspo generators on there!
Age Calculator; for remembering how old characters are in Y month in Z year. i use this constantly.
Height Comparison; i love this for the height visuals; does character A come up to character B's shoulder? are they a head taller? what does that look like, height-wise? the chart feature is great!
Child Development Guide; what can a (neurotypical, average) 5-year-old do at that age? this is a super handy quickguide for that, with the obviously huge caveat that children develop at different paces and this is not comprehensive or accurate for every child ever. i like it as a starting point, though!
Weather Spark; good for average temperatures and weather checking!
Green's Dictionary of Slang; good for looking up "would x say this?" or "what does this phrase mean in this context?" i love the timeline because it shows when the phrase was historically in use. this is english only, though; i dig a little harder for resources like this in other languages.
Chapter one of my slow burn spideypool fic!
The man he’s holding by the shirt slumps to the ground as his grip unfolds. His knuckles ache, but his heart still itches for another fight.
Sensing his intentions, Wade clears his throat. “Not here for a fight! Though I’d totally love to see you kick my ass, several times, with your hand-“
“Shut up.”
“Yep! Lips are sealed.” He mimes the motion of zipping up his mouth, then shudders as if the very thought would drive him mad.
“What do you want with me?”
He takes to the streets, clothed in darkness and itching for a fight, and Peter finds it. Again, and again, and again. He’s quiet this time, his voice too hoarse from tears to speak, too enraged to do anything other than scream. So the only sounds that fill the warehouses are the dull pangs of fists and blood splatters. Knuckles hitting flesh, and screams echoing off of stained walls.
One day, when the nights calm, Peter will be disgusted by the monster who stalked the streets, for once his knuckles red from another man’s ichor. Today, he feels righteous.
OR
When Spider-Man loses it all, will a deal with Deadpool save them both?
CHAPTER 3 OF MY HURT/COMFORT CASEY FIC IS OUT!!!! Please check it out when you can!!
CHAPTER 2 OF “Time Gateway” IS OUT NOW!
Donnie’s eyes are practically sparkling with glee, wrapping his hands around Casey’s wrist and dragging him toward an enormous machine made up of lilac metal and a mess of wires. “Now just step in here and in- '' Donnie types away at his wristpad, sticking his tongue out in focus. “15.8 seconds, you’ll be all set!” He slides into the nearest chair, swiveling around the room from screen to screen, typing at ungodly speeds on his keyboard.
OR: a Casey jones jr hurt/comfort found family fic!
I love this ✨✨
【 interactions will come from main blog: @flyovertheandesman 】
「 I do not claim to be an expert on anything I post here 」
「 please correct me or add information if you can ; I will really appreciate it ! 」
「 posts will be edited as I learn more on a topic ; addendum links will be here if the added information is abundant 」
「 requests are open 」
「 need an alpha / beta reader? message me! 」
『 ☒ indicates trigger warnings apply 』
✧
Characters
Bilingual Characters
Body Types
Breath
Character Checklist
Character Flaws
Character Names
Clothing
Eyeglasses
Eyes
Facial Expressions
Hair
Physical Flaws
Voice
✧
Descriptions
Scents • Citrus
Scents • Fruit, Veggie, & Nut
Scents • Greens & Herbs
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Knowledge
Adrenaline
Animal Symbolism
Color Symbolism
Effects of Trauma ☒
Firewood
Flower Symbolism
General Symbolism (direction, landscape, season, time, weather, items)
Limits of the Human Body ☒
Pirate Life ☒
Smokable Herbs & Their Benefits
Trigger Warnings ☒
Trope List ☒
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Prompts
AU • Coffee Shop
Characterization • Headcanon List
Fluff • Act of Intimacy
Fluff • Domestic Questions to Ask About Your OTP
Fluff • Headcanon List
Fluff • Student Scenarios
Pirate Rivalry Between Kingdoms (dialogue included)
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Prompts • Dialogue
Anger ☒
Injury // Enemies to Lovers ☒
Possessiveness/Jealousy ☒
Staying the Night ☒
Training with Tension ☒
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Vocabulary
Hand-to-Hand Combat • word list
Laughter • synonyms
Sword Fighting • terms
Touch • synonyms
Walk • synonyms
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Writing Tips
Basic Plots
Comma Rules
Commonly Misused Words and Phrases ; (addendum w/ list of acceptably ‘incorrect’ phrases)
Descriptions in Between Dialogue
Ellipsis
Figurative Language
Helpful Links
Maintaining Motivation to Write
Parts of Speech
Point of View • First Person
Punctuating Dialogue
Scene Checklist
Story Endings
When You Need Motivation Imagine… (external validation edition)
Words to Avoid
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World Building
Basic Necessities
City Elements
Creating Culture
Creating Land
Dystopia
Government Types
Royal Council Positions
Servants
You’ve been sentenced to 400 years for multiple murders. It’s been 399 years and your jailers are starting to get nervous.
So I just used ChatGPT for feedback for a writing piece. Just pasted the piece in and said 'critique this piece please'. (I have no-one else to get feedback from who I want to read this).
Since when is AI so.......so? ;-;
(I don't agree with AI being a replacement for a real person, this was just a spur of 'I want feedback').
"Adverbs pave the road to hell."
-- Stephen King
I have this written on a tiny spiral notepad next to my desk just in case I need reminding.
K.M. Weiland is one of my favorite authors on writing. She has an entire series and website devoted to "helping writers become authors."
What’s writing, you know? What does writing actually mean?
What is... Alpha vs. Beta Reader?
Most writers do not publish a work without it going through the process of being critiqued by multiple people beforehand. People that do the critiquing are alpha and beta readers.
But where is the difference?
Alpha readers come in first. They can read your draft at any point, you can even just run your first ideas by them. The alpha reader should focus on the general story, the bigger picture. They tell you where plot holes are and if an idea or scene in underdeveloped. They will tell you if one of your ideas just don't translate on the page just yet. You should take their feedback and apply it.
After working on the draft with the feedback you got, it's time for the beta reader. This one comes in towards the end, when the overall draft is finished. A beta reader should represent your target audience and should tell you what they liked and didn't like as a reader, not a fellow writer. They can tell you about what they felt while reading your story and if they cared about the characters. Beta readers will examine the whole story like the alpha readers, but they will do it more in-depth, which is why it's important to have them come in at the end, when you've gone through multiple rounds of revisions of the overall story.