10 WORST Tips for Writing a Love Interest in your Book

[@VenomQuill]

#9 Someone made a good point about alphas. In reality, the "alpha male wolf" is literally just the provider. He's the dad that goes out on hunting trips and feeds the fam. Of course mom goes with, but if there are puppies she stays to feed and watch the pups. The ONLY instance in which I would tolerate an "alpha male" is if he's just a really good dad who walks around with cheesy sticks and bandaids in his fanny pack. Literally the only one, you can't change my mind.

[@kimifw58]

Reading the internet's definition of "alpha male," I can see it having a positive spin, like he can be a good leader and protector who genuinely loves the people he watches over and respects them as individuals. He doesn't see himself as above them. He just does what he can to help.

[@sxwriter8569]

Or a grumpy team dad that still cares about everyone in their own way.

[@pLanetstarBerry]

I have a WIP where the local werewolf pack is just a family of born werewolves that behave like an actual pack, so the two leaders of the group are just the parents, and the father is the most extra dad I have ever written in my life. So yes, the cheese sticks and band aid part of your comment made me immediately think of him.

[@VenomQuill]

@@pLanetstarBerry I love that. I currently have a story on ice with a werewolf family. In the canon of the book, werewolves are very family-oriented, so werewolf packs are not only multigenerational (sometimes spanning from great-grandparents to great-grandchildren) but very much so full of children they've adopted. So most of a werewolf pack might not even be werewolves. They care for those who need them and let people who need them join them. They're very much the "group mom" where a group of teens will hang out most frequently at the werewolf house because they aren't leaving hungry, that's for sure, and somehow werewolves have this ability to be selectively deaf?? (They don't, but you get the point) Don't get me started on events like little Jimmy's baseball game or a Fourth of July cookout or _T H A N K S G I V I N G._ The idea of an abusive, misogynistic, sometimes homophobic relationship being ideal makes me a little sick tbh. This family, full of adopted children and extended family, is the family I want to see.

[@illiengalene2285]

@@pLanetstarBerry I wanna read it! Yes!

[@jasonsteele6920]

These tropes are why so much fanfiction exists. People would rather pair the hero with ANY other actual fleshed out character in the series than the one-note love interest.

[@VenomQuill]

Honestly, yeah. Yeah, this about sums up over half of the ships out there. Some ships make me genuinely irritated because they're just shoe-horned in so the MC can have a canonical SO.

[@julietfischer5056]

@@VenomQuill - Or producers think viewers want one.

[@VenomQuill]

@@julietfischer5056 Back in my childhood, I watched My Little Pony, and the movie series that went with it. I would put money down that they gave the MC (side character in that universe?) a boyfriend because in the fandom, she was being shipped with the female MC. There genuinely could have been a relationship there. I don't often play with ships seriously, but I could see if one of them was male, then that would be the canon ship, 100%. I can tell you that quite a lot of viewers were not hoping for the new love interest, especially since the male love interest was shoe-horned in and had, I kid you not, about an hour or so of total screentime ever as he was introduced near the beginning of the movie and they dated in the end. It was a very intentional and honestly out-of-character move for them. Not saying all close friendships have to become romantic, good friends can be good friends. Please let good friends be friends. But I know that show, and how it acts. So, I always keep that in the back of my mind, especially analyzing romantic and platonic relationships in other media. I even did a character study on a romantic option in Dragon Age 2 and why it was abusive. lmao Producers will do a lot of things if they believe it's what the viewers want. But know that they do things that they want, and what their sponsors want, too. It's totally within their right. I will be the first to admit that I wouldn't change my love interest in my book series if I had fans who would want that changed. So, it would be hypocritical of me to expect other creators to change their content. However, it is within all my rights to judge them harshly for how terribly written it was.

[@weridplusho]

Pretty much why I grew to hate having romance in non-romantic stories.

[@AlbinoBlackHole]

This is why I LOVE InoTan (Inosuke/Tanjiro), LIKE Tankana (Tanjiro/Kanao) and DEPISE InoAoi (Inosuke/Aoi). Inosuke is the best boy in Demon Slayer, Kanao is a solid supporting character, and Aoi could be replaced with cardboard.

[@The_Leftysaurus]

'Protective is not possessive' YES! THANK YOU! Gawd,...

[@JennaMoreci]

LOL right????

[@Fbaker04330]

I agree. I was thinking of Twilight when she said that. Okay yes, I understand the series has popularity, however Bella opens her eyes and Edward is there watching her sleep?

[@amjthe_paleosquare9399]

@@Fbaker04330 *Cinema Therapy has entered the chat*

[@raphaeljamesarquisola3080]

​​​@@JennaMoreciCan you make.a video how to write a protective character?

[@quirkyauthor5378]

I think there should be an additional category that best describes a certain type of love interest: the Sex Interest. For me, a Love Interest is a character that has a romantic connection with the main character, with common ideals/interests and/or compatible personality traits. A Sex Interest is someone that the main character is attracted to sexually without romantic compatibility, and the main character would probably not be into them if they weren’t thinking with their genitals. Both have interesting story potential, but a lot of authors try to pass off Sex Interests for Love Interests, and that isn’t always as emotionally satisfying as a Love Interest.

[@valhatan3907]

This is remind me with one of the LI in an interactive fiction I was read. The LI only want to fck MC, but letter on we can develop more depth romantic relationship with him/her. The title is _Wayhaven Chronicles_

[@everythingcoffee8901]

Yeah sexual and romantic attraction are just different things

[@ludovico6890]

One I particularly like: have a couple made by one Love Interest and one Sex Interest. They're both into each other, but not at all on the same level. Done well it can create a lot of tensions and conflicts.

[@HouseOfAlastrian]

I have given serious consideration to having characters with a friends-with-benefits kind of arrangement.

[@ludovico6890]

@@HouseOfAlastrian Personally, I love this trope. Especially since I write crime fiction: "friends with benefits" is nothing new, but often it fits the genre, setting and characters beautifully.

[@arrow_of_ravenclaw5155]

Number seven gave me a writing idea. Hero sees the villain of the story is dating his crush and believes she’s in a toxic relationship. Turns out; they’re villains together and actually have a loving relationship in their own weird way. Turns out; she adores being the most coveted arm candy in the crime circles, and she loves getting involved to

[@star-boltlover9609]

Did you just read my mind?

[@sxwriter8569]

Writing thought or there’s an actual story out there?

[@liladesneko5730]

Family addans vibes, love it.

[@grahamdamberger7130]

Sounds like Harley Quinn from the DC universe, back when she had her eyes set on the Joker.

[@andrewrogers3067]

@@grahamdamberger7130 Yeah but Joker doesn’t really care for Harley. I’d like a loving relationship between two incredibly evil people

[@michaelramon2411]

As an add-on to "dating the villain" - this also has a serious risk of undermining a character's agency and consent. "I don't think your relationship with Todd is very healthy" is a thing a friend might say. "Todd's not good for you and you should date me instead" is creepy, and features the character assuming they know another person (usually a woman)'s thoughts and feelings better than the actual person does.

[@vlo4829]

It's kind of a copout anyway to just put her in an abusive relationship that "she can't escape". It's true that people can find it hard to leave abusive relationships HOWEVER, a lot of people who date douchebags ARE not abused and NOT being intimidated into staying; they are CHOOSING to stay. MCs probably should question them more. Even the fact that they are often willing to leave their man and run off with the MC just because the MC beats (or kills) him could be cause for concern. Like what standards does this girl really have?

[@chrisrudolf9839]

Very true. The "you should date me instead" part usually completely undermines the purpose of portraying the MC as the well-meaning good guy. Someone who genuinely wants to help a friend free themselves from an unhealthy relationship should not have the goal to immediately get into that person's pants themselves. Instead of a concerned friend, it makes him a predator who is after already wounded prey (or worse, a predator who selfishly disregards their prey's actual wants and needs and tries to destroy their happy relationship because they want to have them). Even if the intentions are good, a person who is in an abusive relationship and lacks the strength to break free will be traumatized and will need time to heal after that breakup - they need genuine emotional support, not the next person making use of their vulnerability to goad them into the next dependant relationship. Chances are you set out to write a white knight and instead have them come across as a creepy stalker.

[@magikforce4069]

@@vlo4829 exactly.People act like toxic and abusive relationships are the same thing,when,they’re not. Toxic relationships should be easier to leave and if you don’t choose to leave,that’s on you

[@anna-katehowell9852]

Re: #5: " If two [people] agree on everything, you may be sure that one of them is doing the thinking." -President Lyndon B. Johnson

[@JennaMoreci]

YUP!

[@TheReiGillepsieLibrary]

I actually have witnessed a love triangle in real life where two men were pining after one girl. It wasn’t romantic. Just full of heartbreak, codependency, and toxicity 😷

[@tariqthomas9090]

I do think love triangles can work, but well-written love triangles are exceedingly rare and require a lot of heavy-lifting to make them good storytelling. In Outlander, for example, the main character basically time-travels out of her marriage with no way of getting home and has to remarry for safety, ultimately falling in love with her new husband. In Jane The Virgin, the engaged main character gets accidentally artificially inseminated with an old flame’s specimen, which forces her and her fiancé to reckon with this new unfair co-parenting situation they didn’t ask for. These are compelling, but they are also completely ridiculous. But that’s just it. *Love Triangles are completely ridiculous.*

[@sxwriter8569]

Jane the Virgin…whoa that actually sounds pretty freaking crazy.

[@valhatan3907]

Is there any internal conflict because the MC married again even tho she already someone else wife? Dang, that show sound interesting

[@yamiletbruno2031]

Personally I enjoyed Jane the virgins love triangle in the beginning but it eventually got old very fast. It was a constant switch between who she wanted and when one would move on she would decide that’s when she wanted to be with them. I do think love triangles can be done well but it’s rare.

[@bartunthegreat2999]

I am currently writing an Imaginary Love Triangle, in which one of the characters feels that his, until that moment, platonic relationship with the female MC is threatened by a third party, forcing him to gather the courage, step up and take action. Of course the third party made his feelings for the female MC clear quite early, but he was turned down, wich the Main Love Interest doesn't know. In his eyes he can only see how the FMC and this new guy grow closer (as friends) feeling insecure and inadecuate. This happens during the preparations for an upcoming war, so their main focus is not the relationship but the upcoming invasion.

[@tariqthomas9090]

@@valhatan3907 Oh…there’s ALL the internal conflict. She tries desperately to get back home to her husband but because she’s an Englishwoman that travels back in time to 17th century Scotland, she’s seen as an enemy to all of the natives. So she’s not only trying to stay alive while trying to get back home to her husband, but also trying to figure out how she got there in the first place, with her only ally being her second husband.

[@Rosemont104]

I think authors, when writing love interests, should either look to their parents, any relationships they've had or seen in life, or even their old childhood fictional/cartoon crushes, and recall what it was about them that they liked so much. I also would love sources of conflict that aren't recycled from soap operas or tabloids.

[@TishSimish]

A lot of people have toxic relationships in my family, so I look around them for what not to do💀

[@t.rdixon6869]

Parents? As in plural?

[@herewegoagain4033]

Lol, I think that the problem actually, they use there old toxic relationships as a love intrest.

[@maemihoshino3010]

Well, all people I know are in toxic/abusive relationships so 👁👄👁

[@julianmartinez4719]

When i heard aaaaaaaaaalllll the love story of my parents, i always end up surprised that me and my sisters ended up existing.

[@nekoman8560]

*Writes protagonist who blatantly refuses to get into any sort of romance* Yes, I agree with number 10. Romance is not only not required, but not desired

[@SadieParker799]

I definitely agree that romance isn't a requirement for a story to be good and compelling. I think too many stories shoehorn it in because that's just what you do, although it's especially bad in movies. I'd love to read more books that don't include it, and have characters actively deciding not to get involved with all this romance business

[@ludovico6890]

I think there's a reason romantic subplots are often shoehorned into stories that don't require them: sex errr, I mean, love sells: readers and viewers don't want the characters they invest themselves into to be monks and nuns, they project themselves in them so they want the protagonists of a story to get laid.

[@ca.m3923]

Fr ! I dropped good doctor just bcz the shity romance that ruined it

[@annien.1727]

I still love a good romance novel. I'm just a sucker for romance. My opinion, of course.

[@ludovico6890]

@@annien.1727 The thing is in a romance novel you'd expect, well, romance. In a crime novel, or a fantasy novel, or a horror novel, romance might or might not be there, but it's not a requirement in any case. And you don't have the same expectations as a reader: generally the MC of a romance novel ends up in a relationship. In a crime novel, less so, or at least if the relationship fails it is often expected.

[@nessyness5447]

I want to write a parody about an acearo woman being sucked into the universe of erotica romance novels, and being like, avoiding all the guys XD

[@nicoleheymannweltgestalter]

Yes, amen, and thank you: romance isn't REQUIRED for a compelling story! I think I may be asexual so I'm obviously biased, but I think romance is way overrated in fiction. I get it, it feels thrilling, but life is about more than ... that. And if it isn't, then maybe your life is a bit underwhelming or unbalanced. Honestly, I find well-written friendships and family arcs more interesting because they are harder to write. You don't have the "hot" scene as a cop-out, so it has to actually be good. Anyway, thanks for another great video, Jenna, and Merry Christmas!

[@VenomQuill]

I feel this on a spiritual level. Yes, less romantic subplots, more family and friendship. Please.

[@gonegirlboss]

I disagree about “ hot scenes, “ being a cop-out, however I do agree with your overall point. Some stories shouldn’t have romances at all considering the plot itself is incredibly compelling, but too much time is spent on a romance subplot.

[@nicoleheymannweltgestalter]

@@gonegirlboss you're right, I don't mean that romance is always a cop-out. Both sex and romance are part of real life, so they can be part of storytelling. I just mean that romance can easily be used as a shallow distraction, as in "I'll not put in the work to actually write something good, but there's a romantic subplot, so who cares". If it's well placed and written then romance is good, even great. But if someone thinks the romantic subplot will automatically make their story amazing, that's using it as an easy out from actually writing a strong story.

[@gonegirlboss]

@@nicoleheymannweltgestalter Absolutely! I totally understand what you mean, and I meant no disrespect in my response at all! I totally agree. It’s very often shoehorned into stories just to appeal to audiences, or so it’s more marketable since romance is one of the highest selling genres, if not the highest.

[@1kaz1]

I'm also asexual but I add romance to everything I write(specially now that I'm writing about dealing with trauma and being able to form new bonds) I just make them all asexual because I'm more comfortable like that

[@katsygirl28]

I agree completely with number 4! There are too many toxic examples of conflict in romance. Why not have there be internal struggles in the love interest? That'll add character and make them wholly more interesting than the telenovela-style, "Oh no, he's betrayed me for the fifth time and I'm still gonna forgive him because I love him!" shlock.

[@leigh-anjohnson]

I'm working on a "Twilight as a horror story" novella so these tips are actually perfect for the "love interest" who is supposed to be toxic. I'm trying to depict how someone can fall into a bad situation without realizing it at first, but come to see their partner for the toxic mess that they are and hopefully escape from it

[@Newfiecat]

Oh man do I ever want to read THAT version of Twilight!

[@amjthe_paleosquare9399]

I think you'd like to check out Cinema Therapy Reacts to Twilight. Those poor men, ome family therapist, the other a filmmaker, their sacrifice will be remebered 😔 They reacted to the whole saga.

[@leigh-anjohnson]

@@amjthe_paleosquare9399 I know 🤣 Their reaction to the first movie is what gave the the idea to write Twilight as a horror story. I made a comment about it and they said they would read it

[@fionakriner5848]

I want to read it too! :)

[@leigh-anjohnson]

@@fionakriner5848 Will update when I have a draft for you to read

[@arrow_of_ravenclaw5155]

I once wrote a story where the conflict was the fact that the lv switches bodies with her brother unconsciously every other day. So I agree about the point about toxicity. There’s better conflicts

[@srslydoatm9251]

I read a love story where the girl was about to be kidnapped but the guys who save her are crime underlords and some of them weren't even that cute

[@michaelramon2411]

That actually sounds kind of cool, if handled with the appropriate amount of thought and nuance. Which it sounds like you think it was not.

[@laurasalo6160]

@Srsly do "not cute"? Who cares. Get to know them more. They saved her life. That's dead sexy in my book. That's a man. I'm not dismayed cuz he doesn't look like some teenaged vampire fantasy guy. Half his face could be melted off and I'd see him as worth getting to know better.

[@cheemerthelizard]

Something that should also be said: if you don’t want the relationship to work out for any reason, that’s fine! Rejection is a part of life just as much as love is.

[@InvisiblerApple]

And a lot of the ones with bittersweet or unhappy endings have much more room for complexity. Although, to be fair it's because they're not billed as romances so much as dramas.

[@ludovico6890]

Yes!!! I completely agree. And on a side note, I love, love, love failed relationships (in fiction that is). Don't give me that happily ever after. Have people try and fail, succeed but screw it up (there are so many ways), or just for principle reasons refuse loving arms.

[@nessyness5447]

@@ludovico6890 this is why , in my unpopular opinion, i actually like the plot of disney's pocahontas 2 and her and jhon smith not working as a couple because their life goals were too different. They did love each other, but it was a magical first love, that could not work in reality day by day.

[@heroofthewinds7765]

A note about the evil partner: Abuse is MUCH harder to spot when you're at the center of it. Saying "why doesn't the women/man just leave?" is victim-blaming.

[@everythingcoffee8901]

EXACTLY, I love most of her advice but every time she says something like this it makes me feel a bit sick

[@amberbaker1122]

👏👏👏

[@neutralcosmos5467]

I knew I was right when one of my MCs kept to himself when his partner turned volatile. I felt bad about him being abused for two weeks but everyone in his friends circle was having a hard time so he didn't speak up

[@vlo4829]

It's damseling though, to assume that she IS "trapped" and has no agency. Most people who date douchebags or b*tches are NOT being abused. It's such a cliche that we automatically tend to feel sympathetic towards someone with a loud, obnoxious, or rude partner, even when we haven't seen them treat their partner badly. We are so quick to assume they're "abused". Characters who are just overall jerks, egotistical, etc. don't necessarily treat their partners badly. They can act poorly towards OTHER people. For example, the girl who dates the bully cliche. The bully can treat his girlfriend well while treating his victim horribly. The girlfriend isn't a victim here at all. She could see how he treats the other kid and leave him, but she stays. Having another guy come and woo her away from the bully may be portrayed as "saving" her, but I think a reader/viewer is right to wonder why the bullying wasn't a deal-breaker for her. Did she also think the bullied kid was a loser? That he deserved it? Did she not see it as bullying and think it was just fun? Was the sex just good? Does she just want to be with "hot guys"? Is her willingness to leave her boyfriend just because another guy beats him in a fight really a good thing, even if you're the "winner" that she runs to? More MCs should care about these things.

[@heroofthewinds7765]

@@vlo4829 what I'm talking about is something like a scenario in the video game Xenosaga III, where one of the main characters friends has been manipulated so thoroughly by her boyfriend she literally thinks she can't be happy without him. A situation like that would mean the victim needs outside help to get out of the relationship

[@malachiowens3423]

One trope that annoys me is that when the love interest is a terrible toxic person, just add in a 'nice guy' so that their "better" in comparison.

[@MrGrimjaw]

So a terrible toxic person can't change?

[@malachiowens3423]

@@MrGrimjaw but that's the thing. They don't change they just found someone worse. Like damon in TVD where every villain is just something way worse than the "heroes" are.

[@MrGrimjaw]

@@malachiowens3423 tvd what's that?. Great example is jude and cardan he changed in the end of the cruel prince.

[@sxwriter8569]

Wait, isn’t the second love interest usually a good person that the heroine doesn’t pick: Trevor, Jacob (though he ventures on toxic nice guy), Etc.

[@MrGrimjaw]

@@sxwriter8569 no

[@alexisunrastohh1412]

This could not have come at a better time. I hate hate hate my male love interest and needed him to change... Thanks Jenna for giving me added motivation

[@sxwriter8569]

Out of curiosity, what was his initial draft you had for him?

[@alexisunrastohh1412]

@@sxwriter8569 I had him be an opposing detective from another precinct. I liked that idea but he needs more personality than what he has now...

[@ludovico6890]

@@alexisunrastohh1412 It's a good starting point. How's your MC personality wise?

[@alexisunrastohh1412]

@@ludovico6890 she's a badass detective who feels like she has to prove herself even more since her brothers run the homicide department. She uses sarcasm and wit to hide her growing symptoms of PTSD

[@ludovico6890]

@@alexisunrastohh1412 OK, I'm thinking aloud now. Since opposite attracts he could be a by-the-number civil servant type. Quiet, respected by his colleagues, good at analysis and interrogating. Somewhat higher ranking than your MC, he may or may not get along well with her brother. Personally I'd say he and her brother don't get along, for whatever reason. So he thinks your MC might owe her badges to family connections and suspect her brother of nepotism. I quite like belligerent sexual tensions when I read crime fiction. And it would be a nice gender reversal to the rather common pesky female bureaucrat and manly man cop become lovers you find in action movies. I quite like the idea of adding a brother to the mix, it can bring nuances and complexity to the relationship.

[@SugarPlumFaye]

I once read a book with a love triangle and they all ended up single. The dude she finally decided she wanted to end up with was convinced she cheated when she hadn’t and instead of searching for the truth he just revenge cheated. Worst romance I ever read

[@ticianaalfano7798]

pls give the name of the book, Ik it's not good, but I wanna see this lmaoo

[@sxwriter8569]

Sheesh that’s messed up, what was the name of the book.

[@SugarPlumFaye]

​@@sxwriter8569 ​ I can't find the book, I must have gotten rid of it. The 2 love interests for the girl were step-brothers, one preppy and one a "bad boy" asshole, (but really just an asshole lol). It was bad, but it was so bad that it was memorable so there's that lol

[@SugarPlumFaye]

@@ticianaalfano7798 I can't find the book, I must have gotten rid of it. The 2 love interests for the girl were step-brothers, one preppy and one a "bad boy" asshole, (but really just an asshole lol). It was bad, but it was so bad that it was memorable so there's that lol

[@nessyness5447]

I used to think the solution in memories of idhun of having the three members of the love triangle end in a sort of polyamory relationships ( thought the two guys are only friends between them but in a romance with the girl and one lives with her, the other comes and goes, and they all take care of the kids) was weird, but it's actually a pretty decent solution for a love triangle.

[@omnianimator8468]

On the point of love triangles, I once read a romance manga that added two love interest to the story(I guess it's a love square) but I didn't hate it. Because these characters caused huge character growth for the female mc, the female love interest doesn't understand emotions. She chose not to have friends growing up and was work oriented from a young age, so now in the story when she is trying build relationships(for a genuine reason) does not understand emotions, friendship or romantic relationships(her mother was a widow since childhood). These two characters forced her to grow, understand the feelings the has for the co lead and act on them. So I believe an additional romantic interest can be added if they cause necessary character grow. The manga is called Last Game, it's not long so check it out. Recommend 8/10 have read multiple times. Oh yeah, the "alpha male" trope, been trying to find a good romance but I've running into these ones so rolling my eyes with you.

[@ticianaalfano7798]

omg, I'm writing a story that the female mc also doesn't understand her emotions... anyway, this manga seems really good! and now I'm buying it for Christmas.

[@jenniferkrigbaum2677]

Love that manga!! ❤️

[@srslydoatm9251]

This reminds me of a Manga I read called Say I Love You about a similar female lead who shut herself off from others due to intense bullying only for this really handsome guy show her that not everyone is an a-hole

[@jenniferkrigbaum2677]

@@srslydoatm9251 Say I Love You is a good one too! 😊

[@galvanizeddreamer2051]

Speaking of manga, that reminds me of that one Madoka screenshot that referenced effectively a love-pentagram in passing. Not sure if canon or not, something makes me think no.

[@Alias_Anybody]

The more time you spend with someone, the higher the chance they'll reveal some unpleasant sides. A love interest can absolutely be a perfect angel, but only as long as they aren't explored that much. Just like the more power you have the easier it gets to screw it up in a major way, so you actually need stakes to test a character.

[@lionhartnova5014]

I am a schizophrenic i researched writing a book for a year before I started thank you for all you do it means alot I was gonna go to college but my brother died in a horrific traffic accident you have given me so much i am writing my first outline next year will be ten years since he died thank you for your encouragement it means alot.

[@animefavs100]

We're rooting for you!! So sorry for your loss sweetheart. Wishing you all the best in your endeavors to write and blessings to you and your family this holiday.❤

[@yuuri9064]

I'm sorry for your loss. I wish you the best

[@malindashumpert7956]

I'm trying my best to write a healthy love interest for my main protagonist, and this video can't come soon enough 😊

[@jabiechan1633]

A good subversion to a love triangle is a polyamorous relationship. I just think itd be more interesting than pitting characters against each other. Also explores characters and how they grow

[@yuuri9064]

I never understood love triangles because of that. I mean, the solution seems so obvious. I want to read a story where the love interests fall for each other and everyone gets confused but end up together in the end. Three way love triangle, lol. The way god intended it to be

[@jabiechan1633]

@@yuuri9064 you might like my book bc thats what happens and bonus baby 😅

[@yuuri9064]

@@jabiechan1633 Omg I need this in my life. You're doing great things with that mind of yours.

[@jimpickens5936]

The love interest in my story is definitely more possessive than protective, but that’s something they struggle with and try to overcome. Also there’s unrequited love, but that’s not the conflict of my story. Also, the love interest is not completely oblivious to their friends love for them. It’s a “I love you too, but a relationship wouldn’t work out” kind of situation.

[@FilmGuy7000]

You would be possessive, Jim. We all know what's going on in that basement, and how dare you abandon Grim. He trolled those forums every day for you.

[@jyjaeskz]

​@@FilmGuy7000 I did not expect to see this here

[@carterwillis6624]

My main character kills the love interest. Pure love at its finest. Enjoy.

[@CaseFace981]

Spoiler alert.

[@carterwillis6624]

@@CaseFace981 pbsh pen name you’ll never know.

[@sxwriter8569]

Good idea.

[@Nickilob2006]

Wow, i-

[@yuuri9064]

Uh, details please??? Is your character kind of an awful person, or are they forced into that? I want to know more

[@bugbite2217]

"This is what lovable looks like to you? What was your childhood like?" *Me, clinging to the toxic love interests I keep writing* It was really bad, why?

[@anxiousrainbows]

The last book I read had two high schoolers, and the love interest was propositioning her teacher to the point of stalking and trespassing, and the MC was only mildly uncomfortable. I, on the other hand, was so uncomfortable I DNF'd the book and went into a reading slump. It was the worst couple I'd ever read.

[@Nickilob2006]

What is dnf'd?

[@vericvoidal]

@@Nickilob2006 “did not finish” im pretty sure

[@Nickilob2006]

@@vericvoidal oh thank you

[@sahajkaur2440]

"Maybe... You need therapy." I love Jenna 😂

[@relishin]

I'm proud to say I've included none of these and all my betas so far have loved my love interest :) However now that I'm editing my second draft I'm currently going through the phase of 'i hate my whole book what is this trash' and binging these videos again to try and fix it lol

[@Desaki65]

I'd like to read a story where the individual who's been in an abusive relationship is aided in the escape from that relationship by the "hero"... And then that abused character gets the help and therapy they need, without any shiny new horny hero body parts *immediately* exchanged for the old abusive junk.

[@Learninglotsoflanguages]

Hey, sounds like my book :) Though I am still editing it.

[@Desaki65]

@@Learninglotsoflanguages *makes grabby hands* 💗

[@nessyness5447]

Yeah, like it's ok to have a character who got out of an abusive relationship etc , find a new healthy love. But i would prefer for that person to not be the one who saved them first.

[@hanabishaven]

I used to like the whole "I love you because you saved me/were the first person to treat me right" but it just leaves a bit of a sour taste in my mouth now and I can't quite pinpoint the words as to why. It feels like taking advantage a little, I suppose?

[@ludovico6890]

I'm not against love triangles per se, however it's true that they've been overdone and are often predictable. Not to mention overlong. My personal take on them: keep them short (nothing is more frustrating than a love interest that can't make up his or her mind) and don't be afraid to go against the cliché. A love interest can choose to ditch the MC for someone else, or a MC can decide that finally he/she's not interested after the love interest ditches the rival, or the love interest chooses full celibacy, or... You get my drift. A logical, satisfying conclusion to a love triangle does not have to be a happy ending for the MC.

[@nondescriptcat5620]

"conflict is necessary to a plot." *James Joyce smirks* a plot "needs" tension, not fighting. the tension can be a subtle change over time in a character that affects how they perceive the world, and if you do it well it can absolutely tell a compelling story. i think an important aspect of how to do healthy tension in a relationship is figuring out what they would disagree about, even if it's something minor (especially if it's something minor). if they have mutual interests, what are their differing opinions about those interests, and how do they communicate and resolve those differences? it literally gives them something to talk about. one of my favorite character development moments was my protag thinking to herself after some Adult Fun Time about all the things she specifically likes about her BF, both in general and as a lover, and how the two parts of him seem to be connected. "books are made of words" is colossally important, *books have interiority.* you can write what people are thinking. "write the story you want to read" is actually the best writing advice, and is really all anyone needs (and maybe basic grammar) Broke: Love Triangle Woke: Polyamorous Bisexual Throuple

[@No-XIV-Xion]

-polyamory is right there! That's exactly how I resolve my love triangle. Polyamory! That's why the mechanic of the trio Renames her workshop the Polyarmory. Wordplay!

[@everythingcoffee8901]

That sounds awesome

[@amberdawn868]

Same here with the last story I worked on!!! Polyamory!!!

[@mirjanbouma]

PolyaRmory, I love it!

[@colt9836]

Hi, hello, about the alpha/beta thing. In the original study, the conclusion of it was that the "alphas" (plural because there was usually an alpha male and female) had responsibilities to care and look out for the whole pack, because the alphas were literally the parents. It was to further understand how the dynamics of wolves interact with one another. In actuality, the alpha would be a stern but caring and loving leader of the cast.

[@XantaliX]

Basically VANDER from Arcane

[@arrow_of_ravenclaw5155]

Don’t make them abusive. I hate that I have to say this

[@thecultofdionysus7619]

Accept if that is acknowledged by the story and is treated as a bad thing that the MC needs to get away from.

[@Nickilob2006]

i don't have a problem with toxic relationships in novels as long as the couple doesn't stay together in the end, or if the author highlights that this is toxic and NOT good

[@supernatural7690]

Wuthering heights

[@roguedogx]

Title card: "what were you thinking?" Me: "brave of you to assume that I was thinking."

[@wailmerwithinternetaccess7934]

11:04 Ah, J.P. Beaubein's moment there!

[@doughnuthead8757]

A video on best or worst tips on book covers sounds fun.

[@carterwillis6624]

Except that only self publish get that. That’s like, the biggest draw away from traditional publishing

[@kimifw58]

I think she said once that she won't do that topic because you're supposed to rely on someone else to make your cover. I guess I could see that, but at the very least she could tell us how to know if the cover is good.

[@Newfiecat]

@@kimifw58 I guess part of the problem too is that it can be a really subjective taste. Like, the most popular type of fantasy book cover right now seems to be a simple image of a weapon or emblem on a plain background, and I HATE IT. I find it so boring. I'm going to gravitate towards covers with dragons, other cool mythical creatures, fantastical landscapes and awesome looking characters. And yet, I guarantee you there's going to be plenty of people who would call the type of covers I like "tacky" or "too much". I know people who won't read a book if there's a face pictured on the cover, yet I'm much more likely to pick up a book that shows the main characters. I think there's a looot of variation in what people prefer. (And this is why I think books should be published with multiple cover options. It will make it that much more likely to snag a potential reader!)

[@Newfiecat]

@@carterwillis6624 Honestly, yes. One of the main reasons I'm choosing to self publish is because I want to make my own book cover and illustrations. Argh, I can totally imagine publishers telling a writer/artist that they're not allowed to illustrate their own work because their artistic style doesn't suit the market or something 😓.

[@carterwillis6624]

@@Newfiecat which is so silly, because I don’t want what Is basically my baby to look like someone else. I wonder how much I would be allowed to give input hete

[@rosejasminegwyn-willis824]

As someone in the aromantic spectrum I'm so tired of unnessesary romances. The mc does not have to have a love interest, nor do other characters. Not giving a character romance life doesn't mean they'll be automatically miserable and will not get their happy ending. If a romantic plot doesn't make the story better just cut it. The characters don't have to date in the story whether they are interested or not.

[@Newfiecat]

I know, right? It's especially ludicrous when romance plot stuff gets in the way of main (actually interesting) plot stuff. The couple are in the middle of a really freakin important situation where the lives of many people are at stake and they are suddenly distracted by a lover's quarrel.

[@abunchofrandomnumbers]

My romance plot is slightly insane, two of my main characters are kind of in love kind of not. Sara loves Thalia as a friend and is romantically in love with the idea of her, Thalia is on the ace spectrum and is trying to find out if she genuinely likes Sara or if she just wants to be closer with Sara platonically

[@jerseyboyce1]

so much respect for you for labeling the alpha male myth what it is.

[@enchantedblink01]

So many published authors need to watch this..

[@jsam-bv6jb]

Thank you for this. I was having a conflict with myself on a story I am writing about adding a romantic interest. Hearing you say it's not necessary makes me feel better about not adding one.

[@silverstarlightproductions1292]

You something I would like to see more of in fiction: the protective female lead for her male love interest. The healthy kind of protective of course.

[@codsamanta]

I do like the "Alpha Male" concept, but not when it's an excuse to make him a douchebag (which is what most people tend to do nowadays). I think it's okay if he is presented as a natural leader, caring and well-organized, who takes responsibility for his actions and doesn't use the power he has to subdue and humiliate the weak just because he can. If you can only show strength by putting others down, that kinda shows you're not really that strong after all. Now, I'll give an example of true Alpha I assume most people have, at the very least, heard of: Aragorn from Lord of the Rings. He is definitely a leader and has the qualities I mentioned before, but he is NOT toxic. He is a good leader, he not only takes care of those who are weaker, but also tries to build them up and empower them to grow stronger. He is kind and reasonable and although there is some pride coming through at times (more so in the books than in the movies), he doesn't act like an arrogant prick. Alpha doesn't have to mean "Toxic" and I wish more people realized that.

[@g.d.graham2446]

The constant annoyance I've noticed the most in media is the "toxic = sexy" and "healthy = boring" tropes 🙄

[@mapleshadeeatscats]

I ruined the romance genre for myself by writing the worst romance novel ever in seventh grade.

[@alexvalentine5091]

Haven’t we all?

[@lenacat3207]

Yep, Mapleshade is a cannibal

[@highsun76]

I'm throwing a book to the wall if there's a kiss in the second chapter.

[@bartunthegreat2999]

Thanks for the tips! I'm currently writing a Love Triangle but with a twist: the Love Triangle is only imaginary, as it happens only in the Love Interest head. The "Main" Love interest feels that his, until that moment, unchallenged platonic relationship with the female MC, is threatened by the arrival of a new guy, an "old flame" of her, actually just a good friend. The new guy made his feelings clear quite early in the story, but was turned down by the FMC, something that the Main Love Interest doesn't know. He can only see how the FMC and the new guy grow closer (as friends) making him feel relegated, insecure and inadecuate. He needs to gather the courage and finally make his feelings clear. Of course this happens during preparations for an upcoming invasion, so their main focus is the preparations for war.

[@yasminemixon9340]

oh, love triangles happen in real life, typically among teenagers and immature 20 something year olds. but it does happen. ive seen too many people fight over someone in high school

[@Диана-я5э1к]

if my novel's love interest does awful things but also amazing things, is he bad and will people hate him?

[@kimifw58]

I think it depends on what the awful things are. Some could make him irredeemable regardless of what else he does.

[@Диана-я5э1к]

@@kimifw58 That makes sense. I'm always worried he crossed that line long ago and I'm the only one who doesn't know

[@Rosemont104]

I wonder if any of these would've died out had Twilight and 50 Shades never taken off.

[@kimifw58]

If they didn't, something similar would have. There's a vast world of bad romance fiction bubbling under the surface, and it's as old as fiction itself.

[@animefavs100]

So I'm gonna just be honest with everyone. I have always ALWAYS LIVED for the love interests in a story whether it be novel or screenplay. It just is what it is, because when done right, you BREATHE just to see these two together at the end. All of my MCs have love interests and of course all those relationships differ based on the tropes we all love with a bit of uniqueness added. One thing I have always really loved is an Antag's love interest being thrown in as well or foil characters that are each other's love interests who are also important to the story. Am I alone??😫

[@joelmavity1467]

The one thing I hate about love triangles is when it’s super obvious the writer is favoring one pairing over the other by making the third person get less time, the other person doesn’t get much development in the relationship, or anything like that. It’s like they’re there just to fill in a character role. It’s sad and annoying.

[@Newfiecat]

So true. If it's not even a question who the MC is going to end up with, why include a love triangle at all? It's completely pointless.

[@strdseraph2765]

"Throw in a love triangle." * Terrible Writing Advice has entered the chat. *

[@britt6184]

I personally can't stand useless love interests so I always make sure to have the love interest be just as important to the plot as the protagonist. This goes for both male and female love interests.

[@travisquintana937]

Thank you, Jenna, for another great video. I, myself, find having a love interest very appealing to a story; however, unless I'm reading a romance, it doesn't have to be the main key point. I find your videos both helpful, and fucking hilarious. They spark interest in my own writing (albeit I haven't gotten to actually publishing anything yet), and give me insight as to what is popular or what's turned to asinine nonsense. Thanks again for being you in everything you do!

[@jiru1015]

"Popular doesn't mean required." This is a perfect quote.

[@Maizyk10]

THANK YOU for saying #10. I write a love interest only when the story leads me in that direction, and at no other time. :D

[@SoulKnightKing]

But Jenna if I don't overromanticize abuse and trauma then youtube and goodreads commenters will say I'm not a real artist... Gosh these tropes are tiresome

[@EveryDayALittleDeath]

On Conflict, in my paranormal romance novel, there is conflict but it's mostly external. The love interests are soulmates, but their meeting was engineered by the villain so that one of the most powerful vampires would be distracted and have a known weakness. Most of the conflict between the couple revolves around differing opinions on how involved the other should be in the upcoming vampire/werewolf war. They're not bickering constantly, they both just want the other to be safe.

[@Delta285]

Sometimes I don't know how come here for the advice or to boost my own ego. When you talk about writing the ideal love interest I start going though a mental checklist to see if mine fit the bad advice. Good news she doesn't

[@kimifw58]

The love triangle is "decades old"? It's old enough for Jane Austen to subvert it. Also, Ancient Greek mythology.

[@crystalxnightmarecrystal]

I am currently working on my own story and have a big cast. I've been working on the main character (Female) and her love interest. They understand and respect each other. He is really supportive but also protective of her (keeping her safe if she needs it). I also have been working on the villains lately and main characters team/Friends/Family. I just found your channel and following some your advice. Thank you!

[@KaiseaWings]

I completely misunderstood #7 at first because I have a soft spot for enemies to lovers in the 'divided across philosophical lines' category rather than just fighting all the time. But you meant _actually_ abusive, yeah that's a very different thing.

[@BEB156]

7:28 👀 That's a real quote ??? #7 This annoys me even more when it's the MC who have an affair with an evil partner and is obviously blind to the said partner's villainy. Especially since the evil partner has already proved his villainy and caused serious harm either to the MC or their entourage. It actually contributes to my NOTP and most hated shippings. For the love triangle, however, I'm of of those who think it can work... as long as you don't sum it up as cat and dog fighting over a piece of meat, nor make the MC/love interest who's stupid enough to want having one's finger in more than one pie.

[@australianmagpie2221]

Love triangles do exist irl. I’ve been in them, either at the corners or at the center. The thing tho is it’s not pretty and most relationships (friendships, etc) crumble horribly in them. They can be interesting to use, but never as a plot device to create tension. Instead, everyone’s feelings should be accounted for and boundaries should be established.

[@thepokemonprofessor1650]

Romance is never something I’ve gotten into to. For my novel the main character is alone but like the 2nd most important character has a love interest who they spend a lot of time with in the book. I’m worried it wont feel natural though. Both are main characters though so they aren’t just there to be the love interest. I actually had both characters planned before I decided on it. I also like that they are nearly exact opposites

[@florenceb1031]

#1 (1d Love Interest): I made sure to flesh out Thargilit beyond being a love interest for Fumiko. #2 (Conventional Ideal): I'm kind of falling into this. Thargilit hits some of the points Jenna brings up (especially the big breasts), but not others (i.e. she's several feet taller than 5'5"). I'm trying to be careful to portray her as a character first and only mentioning stuff that would make her sexy to me (i.e. the big breasts) if and when they are relevant. #3 (Boner Material): See the previous two comments. #4 (Friction): There can be externally induced conflict in the relation, but I want Fumiko and Thargilit to have a happy and healthy relationship. I already have plenty of other ways to make them suffer. #5 (Doormat): Thargilit doesn't have a problem with being a doormat. Fumiko could have doormat tendencies, but they'll be downplayed in the romance subplot, if they exist at all, because Fumiko will have already made progress dealing with her self-esteem issues by the time the romance takes off and Thargilit is someone who would make Fumiko would feel safe asserting herself. There could be disagreements between them, but they'll be largely minor and resolved like the participants are functional adults. #6 (Overly Protective): Thargilit is protective of Fumiko, but in a healthy manner. #7 (Evil Partner): Fumiko and Thargilit are both single when they meet. Neither of them would show much interest in the villains. #8 (Love Triangle): If I include a love triangle, it's only as set up for a polyamorous relationship. #9 (Alpha): Thargilit is female analogous (technically a hermaphroditic alien), but I'm avoiding the female equivalent of this. #10 (Mandatory Romance): I want to include a romance arc. I might put it on the back burner in some books if I'm having trouble fitting it in naturally.

[@dalton6173]

Thank you, thank you, thank you... Like seriously thank you. Highly appreciate that you acknowledge polyamory as a reasonable option especially for your characters in a fictional reality even if it is a fictional parallel universe where your characters.

[@ellisestager4349]

this forced me back onto my WIP that has been collecting dust for over a year. thank you

[@kimifw58]

#8 And it's possible to add an attractive male character without making him a love interest. He could be dating a friend or something.

[@thedarklrd6714]

Or not dating anyone at all, if one so chose

[@ciborggal3496]

Love triangles I feel are very over used, but there is one book I read where I feel the love triangle was done efficiently. The basics of it is the girl has a crush on this guy, and he likes her but both feel awkward about confessing. The third person was a childhood friend of hers, and he didn’t know he loved her until he was about to die. And he never got to tell her about his feelings. Sounds a little corny, but hey it’s fun so who cares. There were definitely some things I feel they could have done better not just in the romance aspect, but the story itself. Like the villain’s back story wasn’t explored until the climax. Why? No clue.

[@morganjones2744]

Great content as always. While I don't plan to have much of a romance in my book, still fun to watch you passionately talk about this. Will the Saviors Sister (and Saviors Champion) be on Scribd?

[@rainyrouge5123]

"You need to have a love interest" Me, a person writing a story where the main character is aromantic: Yeah, I don't think so.

[@Hrafnskald]

Great tips. If you follow the opening tips on making well rounded characters, your romantic leads will have topics they differ on, different goals, perspectives, opinions, childhoods, etc. These make natural sources of conflict that don't require anyone to be an asshole, abusive, oblivious or stupid.

[@dalton6173]

Triangles can be good as long as it is a real triangle & not just two lines that meet at a point... AKA the let's fight over the love of this person because there is no way that they could ever love more than one person... If it is a real love triangle then you have four relationships to write. A+B=1 A+C=2 B+C=3 A+B+C=4 You have more options for steamy goodness & more options for problems. One person is less likely to be all of the horrible things we all hate about a poorly written partner. Even if someone has one or two of those kinds of traits it might be worth staying with them or easier to convince yourself to stay.

[@amotimeplayer8229]

I can relate heavily to tip #1. I was still in late middle school when I wrote a romance fanfiction based on one of my favorite fandoms, I remember I use to get some comments asking for less PG13 friendly stuff but I personally wasn't comfortable with it. Mainly because it was a high school alternative universe I was writing so even though most kids my age that wrote these fanfictions did it, I wasn't comfortable writing about under age people doing the dirty, I even explained there wouldn't be any of that in the story in the comments for these reasons at some point cause it was being asked for so much. Due to the characters having never met before in my alternate story I knew that while it can happen I also knew most relationships happen over time. So I started off with conflicts between them since the main pair were opposites (Jock X Nerd) and built up a bond and romance between them overtime. Thankfully a lot of my readers later commented saying that they appreciated that I kept the relationship realistic and didn't automatically make the main pair touch starved or desperate/etc and actually buolt their attraction towards one another. It was my first romance fanfiction and while looking back it was perfect and wasn't an original story (once again based off a fandom I loved and made my iwn version of an alternate universe for) I'm still very proud of it and recognize that i did very well for my first time, it was also very fun interacting with the reader's im the comments (I used a lot of references from musicals or memes to add humor so ir was especially fun when the readers picked up on it)

[@mygeekycorner9988]

#10 - There was a book I read that was really good. I had followed the author for a while and enjoyed her romcoms but she wrote something different about a woman who was finding more purpose with her life and ended up stopping to try to be so picture perfect all the time. Great premise and great execution. But the author shoved a love interest there, presumably because romance sells or it's because it's what she usually writes. I would have loved the book so much more without the love interest but the fact that it was there made me MUCH less likely to pick up the book again.

[@panbrzoza5920]

Hello Jenna! Thank you so much for every video you made for us. One week ago I ended my second draft and decided to watch every video you ever made. After one week I'm here. I'm ready to start my 3rd draft now. Just one week more to end my reaserch and charakter profiles. After watching everything I have one question, which stick to me since 3 part videos about dialogue. I saw 2 types of dialogue. First looks like this: - Hello Jenna! I love you! - he shouted as he entered the chat. - Thank you so much random viewer! - she replied. And the second one: "Hello Jenna! I love you!" he shouted as he entered the room. "Thank you so much random viewer!" she replied. Is there a difference? Or its just style of writing. Thank you in advande. Thank you for everything! Have great Christmas and new year! #edit Ah. I forgot. I made in this week over 250 notes from your videos with over 5000 worlds and 10 pages. Damn. Thats a lot to learn.

[@philspence3073]

This is one of the reasons why I fell in love with Percy jackson (Despite reading it when I was too old) because when the author did end up writing romantic parings (Like percabeth, the romantic pairing of Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase) He made them human. and didn't rush things using Percabeth as an example, the pair met eachother when they were 12, they had many quests together and they weren't written as a way for readers to "get off" (Which would've been concerning because they were children) They formed a close friendship mid way through the series, and continual concern for eachothers welfare showed us as the readers that these two truly loved eachother and had the other's best interest in mind. they weren't out there to screw the other, they felt a connection that was more than just physical. and thats comething I love. Is it because these books are written for children? Maybe. is it because I'm not the intended audience? Perhaps. Do I still love them> and will I continue to read them, absolutely.

[@emmasilver2332]

Amen to that! Protective vs Possessive: how do you tell the difference? Simple. If a character is protective, then when another tries to hit on the love interest, he/she might say "Hey, don't touch my boyfriend/girlfriend without his/her permission." This shows that the character truly cares about their partner and wants them to feel comfortable, and it usually implies they're holding themselves to that same standard. However, if a character is possessive, he/she might instead say, "Hey, don't touch my boyfriend/girlfriend without MY permission." This shows that the character is controlling of their partner, and is willing to put their own pleasure over their partner's happiness. A person who immediately assumes their significant other is cheating on them just because they're talking to others of the opposite gender is possessive and controlling, and doesn't trust their partner. What does a healthy relationship look like? Obviously there is no such thing as a relationship that is 100% healthy 100% of the time. There's always room for improvement. My parents have stayed married for 25 years and counting, and they still have issues from time to time. But the reason that the relationship has lasted this long is because at the end of the day, the relationship is founded upon mutual respect. Mom has wildly different hobbies than Dad does, but they still have a sizeable number of common interests that make the relationship work. They don't have to be physically near each other, doing LITERALLY EVERYTHING together, in order to maintain a stable and loving relationship. There are plenty of things the two of them agree to disagree on. Sometimes they have arguments with one another. Sometimes those arguments get a little out of hand. But at the end of the day, they're both able to recognize where each went wrong, and they're both able to apologize to each other very quickly. They both work as a team to help provide for and protect the family. And they trust each other. That kind of relationship is healthier than not. Do they sometimes have miscommunication issues? Yes. Do they sometimes get angry with each other? Of course. But they still love each other, deeply.

[@MommiCofi]

I'll do my best not to scare you. 😁 Thank you so much for your advice! Also, I really enjoyed your classes on skill share. Very straight forward and understandable.

[@iclynnx]

I'm glad my love interest character, Casey, doesn't have any of this applied. Gosh, he used to be a bad love interest (although could be a good villain? I first created him to be the villain before I gave him a tragic backstory and suddenly felt sorry for him and decided to make him get the girl), but I was a child who had never been in a single relationship and had not learned anything about healthy bonds yet. Now he's just a sad sweetheart (but of course with flaws). The only thing here that I wonder about is if I have made a love triangle. Does it count if the MC is not in love with the other guy, and the readers are not meant to believe they could be an option? The guy is just in love with the MC, and causes minor conflict (the real conflict is how the MC and her love are being forced apart by people around them. Basically a forbidden relationship). I am trying to avoid gross tropes like him crossing the female MCs boundaries and all that, since he will change later on, but I want to portray him as anxiously attached, due to his childhood of neglect by his mother. It kind of serves as another view into how their toxic enviroment affects them. Also, fun fact, this guy was the MCs original love interest, before Casey was even a thing.

[@juliastrawn2113]

#7: "Every story needs a conflict!" True, but not every story needs a possible r/niceguy!

[@CandyThePuppy]

7:40 Lately I've been writing a romance novel with the most wholesome, _loving,_ and genuinely caring love interest you can get, however the friction isn't directly between the love interest and the mc, but instead between what he stands for to her. To her specifically he is intimidating, evil, and cruel, but that's only because of her pre conceived notions about him and his past. In his POV, he was doing the right thing, and _texhnically_ it WAS the right thing! But all the drama happens around her assuming he is evil, and slowly finding out how terribly wrong she was. The NEXT big source of friction, however...is that she's hiding a few secrets of her own~ Idk if this is even making sense! I just got back from writing a 5k word chapter in that book and am mentally drained! 😅

[@steverobbins4872]

Writing romance is easy, you just have to understand what women really want; stylish shoes that are practical and reasonably priced.

[@christinaglahn8036]

And pockets!

[@mirjanbouma]

@@christinaglahn8036 Yes! But not in the shoes, that seems impractical

[@mirjanbouma]

Mr. Robbins here gets it.

[@christinaglahn8036]

@@mirjanbouma LOL, my grandma actually had a pair of shoes that had a small pocket! Perfect for hiding a house key.

[@jessicafawkes8495]

The fighting one is so damn true!! A certain hades and persphephone retelling does this in the second book so bad and it's unbearable!!

[@jbcatz5]

If you make the raison d’être of the love interest character to be a love interest, use that as a character point. They learn or realise they exist to be the object of attraction to someone else and have to deal with this existential crisis. In a more grounded, realistic setting it works as a commentary on the perception of high school as a dating hub and the importance given to being in a relationship, and in a more fantastical setting it befits there’s a higher concept behind the motivation, or lack of. Is the love interest a creation designed to appeal to the main character or act like they are? The unintended result of a wish made but not expected to be fulfilled? Make them question their singular drive, try to learn to define themselves outside of a relationship. If their goal is getting together with someone and they finally do it, make them ask themselves “what now?”

[@ChaoticbratDND]

Someone tell me the titles of these elusive books with no romance. I can't seem 2 find them anywhere and I am being slowly killed by triangles. Moll Flanders can only do so much.

[@Newfiecat]

Ackkkkk SAME. It's almost impossible to find a book with no romance! Wish I could help but I'm in the same boat 😅

[@mischarowe]

#7 is one of the main reasons I DNF'd the Nevernight Chronicles. Evil new love interest. MC turned into a Mary-Sue... it got ridiculous. And the love triangle aspect. Ugh.

[@animefavs100]

Nevernight Chrons was great because of the dialogue. Jay K. writing is usually bomb because of the dialogue. I wasn't invested in the love triangle at ALL. Which is a first for me. The books were just so damn witty and funny I enjoyed every second. The plot twists we good too.

[@mischarowe]

@@animefavs100 I'm glad you liked it. But it was a big ugh for me. Started off good but rolled downhill fast.

[@animefavs100]

Not even the "Not-🐱 could make you like it😅. I feel you.

[@mischarowe]

@@animefavs100 What do you mean by the "Not-🐱?

[@animefavs100]

@@mischarowe oh the "not-cat" in the Nevernight Chrons Mia named "Mr. Kindly". It gave me a good laugh all throughout the series. Especially with his snarky comebacks😅😂😂

[@maybelore]

10:04 oh my goodness I HATE this one, it is so prevalent in Count of Monte Cristo adaptations because on the surface yeah, the main character's fiancée did marry one of the villains. But she is one of the strongest female characters I know, she's not stupid and only really married him out of depression over the fact that she thought the love of her life was gone forever. Sure, she married the guy because it was easy but it wasn't like she didn't love him (he was her cousin, it's set in the 1800s that's normal) she just didn't love him romantically. And what does he do? he practically worships her, you get the sense that she is the one in charge in their relationship, I'd feel bad for him if she hadn't told him exactly what he was getting into by marrying her. And yeah, he is still a badguy just not in the wife-beater kind of way

[@chrissymandryka5562]

Okay, I must ask this. A lot of girls talk about how unrealistic men describe women in fiction. And I agree. As I was reading Witcher I couldn’t stop thinking OMG calm down, women like this don’t exist. But on the other hand… in every book I’ve read (written by women), the love interest is HOOOT af, “the most beautiful guy she’s ever seen”, with muscles everywhere, strong, sexy and so on. But guys like this also not a common kind. So…how what men writers do is different from what women writer do while describing the love interests?

[@miner_girl3989]

I haven’t been on for while. I missed these reactions 😂

[@Noble_Savage704]

the guttural roar at #9 was great!

[@Izzy-ff8ns]

This video could have been titled "everything wrong with twilight" and it would still work 😂