Hello friends! If y'all are sensing a theme for this month . . . you'd be rather correct. 😂 In honour of February, the month of Love and Valentine's day, I've been doing a lot of romance posts, and well, I'm here with another one. (And another reel, because I couldn't help it. 👀)
the protector-trope is always in.
Some of my favourite romances have the sweetest, older-brother, protector-vibe going for the main guy. I feel like it adds a super sweet layer to the story, and really shines a spotlight on the friends-to-more trope in the best possible way. 🥰
praying with each other is not a sign of weakness.
Some people are under the illusion that praying proves that you're at your lowest and is a sign of weakness. Well, let me tell you something - a couple who prays together have their focus on the right thing. <3
nicknames add intimacy without adding content.
Plus, I mean, c'mon. Isn't it just adorable when a guy calls his girl "Twiggy"? (#iykyk 😉)
they should notice each other’s heart, not their appearance.
Who here has seen Beauty and the Beast? As far as I can recall, that's the only fairytale where the girl falls for who the guy is on the inside first. And isn't that how it should be?
real relationships are messy.
They're not all Halmark-perfect, with cute dates, goodnight-texts, and no arguments ever. Real relationships are like that. People mess up. They make mistakes. They break hearts. I'm not saying go write a tragedy (in fact, DON'T!!), but I am saying make it real.
it doesn’t have to be contemporary to be sweet.
One of my favourite romances is set in the medieval time period, and it is so sweet. Just because your story has a love story doesn't mean it has to be set in present day. Cute dates are possible in 1300 B.C. They just take some creativity. 😉
if you wouldn’t read it, don’t write it.
Just like it says: If you wouldn't read a book like your story, don't write it. As authors, we have the ability to influence someone's mind, whether for better or for worse. If you wouldn't be comfortable with doing whatever it is you're writing, then for heaven's sake don't write it.
platonic love is important too. :)
Not what everyone wants to hear, I know - but hear me out. Not every story has to have love in it, and if it does, what's to say it can't be between a brother and a sister, or a girl and her best boy [space] friend? Platonic love is important. Just ask me, or any of the other wonderful people I call a part of my friend group. Not every friendship has to end in an engagement ring - as it should be. I'm not telling you to go remove all traces of love from your story. But if you feel forced to add it, then maybe there's an alternative . . . *points and the title*
And that's it! What did y'all think of today's post? I had a lot of fun making it. 🥰
What do you always add to your romances? What was your favourite reminder? What is one you would add? PLEASE tell me you got my Dearest Josephine reference!! I'd really love to know! <3
Cheers!
Ooo I LOVED reading this post, Deigan! While I do love me romances, I also really love books that focuses on families and can we PLEASE have some books about best friends! I was just recently talking with a friend who had brought up that she rarely finds books that have two awesome girl best friends, and once she mentioned that, I started noticing she was right. And I love the protector-trope a lot, no matter how many times I see it, and you're 100% right that praying is NOT a sign of weakness. For some strange reason, I always seem to right a story where a non-believer becomes a Christian or where it's a Christian's whose relationship with God…
Here here! Thank you for posting this, D. It's so refreshing to hear these. I think a lot of them are in a Christian writer's mind but a lot of times get covered by the world's ideas. It's so nice to be able to see that others still believe in things like platonic love, the protector-trope, praying with each other and, lets get real, nicknames are the cutest things ever 😂 Thanks for posting! ~Kearra