 Romance/Love: August 30, 2017 Issue [#8474] |
  Romance/Love
This week: Does the Couple Need to be Opposites? Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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Romance and Love Newsletter by Dawn
Today we question our main character and love interest. How do they compare to each other? Are they very similar or on different ends of the spectrum. Taking the old adage of opposites attract against the idea of working well with familiarity. |
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Opposites are great when it comes to couples in a romance story. One of my favorite prompts that I didn't get to write for included the need for having the main character and love interest be opposites because as we all know "opposites attract." Also, they help in story writing because there are often many options in the ways conflict when having so many differences as a couple. But is it the better route?
I have known a few couples that had their fair share of conflict that are still holding strong and their personalities are a bit on the far corners away from each other. So, it does come off as realistic to have the love interest be different in comparison to the MC. It's not just a ploy used to amp up the conflict. However, we also see those couples who seem very similar. Both sides of that particular spectrum are viable. The question becomes which route do you want to take for each romance story that you develop?
Conflict
This is one very important element in writing fiction of any genre. I've written a newsletter or two already about the need for conflict in romance stories along with some options that can be used to attain the story arc creating element. When it comes to the actual couple, having the differences does make the routes easier to find at times for the conflict. The struggle with themselves along with psychological elements can create enough tension to carry the story along as the reader wonders how the couple will make it to the end together.
But what about those couples that aren't opposites? Can there still be conflict? It isn't always easy or obvious, at least not as much in comparison to the other couples, yet I think there are conflict options even when the couple is very similar. There can be elements of internal conflict. What happens if two characters have the same insecurities? With opposites one might push the other and force looking into the issues even when the character doesn't want to challenge their own, internal struggles. When both have the same problems, it can be a challenge to push them forward. That can either cause stagnation or amplify the situation, depending on how you write things out.
Character Development
With internal struggles as options, that brings us to the other elements that does affect the conflict in our romance story development, which is how the characters develop during the events they have to face to come together as a couple.
Whether opposites or similar, we should see at least some character development, in particular with the main character, within the story. It can come from the clashing with their opposite that the find themselves falling in love with, or from the struggles they face together with the one that is not different at all. Either way can work. The reader wants to go on that journey and see the romance develop. How you go about that will depend on your story and the characters you use.
So, now the question is: which route will you go next? Opposites or not? Either way, have fun and get writing.
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Does it work better if the MC and love interest are very different for conflict in a romance story?
The last time that I wrote for this particular newsletter, I discussed the idea of the couple's relationship years later as opposed to the right away years. We got one comment sent in with an item to consider in relation to the topic.
Comment by Quick-Quill 
A little story about my parents. I've been married 45 years an hopefully, Lord willing, we will have many more years together. "Bonded for Life" [13+]
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