Secrets To Writing

(6b) 6 Proven Ways To Add Romance To Your Fantasy Story

Love is in the air. No, really – it is!

Romance and relationships play an important part of many people's everyday lives, and the same holds true in many types of fiction.

Sadly, given its omnipresence across all genres, romantic subplots easily lend themselves to tropes and clichés.

Fantasy fiction in particular often relies on these tried-and-tested relationship dynamics, usually when romantic tension is not the driving force of the narrative.

So, if you're looking to add a little more love to your fantasy novel, check out these creative romance ideas to see how they can work for you.

#1: Introduce An Established Couple

While it might seem like introducing an established couple will suck all the enjoyment out of the romance, this couldn't be further from the truth.

Of course, your reader will miss out on all awkward flirting and butterflies associated with a sputtering new flame... But this actually presents you with a wonderful opportunity for plot and character development.

And remember: things don't all have to be roses when introducing an already established couple.

The impact of Jaime and Cersei's incestuous relationship in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice is no less diminished by the fact that readers missed out on seeing it develop.

In fact, the hidden, twisted nature of their long-running affair is part of what makes it such a compelling storyline.

This relationship not only forms a considerable foundation for a great many plot points, but it is also intrinsically linked to both characters' motivations and development – something that couldn't have realistically been achieved were they not already introduced to us as an established couple.

If you want to write a protagonist who's motivated by their love for a significant other, then establishing the relationship before the opening pages of your story is worth considering.

It's unlikely that readers will buy into the kind of romance that sees a character make significant decisions for their partner when they only met three chapters ago.

This 'instalove' trope is not only unrealistic, it's also unimaginative, and readers don't buy it – especially when there are greater things at stake in the context of your fantasy world.

#2: Include A 'Slow Burn' Romance

Another method of avoiding the eye-rolling 'instalove' trope is by heading in the complete opposite direction.

Yes, we're talking about the scintillating will-they, won't-they dynamic of the slow burn – one of the most popular types of romances among genre readers.

Slow-burn romances are a great subplot to employ in fantasy. The gradual development of the relationship between two central characters is welcome break from all the world-saving, empire-toppling, magic-wielding action of your fantasy novel.

Whether it's love-hate bickering or tiny moments that go unnoticed by the characters themselves, readers lap up this subtle and often tormenting romance.

Taking the time to develop strong chemistry between the characters is paramount to an infuriating (read: enjoyable!) slow burn.

Having strong sexual tension bubbling beneath the surface adds another tantalising layer to your story, propelling the reader through the narrative as they become desperate to know when (and if!) the prospective couple gets together among the greater conflict of the main plot.