Young Writers Society

I'm having some trouble with this, which really doesn't help if the book you're writing happens to center on Romance.

Does anyone have advice on making realistic relationships (as I have no experience myself XD)? What would really help, if it's not too much work, is listing good fictional couples and WHY they work so well.

Ok, well from my point of view, a good fictional relationship has to be realistic and believeable. For example, every single love scene can't be like perfect. You have to have random quirky and sometimes not so good. Like maybe when one person goes to kiss the other, they have bad breath or something.

If you don't want to use something like that, lots of writers do make their lovey dovey scenes pretty perfect, then you might want to use things like some inside jokes and stuff. They spend a lot of time together, and know things about each other that most people wouldn't. You want them to really understand eaxch other.

And finally, you shouldn't have it be all lovey dovey perfect every minute. They should fight, or maybe just disagree, depending on the temperment of ur characters. they need obsticles, maybe outside, maybe just themselves.

So basically they just can't be perfect and happy all the time because that's not how life is.

Hope I helped.
-Kaila

Hey, lxtmidnight!

Good couples, from a reader's perspective, have these:

-- Issues. There has to be flaws in both of them, or it just isn't interesting.
-- Issues, take two. Something about the other has to bug them. In the beginning, when they're wholly smitten, it might be hidden a little--but as the relationship matures, there is bound to be something about the other one can't stand.
-- Similarities and differences. Opposites attract, but people who have things in common stay together. My best friend is kind of butch, and her boyfriend is really girly, but they both love animals and work at the zoo.
-- Friendship. You can't throw two people together romantically who weren't friends first.

If you have no qualms with smut, definitely watch Skins. It's on Sunday nights on BBC America (I don't know if everyone gets this, but all the states I've lived in have). It's kind of a British Gossip Girl, but the characters and their girlfriends/boyfriends are really interesting to watch. The friendships, too, have a dynamic that you'll want to take note of. Plus, it's just entertaining to boot.

When I write about couples and relationships I tend to always add conflict, nothing is ever perfect in relationships!

There are always spells where the characters are really in love and want to spend every moment together (This is typically at the start of a relationship when there is excitment as it is all new with a new person). When couples have been together a long time however they know each other very well, a lot of couples would describe their other half as their best friend.

It's finding that balance between the two, if you can try and access some episodes of the British TV Documentary 'The Family' I know you are in the USA but if you can watch any of them you can observe the relationship between the parents, its clear that they lvoe each other but they also have some superb arguments!!!

Hope this helped a bit

Meevs
x

Yes, agreed, miyaviloves.

There has to be an element of conflict and contrast in the relationship. You need to find oppositions in the lovers' characters, and then figure out why they wouldn't have it any other way. There has to be a powerful motive that keeps them together. And that is the essence of any good romance!

well one good way would to make it so they are not always so understanding with one another. Make it so they fight alot, not over stupid things but mostly stuff that was a missunderstanding. Liek the girl saw the guy with another girl and they hugged eachother. Now the girlfriend thinks her boyfriend is cheating on her, and so on...


HOPE THIS HELPS ^_^

First don't make them fall in love right off the bat. What hooks readers to couple is the suspense before they actually hook up. I lot of scenarios can be fitted in when they're just starting to like each other. Are they shy or do they have no problem in speaking their opnion? Have they known each other for a long time or do they meet by accident? Drag it out until the characters can't stand it any more.

Also don't make the couple perfect in every way. It can be very annoying. Conflict is a good device don't make so much conflict that it seems like the couples abusive. Having conflict by misunderstanding is a good plot device because it makes the characters seem real.

And never ever forget the comedy! Everyone can use a laugh and comedy is important it really keeps the readers in your story. Personally I find a lack of humour to be very boring. Besides a little humour can add to a romantic atmosphere right? If the couple can't laugh together then they would be a very sad couple indeed.

Over all writing about couples can be a tricky business but the rewards can be well worth it. And have fun writing it!