Young Writers Society

So, the novel I'm currently writing has a huge main theme of Reincarnation. Basically, my main characters are reincarnations of lovers from several hundred years ago. Now, my problem is that I don't know how to get my male main character to believe that he's the reincarnation of someone else. He's already been having dreams/flashbacks of his past life...but he's currently brushing them off. Any suggestions on how he could come to the same conclusion my female MC has? Thanks in advance!
Colly

What's his personality like? And what's the FMC's personality, that she does believe it?

The thing about questions like this is they're only answerable from the character themselves. Something about his personality is causing him to not believe he's a reincarnation, and until you identify that (along with identify why he believes what he does, and what it takes to change his mind), you'll never figure out how to get him to believe it.

Likewise, make sure that you know exactly why the female MC does believe it with such conviction. Is she gullible? Spiritual? Always had a sense she was different? If she just believes it because it's plot convenient, that's not a very solid character and you need to beef her up, as well.

Also, a general worldbuilding questions: are your two characters unique, or are they one of many reincarnated lover pairings?

Styxx (my male mc) is...stubborn. He's open minded and he believes in ghosts but he thinks (and he's told me this) reincarnation is going a little far. Adeline, my female MC, is a writer. She's creative and has always believed in reincarnation. She didn't immediately come to the conclusion that she was reincarnated either but she came to it easier than Styxx is. Styxx is fighting me every step of the way and I'm sort of confused.

So you're talking to your character. Fantastic.

Have you tried asking him what would make him believe it?

To add another question to the pot, why is it important that both of your main characters come to this conclusion? Why does Styxx have to realize that he's the reincarnation of Adeline's pre-incarnation's lover?

I've asked Styxx but he simply doesn't believe it. He needs to believe it because they have to stop Adeline's death from happening in the same way it did in their last life. If he doesn't believe, she'll die. And yet he's being increasingly stubborn. I love Styxx, he's my baby and my favorite out of the two characters...but he's stubborn. Very stubborn.

What would be so bad about her dying? Move the plot past that. Have him realize that the magic was true only after her death, and show him living with the knowledge he indirectly killed his love by not believing. Have him look at the world totally differently, and maybe believe in magic a little more.

Not every happy ending is the two lovers surviving, living happily ever after. Sometimes a happy ending is realizing you miss the person who died, and your life isn't the same, but it's alright. You're alright. There's life after death, even if that death is of your reincarnated lover.

Oh my Castiel. You just gave me a breakthrough! Thanks!