Young Writers Society

In storybooks, romance can sometimes be a bit of a sticky issue. There are the obvious rules surrounding it, such as no sex scenes.

But, even when people stick to the rules, romance in storybooks can sometimes be a little too much.

Think about it. You create a storybook, with a good plot and some good characters. Then, when the storybook actually starts, what began as (let's say) an action plot, suddenly becomes something resembling a teenage drama; a plot full of angst ridden teenagers falling in love with each other in a matter of milliseconds. Then, when all the characters have found their soul-mate, the storybook fizzles out completely and you're left with nothing except ten pages of love and a plot that moved so slowly it would have lost a race against a snail.

Slight exaggeration? Yes, maybe. But, the case still stands, when storybooks become all about love they usually die. And, they aren't that interesting to begin with.

Please don't get me wrong here. Love is great in storybooks. It can make everything interesting: create rivalries, further plots, and make characters more interesting. However, that is when romance is interspersed with other things. It doesn't need to be the focus, it actually shouldn't be the focus. The focus should be the characters and the plot. If that involves love, then great. But let the romance in storybooks happen because it should, because it's what is right for the plot, not because you just want your character to have a bit of arm candy.

Anyone agree with me?

I agree. I think that romance in storybooks usually happen when things are just starting,completely killing any new advances other than

Username 1 wrote:

Then I told him that I was in love with him. Suddenly, Amanda came in and they all fought.

Username 2 wrote:

Then she told me she was in ove with me. I felt really happy. Then Amanda came and evryonne fought because Amanda was also in love wit hme. Bernard started to yell at JAmie because he was in love with her, then she fell in love with me.

It just gets really rididulous. I've been in Storybooks where everything was going great, then someone threw in a romance and poof! Goodbye anything but romance filled blah.

Very much so. Romance is all good and propper but sometimes the most fun characters are the ones who think realistically about the situation. We're being chased by zombies! There isn't time to fall in love. *ahem*

With that said, what you should also try to avoid is perfect love. Sudden unaminous, absolute devotion to another character. That takes years. Whatever the situation, even if the character saves your life, unless your own character is an idiot they're not suddenly going to decide to never kiss another man/ woman.

Conflicted love can really add to plots. Two characters have fallen out. It's a hospital scene. They're doctors. They need to work together to save a patient. And here, remember realism again. No doctor is going to throw down his gloves and refuse to do it because the other doctor doesn't return his/her feelings of love.

Totally. I try to keep romance at a minimum in my storybooks, because I've had bad experiences in the past...

Well in yalls storybooks when Romance gets in it,it begins to fade and noone knows what to write anymore but when you write your own story and romance is in it...it doesnt fade unless you want it to,I dont get that at all.

lol I like how Kitty replied. Was I roleplaying with you in a fantasy RPG and my character and a Kender hog-tied you because of your romance with another character? :3

The worst is when the claim each other, before they even start.

"Oh, you like Pudding, Rock and Roll, and are funny? My guy would love you!"

It can work, but if you use it from the beginning, with claiming, thus blocking actual development for romance. And it, usually, starts from the very first post they meet in. "Love on first site." There could be two characters, who could slowly, and interestingly, form a relationship, but are crippled by this. And sometimes they are poorly paired, and are just boring.

Romance can be good, it can be interesting, and a tool for development..but is hard to pull off in Storybooks.

I'm not going to lie. I did that in Boarding School. I avoid romances like the plague. Small crushes here and there, but never the full thing. I must say SB relationships pose more drama and headaches then real ones.