Beginners Guide on Best Romance Tropes to Write About.

What exactly is a trope, and why are they so effective? Trope: (in a romantic novel) a plot, theme, device, or character that appears so frequently that it has become a genre convention. In other words, a romantic trope is the reason readers buy romance novels! Tropes aren't clichés, nor are they formulas. They are not a paint-by-numbers novel solution.

But they can be the starting point for a great romance novel that meets all of your readers' expectations while also surprising them.

From Friends to Lovers

This old favorite is a classic trope. It works because the couple already knows, likes, and has an emotional connection with each other. It's also very familiar to readers – not just from other stories, but from everyday life as well. Who hasn't had a crush on a friend at some point in their lives?

But be warned: readers will expect there to be a very good reason for them to have stayed apart for so long, and for them to be resisting their attraction now. What has changed to bring them together romantically after they were only friends before?

Compulsory Proximity

This one can include anything from a couple being snowed in together to being stuck in an elevator, having to work together for a common goal, or being best man and bridesmaid at a wedding. Anything that forces the couple to spend time in each other's company – and thus get to know and fall for each other – counts. Readers anticipate that the couple will resist whatever is forcing them together, at least at first. And whatever it is, it must feel unavoidable and genuine.

Relationship Fraud

One of them needs a date for a wedding, or to impress a boss, or to confuse the media... I enjoy writing fictitious love stories and have written quite a few! For whatever reason, our couple is forced to pretend to love each other – until it becomes true.

Readers expect them both to have a compelling reason to support this plan, so consider: what do they both stand to gain from it? And it strengthens the story if they have other reasons to believe a relationship between them can't work, aside from the fact that it's all a ruse.

Lovers' Enemies

They think they hate each other, but as they get to know each other better, they realize there's a fine line between love and hate...

Readers expect there to be good reasons for their enemy's status – and equally good reasons for the couple to get over them – with this trope. Perhaps they misjudged each other or trusted someone else's assessment of their character. Or perhaps there are two sides to every story, and neither has all the facts... Whatever their reasons for hating each other are, they must be convincing. And by removing it to reveal the person beneath, you allow them to fall in love.

But, and this is a big but, it can't all be a big mistake. They both need to grow and overcome whatever was separating them. And they can't do that if they simply believed the wrong gossip and then discovered the truth.

Convenience Marriage

This one works particularly well in historical settings, but it can also be used in modern settings with some thought. Essentially, the couple must marry even though they are not in love or even together. Perhaps it's for an inheritance, a business, or a family matter. Whatever the inspiration, as it is with a fictitious romance, it's essential that they both acquire something from it – especially given the higher stakes. Readers expect the wedding to happen fairly early in the book, so they must figure out married life – and their relationship – as the story progresses.

Romance with a Second Chance

Reunion romances, in which an estranged couple or long-lost sweethearts are reunited and given a second chance at love, are always popular. The concept of 'the one that got away' seems to resonate with a lot of readers.

Readers expect there to be a good reason for them to break up in the first place, which gives them enough qualms about trying to drive the conflict in the story again. They also want to see that the characters have evolved – that the reason they can make things work this time is because they have grown and learned to be ready for love. As usual, a simple misunderstanding between them will not suffice.

Brother/Sister of a Best Friend

In many ways, the forbidden fruit trope can also include a best friend's or sibling's ex, depending on the circumstances. It forces a prospective couple to deny their attraction for fear of upsetting or angering someone else who is very important to them. It's up to you to figure out how they overcome this and possibly win over the third party!

 You have a conflict as long as the other person feels completely off limits.

Workplace romance

Workplace romance, also known as job-based romance, is a romantic relationship that occurs at work

This was once the 'boss and the secretary' trope, but not any longer! Nowadays, the boss is just as likely to be a woman. And, more often than not, this is about two people who are forced to collaborate on something, bringing in the forced proximity and often enemies to lovers tropes.

And there are times when it is about a boss and his assistant. However, readers today expect the dynamic to be much more equal between them, both outside and inside the workplace, and for the boss to learn more from the assistant than the other way around.

This trope can also refer to many cowboy/rancher stories in which the focus is on the ranch itself, as well as other Hero stories. – with practitioners, ex - servicemen, firefighters, or law enforcement officers, where one ‘s job seems to be the hook.

Identity Errors/Amnesia

These two tropes may not appear to be a natural fit, but they include any story in which one half of a prospective couple knows more about their relationship than the other. Perhaps the owner of a competing company is misidentified as a new employee, or an accident causes only one half of a couple to remember getting married at all.

Because of the foundation of lies and the uneven power dynamic, this can be a difficult story to pull off, but if done correctly, it can make for a very satisfying story.

Weddings

Weddings are indeed a staple of romance novels, whether the bride is running out the door, the best man is in love with the maid of honor, or the groom is in love with the wedding planner! There are many other possibilities here, and the ticking clock of the wedding day can help to raise the stakes throughout.

I've written a lot of wedding stories, and I always attempt to find a different twist on them. The romance of a wedding background is always appealing to readers, and a bride on a book cover is so appealing!