#romantic subplot

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

Do you have any tips for strangers arranged marriage plot? Kinda struggle to start :(

Thx 𖹭

YES absolutely, arranged marriage strangers-to-lovers is so juicy, but yeah, the beginning can feel weirdly hard to crack. like… how do you start a relationship when there's no relationship yet?? you’re trying to build chemistry and stakes from nothing, and still make it feel emotionally real.

so let’s break it down 👇

🌶️the core tension = contract vs connection. they’re bound together by something external (family, politics, survival, magic law, whatever), not choice. that friction between “we have to be in this” and “do we want to be in this” is your heartbeat. → every early scene should let that tension breathe. → she doesn’t know if she can trust him. he doesn’t know what she wants. they misread each other. they pull back. they move forward. they get it wrong. it’s messy, because real closeness grows from uncertainty.

🌒 start after the decision, but before the comfort. you don’t need to open with the wedding or proposal unless it’s plot-critical. honestly, it’s often more powerful to start right after the commitment is sealed. → they’ve signed the papers. the ceremony is done. now they’re staring at each other in the hallway of a shared home like: “so… you want the left drawer or?” → this gives you room to explore who they are in proximity to each other, and how the arrangement shifts their behavior.

🔍 build tension through contrast. they should approach this situation differently. one might see it as duty. the other as punishment. one’s trying too hard. the other’s emotionally shut down. one’s deeply polite. the other pushes buttons. → the contrast gives you sparks. and from those sparks, you can build emotional ground.

🔥 scenes > exposition. show the distance through awkward firsts. → eating dinner together without talking. → realizing they don’t know how the other takes their tea. → one getting sick and the other not knowing if they’re allowed to help. these tiny moments do more than backstory ever could.

🕯️don’t skip the awkward stage. seriously. lean into it. the first time they argue, the first accidental touch, the first sign of protectiveness or jealousy. even the silence has texture. → when you show the shift from “i don’t know you” to “i’m starting to see you,” it hits harder. you want that moment later where the reader realizes: wait… they know each other now.

💡 quick prompts from me to get started:

she finds something of his in their shared space, something vulnerable.

one of them is forced to defend the other in public, even if they barely know them.

a shared chore, task, or journey where they have to cooperate, but completely clash.

someone from their past shows up and the other gets an unexpected glimpse of who they were before this marriage.

🌼 final note from me: you’re not writing a romance that starts with attraction. you’re writing one that starts with obligation and grows. and that’s so rich, because everything they learn about each other is earned.

you got this. the start doesn’t have to be perfect, just real. and a little uncomfortable. (i’m cheering you on from the metaphorical arranged marriage sidelines 🖤)

[amaliazeichnerin]

Alright, I now have ca. 14.000 words for that "The Ritual" fanfiction about Father Joseph and an original character. My plan was to write a mix of a romance and a haunted house story with a bit of horror. But now it seems it's rather a haunted house story with a bit of horror and a romantic subplot, including a very slooow burn. 😅 And now I fear that nobody is going to read that later when I put the whole fanfic on AO3 - because to me it seems that 90% of fanfics are very much focussing on a romance, with or without spicy scenes. Anyhow, I am having fun writing it. Still don't know how long it is going to be, maybe two or three more chapters.

[secondhandsorrows]

Some Vital Scenes to Include in a Romantic Subplot, Pt. 2

Back at it again with part two of some scenes to consider adding for a romance subplot. Before we get into it, just a brief reminder that everyone’s story is different. Take that as you will. I find these helpful for planning and keeping a solid foundation for a compelling romance. There's probably a lot more I'm missing out. Some of these tips, I'm thinking, could even be helpful for writing a platonic friendship, in cases like making mistakes or helping each other through tough times.

If there's anything you would like add or share about this process or some of the things that have helped you, let me know! ~

- Moments of intimacy:

This is rather similar to our last point about flirting, but what I’m trying to get across here is the things that are not said. The unspoken. The unmentionables, if we wanna go there. But I’m getting ahead of myself… this is the kind of scene that can be built up gradually as the romance between your characters grows and deepens. Moments of intimacy in a romance subplot involve deeper and more meaningful interactions between the characters, showcasing their emotional closeness. They include physical closeness, such as hugs, touches, or moments of shared proximity. 

It doesn’t have to be all touchy-feely, either. These scenes also might include gazing at the stars, a shared adventure, a sudden desire to reach out but chickening out at the last second, or a quiet moment of understanding during a tough situation. These gestures can convey a sense of comfort or safety. Intimate moments can also build anticipation and tension in the narrative, where readers may eagerly await these little, momentous moments as they read and become more invested in their relationship. 

- Helping each other out:

Nothing get me more invested in a romance than those moments where the characters offer support, assistance, or guidance to each other, thus reinforcing their bond and showcasing the strength of their connection. Also, while helping each other, the characters can also encourage independence and growth in each other. They can encourage each other’s goals and aspirations, allowing each other to maintain their own unique identity within the relationship. 

The characters could also perform acts of kindness, be it big or small — showing to the other character how much they care without explicitly stating it. There’s an element of vulnerability that can be explored here, in which the characters share experiences and insights good and bad — offering each other solace during hard times and joy during the best of times. 

Some examples!

- Character A solving a problem in a way that only they would know or character B wouldn’t have thought of in the first place. 

- Character B being understanding and listening without judgement to A’s opening up and venting.

- Character A offering support and clear-headed advice to B, who tends to get irrational. On the other hand, B standing up for A and protecting them from harm. 

- Character B teaching a new, valuable skill to A, thus providing great opportunity for them to get closer and connect. 

- Mistakes or misunderstandings:

Like many others, I’m not a big fan of miscommunication in romantic arcs … unless they’re resolved quickly (because they tend to be predictable, sometimes, or just frustrating when there's every opportunity for them to reconcile but they're ignoring it because drama).

Ahem. But, characters should be allowed to make mistakes and learn from them. It’s realistic, because who hasn’t made a mistake at least once in their life? Not every budding relationship is ever perfect. It’s rewarding to see characters learn from their errors and work towards a mutual understanding or reconciliation. This helps to show their emotional maturity and resilience, especially if its gradual or important for their character arc.

Narrative elements that introduce complications (often arising from bad impressions, flaws, insecurities, awkward moments, mistakes, or even just being at the wrong place at the wrong time) can add tension to the relationship while providing space for growth. When used right, this can add deeper strength to your characters’ bond as they eventually overcome the bumps along the road of romance. It’s always interesting to see how characters might react in certain situations, for better or for worse. This is also a great point as to force your characters to confront their true feelings and be able to recognize them or communicate them better.

- Declaration of feelings:

Finally! The moment we’ve all been waiting for! This is the special moment where one or both characters express their romantic feelings for each other, marking a significant turning point in the subplot that often dictates how the story would then play then on out. Think about how you want your “declaration” scene to play out and what emotions you want to invoke. Is it elation? Anguish? Confusion? Excitement? Sadness? I mean, not every declaration scene has to be perfect. It all depends on the story you’re wanting to tell, how focused you want your romantic subplot to be, and what your characters are like. 

Also consider how your characters are feeling in that moment and what brought them there. Have your characters been waiting for this moment for a long time now? Is it risky? Easy for them to declare their feelings out loud? Could it also be just not the right moment, so hopefully later their love will be fully understood and reciprocated? Just some helpful things to consider. 

[standard-fiendart]

Some original characters for a project that's been eating away at my brain cells lately. Might fuck around and write a book about them.

Left to right; Audrey Beaughin, Elijah Faks, and Rainier Ward.

I'm calling the project Unthreaded. It's set in a world that is high-magic 1900-1920 America/Europe inspired, with a lot of the conveniences of the time period centered around magic.

The world of Ruvan is covered in magical wells called Seams that people can draw magic from. Most people develop an affinity, and physically adapt, to certain types of magic, like Audrey's ability to cast spells related to tracking, and Rainier's ability to obfuscate himself from any sense. Then some people, like Elijah, have a greater potential for magic that leads to a wider range of abilities and has the draw back of not adapting physically to anything.

A lot of power, but with drawbacks.

Elijah was researching the true magical potential of people like him for someone he later discovered was dangerous. So, he erased all traces of his research from existence, including from his memory, and Audrey's. This leads to them falling out, or breaking up, rather. But, when Audrey stumbles upon a clue left behind, they have to work together, with the assassin Rainier, and race to recover the research and figure out whether they need to destroy it once again, or if they can use it to oust those in power that would use it to declare war on neighboring kingdoms and claim their Seams.

Elijah is a bi/ace librarian, and a horse girl. He favors telekinetic magic and views casting like sewing, or knitting, since his mother is a seamstress (hence the sewing theme I'm going for).

Audrey is a bi hunter with dark, slitted eyes that open wide when she casts spells related to tracking. Specifically she can make herself able to see magic, either on a person like an aura, or on the land, where people/ animals have left marks in it.

Rainier is a bi assassin who can cast spells on himself or others to make them invisible/silent/scentless/tasteless/and even dampen their physical presence. His skin goes from a natural dark to almost pure black along his extremities and his palms and feet are soft and sensitive.

I am open to questions or general interaction with this project. Anything to keep myself motivated. Feel free to send asks!

[colorful-craze]

Alright so! I’m working on a book, and since this is the first serious full-length book I’m attempting I want to make sure that I’m doing it right. The goal is for people to read it one day :]. So if y’all don’t mind could y’all tell me some tropes in:

• fantasy

• romance/romantic subplot

• books in general

That y’all consider either bad or overused? I really appreciate it, thank you <3

[strawberryfanaticccc]

romance as a subplot >>>>>>> romance as the main plot

[quirkycatsfatstacks]

Review: Evocation by S.T. Gibson

Series: The Summoner’s Circle #1Author: S.T. GibsonPublisher: Angry Robot BooksReleased: May 28, 2024 Received: Own (OwlCrate)Find it on Goodreads | More OwlCrate | More Fantasy Book Summary: Once upon a time, David Aristarkhov was considered a magical child prodigy. Unfortunately, like many child prodigies, there comes a cost. For David, that price hits him like a curse – literally. The…

[valtsv]

so many things about those movies were atrocious but i actually think the hobbit films were brilliant for entirely making up a female character who was never so much as mentioned in the books. i think that more book adaptations where the author was too misogynistic to consider that women might exist in their story should do that. i think that they should be required to. if we're very lucky we might even get some decently written female characters out of it.

[animezinglife]

There is such a fine line between showing two characters are already attracted to each other when you're just starting out in your story and making it so obvious you know readers will be scratching their heads not understanding why the two aren't already together.

I feel like they both know it and have a quiet acceptance of it, but also keep second-guessing whether my reason they have never gotten together is good enough...

[sunflowermp4]

"I think [Abbot's] kind of, in his own weird and "I'm not trying to be creepy" way, flirting in the only way that he can. I think he actually has a ton of respect for Dr. Mohan.

There was a scene — I'm not sure if it made it, I don't think it did — in the first episode where somebody says something about her and he comes out and says, 'She's the smartest one here. And I think he has such respect for her.

I think it was his way of just kinda trying to keep it warm there with her." - Shawn Hatosy

[astxrope]

Y'know who's one of the best aroace rep I've seen and gets... Decently respected???

Merida from Brave.

Like she is Aroace you are not convincing me otherwise if there are any characters that are aroace

Merida (brave)

Connor (dbh)

Tuffnut... Arguably? (httyd)

[shitpostingkats]

A media: *shows two characters having a deep and intimate relationship that is emotionally loadbearing to both parties so they depict them doing stereotypical romantic actions, but for whatever reason (censorship/fan reaction/story's general disinterest in romance/etc.) never make them a canon couple*

My aromantic ass:

[self-made-purgatories]

From the Half-Empty Loveseat and the Cuck Chair to the Miracle on the Biobed

Master Post for my Season-3-to-TMP Spirk Breakup Meta Analysis Series

People complain all the time about the odd, out-of-character writing in Season 3 of Star Trek TOS. They also complain that there is no canon explanation for the reason why Spock left Kirk and Starfleet to attempt kolinahr by the start of TMP. Why are these two things both so weird?

But, consider this: What if these two weird things are related? What if the odd actions are not out of character at all? What if Season 3's subtext leads directly to Spock's abandonment of the life he built in Starfleet, and more specifically, to his separation from Kirk by the start of TMP?

What if we're actually watching a painful behind-the-scenes Spirk breakup unfold in real time?

A few months ago, before I had ever seen TMP, I watched "Requiem for Methuselah" for the first time and the vibes were so weird that I started to dissect the subtext by writing my way through it. And the subtext kept getting deeper, episode by episode. And so I kept writing about it. And then I finally saw TMP, and I suddenly realized that, not only was I right, these things are all connected. Season 3 and TMP are not actually doubly weird; they are two related weirds that cancel each other out. And, even better, the pain and angst of Season 3 eventually leads to a happy ending in TMP!

To create this series, I wrote over 20,000 words on the subject in the space of a few weeks. (Thank you, hyperfixation.) Recently, a couple of the posts are making the rounds again. People keep reblogging segments of the series, so apparently there is an audience larger than my weirdass self and the void I am shouting into.

So, for your pleasure and convenience, I have reassembled the full series here in chronological order. Some of them are short, silly posts, and others are lumbering behemoth posts with tons of subtext to comb through and mull over. Enjoy the journey with me.

PART 1: END OF SEASON 3

1. The Half-Empty Loveseat and Other Tragedies Or, the Episode Where Kirk Broke Spock's Heart (and Mine) - S3 E19 Requiem for Methuselah

Spock has had a rough Season 3 so far. But this is the first time that Kirk's behavior is the direct cause. Kirk's blind cruelty causes irreparable damage to both Spock and their relationship.

2. they're still fighting, aren't they and one type of music - S3 E20 The Way to Eden

Vibes are off between Kirk and Spock. Spock finds reasons to be elsewhere and pointedly spends more time with a fun hippie guy than with Kirk.

3. From the Half-Empty Loveseat to the Cuck Chair - S3 E21 The Cloud Minders

Watching him sleep, watching him flirt, shouting in his face: Spock and Kirk try to act calm and professional, but tension bubbles under the surface.

4. why. WHY does it make me so fucking happy to watch this one man ogle this other man's ass like this - S3 E22 The Savage Curtain

Does this mean their fight is over??

5. To Hell and Back: The Seven Deadly Sins of Spock’s Inferno - S3 E23 All Our Yesterdays

In the tradition of ancient epic stories, Spock takes an allegorical journey to hell with McCoy as his guide, and his unusual behavior there – a descent into madness by way of all Seven Deadly Sins – gives us a peek into his ongoing internal struggle.

6. Running "Interference" - S3 E24 Turnabout Intruder

"He says, finally, resigned, 'I believe you.'" I'm pretty sure Spirk have broken up for good now. Their relationship is strained and it has affected their prior intimacy of knowing each other inside and out.

PART 2: THE MOTION PICTURE

7. The Betrayal of Irritation - TMP Part 1

Spock attempts kolinahr. But of course, it doesn't work. He is running away from life, away from love, away from Kirk, rather than running towards enlightenment. It was never going to work. 

When Spock returns to the Enterprise, he emanates a carefully constructed façade of aloof disdain. "I don't care," he seems to say. But if he didn't care, he wouldn't have come at all. And now that he is here, anything is possible.

8. "To Come Alongside and Lock On" - TMP Part 2

Two very small but very important details precede Spock and Kirk's reunion on the bridge of the Enterprise.

9. Feeling Trapped, Crisis of the Self, and the Hidden Meaning of Spock's Two Steepled Fingers - TMP Part 3

Spock's steepled fingers are a self-soothing gesture that first appears in "Plato's Stepchildren" and recurs in TMP during the kolinahr scene and a tense faceoff with V'Ger. What does this gesture tell us about Spock's inner struggle?

10. Yes, He is Here. But He is Still Gone: The Five Stages of Grief (and Seven Sorrows) of Heartbroken Kirk - TMP Part 4

Kirk openly experiences all five stages of grief in regards to Spock's cold return. Meanwhile, the bookend to Spock's experience of the Seven Deadly Sins in "All Our Yesterdays" is this: Kirk's experience of Seven Sorrows, seven metaphorical knives in the heart given to him in rapid succession by Spock's return.

11. sidebar: loyalty, obedience, friendship - TMP Part 5.5

In which I go a little nuts in the notes of someone else's post into greater detail about the three times Spock refuses Kirk's invitation to sit down.

12. Bare Feet on Holy Ground: A Story Of Doubt and Acceptance. - TMP Part 5

McCoy is the voice of reason, but love transcends reason. When Kirk finally lets go and reaches the Acceptance stage of grief, a miracle occurs: The steepled fingers are gone. All that is left is Spock's hand in Kirk's.

And they live happily ever after.

[seventeendeer]

with the way Susie is propped up by the narrative as the true hero of Deltarune (not the in-universe prophecy, but the video game story, the thing that's happening between the game and the audience), I can't help but nurse this little wish in my heart that she's eventually going to snap under the pressure

she's a replacement best friend to Kris who seems to have been mostly alone since Asriel left, she's Ralsei's emotional support as he learns to overcome his self-esteem issues, she's Noelle's big scary love interest who's going to fill the void left behind by her sister who went missing, she's Berdly's dream gamer girl, in school she's the scary kid that everyone's telling campfire stories about to spook each other, in the dark worlds she's a hero who inspires the weak and stands up to tyrants

she's taking it really well because she's used to being demonized, and she's so excited to make some friends and be allowed to fill some different roles than normal

but in a story this meta, where the roles characters play are deconstructed so heavily, won't she eventually get ... tired? being shoved into different roles by different people constantly? having to save everyone from their own problems? having to be The Hero Who Resolves Story Conflicts?

Susie is so awesome but if in some future chapter she gets fed up and starts smashing shit again. or just tells everyone to fuck off and stays home. well I would simply support that so much. go girl never let them tell you what to do

[sad-endings-suck]

I have seen exactly 1 episode of Blue Eye Samurai and I am gobsmacked by how amazing it is. Mizu is already my everything. I am almost never so deeply invested so quickly in any media. I am obsessed. If the rest of the show is consistent in quality with the first episode then this show is Arcane level incredible, and I do not say that lightly.

[jthealien]

I can fix her