Tips Corner

4 Tips to Help Writers Avoid Romance Clichés

A romance cliché is a common plot theme, characterization, or action that dulls the story. In comparison, a trope is a conventional plot device, character attribute, or emotion used for an artistic effect to describe the story. Whereas, clichés are overused and feel unoriginal, serving as phrases or stereotypes given to a character or setting. They can make the main characters feel like characters you've encountered in a story before. Essentially, clichés dilute the story and the message that the storyteller intends for you to take away from it.

These clichés are often present everywhere in romantic comedies in literature and films. Among the most prevalent are the iconic scenes of kissing in the rain, the classic boy or girl next door trope, chance encounters at airports, and the timeless notion of love at first sight. However, the realm of clichés extends far beyond these well-known examples, encompassing a plethora of tropes that have been exhaustively utilized in storytelling.

A modern example of this phenomenon can be seen in Jenny Han's work within her Song-Covey universe. Here, each character is entwined in an overtly cliché storyline, whether it's experiencing a classic first fall or exchanging hand-written letters. Lara Jean Song-Covey epitomizes this trope, as she navigates through moments like writing letters, daydreaming about kissing in the rain, and recalling memories in airports. What distinguishes Jenny Han's universe is its undeniable appeal to both readers and viewers. She crafts narratives that resonate with both adults and teenagers, offering stories that evoke wistful yearnings for experiences akin to those of the Covey family. Han's world paints a picture of an idyllic existence, seemingly untouched by the harsh realities of life. Moreover, Han elevates her storytelling by incorporating references to beloved films like Say Anything and Sixteen Candles. These tales often culminate in blissful endings, albeit often perpetuating gender stereotypes.

So, how exactly do you avoid these unforgettable romance clichés?

1.) The best way to avoid romance cliches is to write the romance story that you want to read. It can even be about yourself or a family member.

Be original and authentic.

One thing to avoid is taking parts of someone else's story and changing it to fit yours. By doing this your story loses originality.

You should focus on what romance and love mean to you.

Create a captivating original character with a rich background, aspirations, and challenges that drive their development. These challenges can stem from interpersonal conflicts, internal struggles, environmental factors, or uncertainty, leading to dynamic character growth throughout the story.

2.) Along with characterization, an individual's emotions are important to consider when starting your story. A character's emotional response can be a cliche. For example, in Nicholas Sparks's story, The Notebook, tears are an emotion that is overly used throughout the entire movie. Try to avoid doing this. Instead, consider these three questions when writing your character's emotional response:

-What is the character's background history? Do they have a story to tell? Or are they missing parts of their story?

-What makes your plot twist cause your character to react differently from the other characters

These questions will challenge you as a writer to create unique emotional responses. Quotes such as "I would die for you" and "You are my everything," can lose the reader's attention.

An emotion can be written in dialogue or be an action with no dialogue. Sometimes it is helpful to think about how you would react if something life-changing happened to you.

3.) Do not rush the story's conflict or character development. What should set your plot twist apart from others is how it prompts your character to respond distinctly compared to the other characters.

4.) The other way to rush a romance story is to write it over time and rush the conflict then write a happy ending.

The conflicts in the story are the most essential parts that capture the reader's attention.

To write a non-cliche conflict, it is best to do a character study or analysis. Figure out whether the conflict is related to themself or their relationship with others. Oftentimes the conflict can intertwine with their emotions and dialogue.

This goes back to the tip about staying authentic. If the conflict feels cheesy or has too many tropes, it will lose the reader's interest. Write the conflict that you want to see happen.

5.) Create a plot twist that does not involve romance.

The last tip is to create a compelling plot twist. Your plot twist should be surprising but not outside of the story's universe. Going off-topic will confuse your readers and make the genre change with one line.

Three of the most commonly used plot twists are the amnesia twist, it was all a dream, and using something along the lines of "surprise, I don't really like you at all."

Foreshadowing subtly can prevent giving away crucial details.

One way to do that is to mislead your reader into thinking the person or environment behind the act is not real or at fault. You are the creator of the story. Don't be afraid to play with the reader's emotions. Romantic stories can happen at uncertain times.

Another way to create a compelling twist is to introduce more characters. Surprise your readers. Maybe there's a hidden cousin in the family tree or a forbidden sibling that changes the plot. Secret identities are an excellent way to create a plot twist without foreshadowing one.

A fantastic example of this is Sara Shephard's best-selling book series, Pretty Little Liars. Shepherd's plot twists are incredible. They involve crime, romance, and many other genres that surprise readers on every page. What makes her stories exceptional, is the fact that she focuses on family and character backstories. Giving readers and viewers the sense that there's something more to the story than what is on the surface.

These surprises can prevent readers from cliche and unoriginal dialogue or actions. The element of surprise changes everything from how a character reacts to how they kiss or flirt.

Remember that authenticity is the key to creating a compelling romance story with little to no cliches. Make sure you re-read your character's dialogue and actions to make sure you avoid cheesiness or repeats. Do a character study to learn more about your character or character. You can do this on paper or in a visual using a college or photos. And lastly do not rush your romance story.

Go ahead and write the story you want to read. Enjoy the process and don't forget to take breaks if you feel stuck on a chapter or character's dialogue.

Happy writing,

Kathylo42