Tips Corner

It's not love, if there's no double trouble!

There is no love story, if there is no relationship. We have known romance through literature, from Shakespeare and Italian poetry, to films, from Casablanca to La La Land, and music, from the classics to the present day.

As the title suggests, "it's not love, if there's no double trouble". Couples are the core of every romance and each genre has its own couple that can be modeled on different genres. If you are looking for inspiration for a future romance, you have come to the right section! 

In this article we present the most popular couples for each romance subgenre and how to deal with them in your plot.

1) Office Romance | Who would dream of working for a big CEO? Love always arises between the boss and his/her/them employee, but also with the secretary. It doesn't matter which hierarchy you are part of, you will always win the heart of your boss.

2) Billionaire Romance | Your romance interest has it all: money, a luxurious villa and an exceptional reputation. An unattainable love, if you are a middle-class person who finds yourself as a waiter/waitress, or just a delivery. Humbleness and passion are your keywords to open them heart.

3) Sport Romance | Whether it's the captain of your school's rugby team, a multiple tennis player, a hockey champion or a skating teacher, there's no limit to your imagination. Love is built on the pitch and after so many failures with the visitors, touchdown will be your happy ending!

4) Dark Romance | Darkness surrounds your relationship, there is no way to dispel it. Unless you are his savior, that person who could turn fear into love.

5) Music/Rockstar Romance | Music is the undisputed queen of your love story, it will lead you towards the happy ending. The musical instrument you will start playing will lead you to your romantic interest, famous or not.

6) Fantasy/Paranormal Romance | Vampires, werewolves, magicians, elves... in a world where everything is possible, even love can blossom. You can be part of that wizarding world or be a stranger to it, but its rules will be the first obstacle to your love. They won't be the ones to stop you!

7) High School/College Romance | Secret Crushes, notes left in the locker, the prom... we've all experienced love at school at least once, even vicariously. Your body changes, as does your love perspective. The thread of destiny could be intertwined with your classmate, the most popular guy/girl in school... or even your teacher!

8) Sci-Fi Romance | What could the future hold, once you fall in love? One might expect an alien fiancè(e), or love with an artificial intelligence. You can experience that love is in science and chemistry, but also unpredictable. Love can be human, alien, or futuristic.

9) Mystery Romance | Are you assigned the case of an evil Cupid seeking revenge? Have you been chosen to follow the footsteps of a heart-stealing thief who operates in the shadows? Love is a puzzle and you can easily get lost. All you need to do is grab your magnifying glass and solve your case: will you fall in love with the detective or the heart-broken thief?

Remember that you don't have to follow a specific pattern to write your story. Each of these can be combined with other subgenres, creating real literary mosaics. The wonder of writing is in exploring new combinations and giving emotions, whether positive or negative. Don't forget to use clichés to make your writing experience even more enjoyable, fun... and dramatic (!) for your readers.

And now, pick up your notebook and write your next romance!