Romance: Points of Connection

In addition to the obstacles that fit normal plots, you have to come up with two important components for the love story: what brings them together and keeps them together and obstacles to drive them apart. The couple faces unique problems which have to be resolved before they can live happily ever after.

Check out Story Building Blocks II: CraftingBelievable Conflict and the companion Build A Cast Workbook to build characters based on personality traits. It is important to understand what different characters need and want and why they do what they do to determine if they will be successful as a couple.

What brings your lovers together and helps them overcome the problems? Choose at least three then the final component that cinches the deal.

~ Ability to apologize

~ Compatible personality traits

~ Compatible romantic styles

~ Dependability

~ Drawing strength from each other

~ Equal emotional intelligence

~ Equal level of intelligence

~ Fulfilling each other’s emotional needs

~ Fulfilling each other’s physical needs

~ Loyalty

~ Lust or physical chemistry

~ Mutual admiration

~ Mutual friends

~ Safety

~ Shared causes (social, political, religious)

~ Shared circle of friends

~ Shared financial habits

~ Shared history (same school, town, etc.)

~ Shared life circumstances

~ Shared life goals (home, work, children)

~ Shared core needs

~ Shared passions or hobbies (sports, travel, books, etc.)

~ Shared personal narratives (both had one sibling, divorced parents, etc.)

~ Shared religion

~ Shared secrets

~ Shared sense of humor

~ Shared views on friendship

~ Shared views on family

~ Shared work venue and/or work ethic

Can you think of others? Next week, we will examine obstacles to love.

To learn more about plotting the Romance, check out the recently released Romance Build A Plot Workbook available in print and e-book.

For more about how to craft plots using conflict check out, Story Building Blocks: The Four Layers of conflict available in print and e-book and check out the free tools and information about the series on my website.