Writing Tip 38: Fictional Romance Tropes

These may have been mentioned in other posts but I read a few books with these elements embedded in them I thought I should share them again since I keep reading about them again and again.

1. Insta romance

When the romance occurs in the first few pages of the story. I get it it’s a book with a few hundred pages and a few thousand words but why do they have to have sex on the first encounter and then claim they’re in love. This is casual sex or a one-night stand. I have yet to meet anyone who fell in love over sex it’s mostly infatuation and when they are down from the high they have nothing in common and they don’t work out at all. Give the romance a chance to build and make it believable.

2. Mind-blowing orgasmic kiss

Just plain kissing doesn’t equate to love. This is when the couples kiss and the writer over exaggerates the kiss as if it were cataclysmic out of this world and eternal. We get it you liked it. The first kiss is always memorable but when every kiss must be explained to be like this is ridiculous.

3. Love triangles

This is usually a girl main character (MC) and she’s madly in love with two people but I can’t decide. But in the story, the guys are fighting for her attention. What guy does that? In real life, no one sticks around to wait for the person to decide who they want to be with. There’s plenty of fish in the sea why fight for one who can’t decide (there’s an app that you can download to find a date).

4. Objectifying abs

If it’s not a sex scene or is the first time she sees the abs then we don’t need varying descriptions of the same abs.


5. Inaccurate anatomical reference to organs during sex scenes

If by any chance you don’t know how the human sex organ is anatomically designed, then research. Talk to experts. Go to your partner. Go to your bathroom and explore yourself to figure it out.

Sometimes it seems like the author is inexperienced when they explain sexual positions and then the female body is not explained correctly or is it just me. I don’t need explicit information about how the human anatomy looks like but at least know where the places are and how they work and how women are actually aroused.


6. The gorgeous guy falling for the insecure girl

Oh my god, this is so annoying. Why just why? Where does this make sense? Who likes to have an insecure partner who doubts their existence at every chance they get? I’ve yet to see this in real life. The successful businessman (because they’re always businessman) falls for the long skirt, flats, sweater, glasses, no makeup, hair up in a messy ponytail (not the sexy one) wearing boring receptionist girl. If this was true, then I would gladly quit my job become this girl and be swoon away by this fantasy romance.

7. The guy who is an asshole

I know I repeat this a lot but this is just because it comes up a lot. Why does the sexy guy has to be the asshole type and he’s the MC. I don’t want an asshole for a boyfriend that treats me like crap. We’ll be arguing every day and this is not a healthy relationship. And it is usually because of a past struggle which shouldn’t be justified.

8. Unnecessary miscommunication

Drama is good but when it’s unreasonable then NO! When the MC stops talking or break up over something so simple that a conversation could’ve resolved.


9. Long chases

When the MC’s has every opportunity to make it work but they sabotage themselves into not being together. It’s not that they can’t be together because of family hatred or of a forbidden love. Is the long chase where every obstacle you can think of is in the between them or they are unsure of how they feel.


10. Ownership and obsession

This is usually a male-dominated role where the female is obviously the submissive type. The I own you and you belong to me lines. It shows that the MC doesn’t value their partner at all. He is treating her as a piece of property that needs insurance. This is definitely not a healthy relationship this is a psycho.

When one of the MC (usually the guy) is obsessed and following their partner around. Trying to find out what she’s doing or where she’s at or who she’s with. This is a stalker or an A-class clinger this is not cute. Get a restraining order fast.


These wrap up my fictional romances tropes. What are yours let me know what I’ve missed in the comments.

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