How to write Romantic Chemistry: Part 1
I saw a romcom recently that simply didn’t excite me. I thought perhaps it was a preference thing, but then many days after, I still couldn’t shake the feeling that it was severely missing something. It felt way too formulaic, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing except that if it is heavily relied upon to carry the love story through, the overall impact on the romance is lost. A love story is so much more than coming together after a third-act breakup.
And then it dawned on me. I have NO IDEA why the two characters fit together at all! No chemistry!
Two worlds colliding
Chemistry exists outside the realm of romance. It is found with your friends, family, co-workers, and so forth. To me, I define chemistry as an interaction that is full of reactions. It’s a rally of questions, comments, ideas, and stories that energizes one another. When the both individuals are actively engaged, they are pulled into a collaboration, a push and pull, a dance. And most importantly, good chemistry pulls you into the present.
Discord & Harmony
Difference creates tension, and tension can lead to interest. When confronted with opposing views, how do the characters move forward? What compromises do they make? This give-and-take not only reveals bits and pieces of who they are as characters, it lays the foundation of their relationship and how they move through the world as a couple. Pay close attention for opportunities to explore a character’s history and motivations as that could either cause conflict or strengthen bonds.
Sizzling, hot chemistry!
There are three things to create the sizzle: vulnerability, resistance, and desire. (Not necessarily in that order.)
Vulnerability—emotional, physical, social—isn’t weakness, but rather courage. When writing scenes where the characters are sharing secrets or letting their walls fall away, think about how this vulnerability transforms them into a better version of themself. Vulnerability creates a deeper intimacy and makes space for the characters to be their true self.
Resistance is the mind protecting the heart. Has something tragic happened in the character’s past that makes it harder for them to be loved? What obstacles stand in their way of loving another? Or maybe falling in love with that particular person is a bad idea because it would create a tangled mess of things. Whatever it is, the struggle against the resistance makes the romance all the more rewarding.
Desire ties both vulnerability and resistance together. It is the main motivation the overpowers logic and sense. For what is love if it is not senseless and powerful? I often think about the Darcy hand flex and how a simple gesture embodies so much; it reveals his repressed desire for Lizzy, the yearning slipping through his mask of indifference and reasoning, felt in an instant. Perfection.
❧
Writing chemistry can be difficult to get right but once you do, it’s a load of fun! In Part 2 of this blog, I’ll be talking about some scenes that can help get it started. Until then, develop your characters to be as complete and complex as possible so that when they share scenes together, it will be electrifying! ⚡️
