How to Write Romance in Fantasy: 5 Ways to Write Romance

Fantasy stories employ fantastical elements like magic and otherworldly creations. Many fantasy series feature werewolves, vampires, wizards, superheroes, and other creatures that veer away from real-life characters, though some have human characters. Fantasy authors grip readers through strong worldbuilding, compelling characters, and catchy romance arcs between supporting and main characters.

George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones and J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series are two famous examples of fantasy novel series. However, fantasy stories can come in many forms, including short stories, novellas, film, TV series, podcasts, and more. There are various fantasy subgenres, including epic fantasy (J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings), urban fantasy (Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman), superheroes (the X-Men comic books by Stan Lee), and others.

Writing romance into fantasy works may involve the same tropes found in other romance books. Consider the following ways to enrich romantic relationships in your fantasy romance stories:

1. 1. Create conflict in romance. Star-crossed lovers and love triangles can complicate romance plots and keep readers and viewers on the edge of their seats.
2. 2. Earn any sex scenes. Sex scenes for the sake of sex scenes may be titillating, but the scenes will be more serviceable if the writer roots them in the character's genuine desires and distinct personalities. Use sex scenes to advance the story and themes.
3. 3. Employ paranormal romance. Paranormal romances exist between disparate species, as in Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series, in which heroine Bella loves both a werewolf and a vampire.
4. 4. Give characters a backstory. If romance readers can easily understand the characters’ backstory, the plot points and relationships will be more interesting. A solid backstory can flesh out the character and give the audience a greater reason to invest in their storyline.
5. 5. Remember secondary characters. Main characters are not the only ones who get to have romantic lives. Secondary characters can have their own romantic arcs, and their storylines can reveal new information about the world of your fantasy story.

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