slow burn romance and story
May. 17th, 2022 11:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
marycatelliWhen doing slow burn romance -- don't make it the only plot.
It lacks forward motion.
The only thing that shifts the story forward is change. Even if it's change from "I can't tell him my big secret" to "How dare she keep such a secret from me." Otherwise they keep retreading the same ground, which can get very tedious.
Subplots can work. Either putting the romance in the subplot while they fight a wicked witch, or solve mysteries, or repair houses. Or by having actions occur during the romance -- hmm, it's a little hard to tease those out. Easier when you have a series and each book has a villain, dead body, or house while the romance progresses in the background. In a single story you probably want one external plot and the slow-burn romance -- though it would have to be a novel at least to qualify as slow-burn. You need time.
It lacks forward motion.
The only thing that shifts the story forward is change. Even if it's change from "I can't tell him my big secret" to "How dare she keep such a secret from me." Otherwise they keep retreading the same ground, which can get very tedious.
Subplots can work. Either putting the romance in the subplot while they fight a wicked witch, or solve mysteries, or repair houses. Or by having actions occur during the romance -- hmm, it's a little hard to tease those out. Easier when you have a series and each book has a villain, dead body, or house while the romance progresses in the background. In a single story you probably want one external plot and the slow-burn romance -- though it would have to be a novel at least to qualify as slow-burn. You need time.