On romance: Chemistry 101

So. Romantic chemistry. Having it is important. It can make a believable relationship or break it. Only problem is, I've never been precisely sure of what it is and how it applies to fiction. Mind explaining things to me, please? Examples and explanations of why the chemistry works (or doesn't) would be appreciated.

They need to have something in common, something to connect them besides the obvious physical attraction. I've fairly limited knowledge in this area I admit, but all the girls I have ever personally felt attracted to shared something in common with me- a common interest say- that was outside of romance. I mean, think of it this way: when you're done with the love, what else is it about this person that you think you'll like?

If you can write a friendship, you can write a romance.

So, I have a question for you. Can you write a friendship? And not just a bunch of kids dropped into the same room and forced to live with each other. An ACTUAL friendship.

But should you write a romance?

The answer is often "no".

Right, so it's a matter of having something in common? Just to be clear, I'm not asking this because my romances have been accused of a lack of chemistry. I'm asking because it's a term I've seen thrown around a lot whilst discussing shows, and I was never quite sure what it meant.

Writing romance shouldn't be as discouraged as it seems to be. It's a fundamental part of human interaction, and if it has a definite impact on a story, then it can and should be written.

Chemistry describes how two people interact around each other. Bad chemistry is when two people are either too dissimilar or too similar, and their interactions are possibly "jagged" or businesslike. Good chemistry is when two people have traits that balance each other out, with some overlap, and their interactions are fluid, casual, understanding. If they were to be on a team, they would show excellent coordination. In fact, a team activity of any sort is a great way to show chemistry between two characters.

Basically, while physical attraction is the spark that starts the fire, chemistry is what makes and keeps that fire raging.

edited 28th May '11 12:46:36 PM by Five_X

So people who make good friends would make good lovers? Oh, god, I think I'm gay... or if I was I know my first choice!

edit: bro-mance ftw!

edited 28th May '11 5:06:24 PM by jasonwill2

It would be great if you could avoid formulaic romances, where the two characters meet and do plot-related things together for a while before the author announces - with little or no buildup - that "okay, they just realised they're soulmates and want to spend the rest of their lives together". Then the characters are shown gazing into each other's eyes or having mad passionate sex whenever they aren't busy with the plot, but we never get to see why they mesh or what makes the relationship unique.

Have the romance—well, this works for any subplot, really—actually affect the main plot in some way. For example, protagonist calls in sick to work because his girlfriend has a day off that day, too, and when he gets back home he finds the door's kicked in and his house is ransacked, and eventually there's some sort of Living MacGuffin conspiracy.

sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex

Anyway, so if I wrote my romances like I wrote my bro-mances would it work out? I mean, if I write an already existing bro-mance I can write an already existing or broken romance I think. I have experienced a couple of bro-mances before and am very faithful to my current hetro-sexual life partner.

I've always said that if I was gay he would be the first one I would go to.