How to write slow-burn romance…that will make your readers fall in love 😍

Want to write a slow burn romance that will make your readers fall in love with your characters? In today's video, I'm sharing my 5 BEST TIPS for writing a swoon-worthy, slow-paced romance that will hold your reader's attention... and steal their heart. Plus, we'll explore some common pitfalls to avoid when writing slow-burn romance. Grab a notebook and let's get started!

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✨T I M E S T A M P S✨

00:00 Introduction
02:09 #1. Romance is all about character journeys
04:20 #2. Leave something to be desired
06:14 #3. Keep the momentum going
08:30 #4. Story structure is your friend
10:10 #5. Write what you like…and what your readers like
12:40 Subscribe for more writing videos! :)
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✨ V A L U A B L E R E S O U R C E S✨

MORE VIDEOS ON WRITING ROMANCE:

→ HOW TO DO LOVE TRIANGLES (THE RIGHT WAY)

→ HOW TO WRITE BEST FRIENDS TO LOVERS ROMANCE

→ HOW TO WRITE HATE-TO-LOVE ROMANCE

→ HOW TO WRITE BELIEVABLE INSTA-LOVE

✨F O L L O W ✨

✨ A B O U T ✨
My name is Abbie Emmons I teach writers how to make their stories matter by harnessing the power and psychology of storytelling, transforming their ideas into a masterpiece, and creating a lifestyle that makes their author dreams come true.

Story isn’t about “what happens” — it’s about how what happens affects and transforms the characters. I believe that there is an exact science (a recipe, if you will) behind a perfect story. And if you know what ingredients you need, you can create your own perfect story with ease and confidence. That’s what we talk about every week on this channel – and if it’s something you’re into, be sure to subscribe and join this community!

[alliem]

Anyone who still hasn't read 100 Days of Sunlight: please know that Abbie definitely knows what she's talking about

[skinnylegend]

I don't care about having fans, I only care about saving myself from the embarrassment of my story being awful.

[umbrella]

Abbie: "Think of your OTP, the reason you love it so much is because the author did a great job at writing a slow burn romance"
Me: My OTP isn't canon though...

[afrozaayreen]

“Write a story that you will love” thanks for saving me for the billion’th time❤️

[theelitistpanda]

I've found that in writing teen fiction, the bully and nerd enemies to lovers trope is overused. Many teenagers don't have all that drama in their lives. Yes, there's bullying and social segregation. But what most teenagers go through is a self discovery, and not the entire villain arc thing many enemies to lovers tropes preach. In my own story, the teens have no reason to particularly hate each other. She doesn't trust him based on past experience, and he isn't particularly open to young love and all that because of past trauma. They spend way more time being friends and exploring their individual personalities than they do exploring their attraction to each other. I find that that care and light treading around your crush is way more relatable than hating the person then loving them in fifty chapters. Not that there's anything wrong with it, of course. I've read tons of books like that, and loved it. I'm just saying, I'm a teen, and if teens hate you at the beginning of the book, chances are they'll still hate you at the end, or at the most understand your choices

[blackhagalaz]

I slowburn my romance about the span of 2 books. The first one covers "enemies to allies" then a nice betrayal in the middle. Near the end there is the uncovering of some hidden information, that makes them allies again because they both know who the real enemy is. This new alliance finally forms the start of a friendship and the joined tackling of a big obsticle (climax). This climax contains a little sequence of fake dating where actually some sparks fly. The fallout at the end is a hard breaking point for both characters that forces them to flee together into almost certain death.

In book 2 we see them licking their wounds, saving each other's butts and becoming best friends. They fall in love but can't tell each other because of their own misbelief, and a war separating them. My male MC lies and "betrays" his love midpoint to discourage her being loyal and following him into war, because he just couldn't stand the thought of her dying. He does that even though he knows she probably take another man (from the enemies side), but he knows she will be saver there then with the rebels he is with. So a half-hearted love-triangle of some sorts lol. Also my MC's both are from different cultural background and social status, making this kind of a forbidden love. But well despite all they never seem to cut each other lose, even through war and hardship. When they rejoin they re-build their friendship. Things are getting serious. Again they have to take defeat and flee for their lives. My guy then gets caught and is supposed to be executed for treason. Finally they have their first kiss and confess their love. He almost dies. They become a couple after he recovers and of course are still joined in a fight for the rebellion. They are now stronger then ever. Eventually they are at the peak of their strength, defeating their enemy (climax) and bringing their relationship to its highest point with their first kid on the way. But my novels wouldn't be my novels without a dark turn and gut wrenching cliffhanger at the end. So their fate as a couple will be decided in the 3rd book, where we will have a "long time no see" situation and some dark secrets awaiting. Will they or won't they end happy together? I hope that's cookin slow enough 😉

[LNRyen]

I hope you’re writing a writing advice book Abbie, cause I’d buy it.

[taytaythehufflepuff]

“Of angst and desire and fear”


Me: *Very excited and happy but also with a hint of evil giggling*
Yes… Angst… My favorite word in the English language.

[DCCook]

I slow burn. Romantic tension is something I LIVE for in writing or reading

[Clips-vpxk]

1. Romance is all about #characters journeys
1. What is the internal conflict both my characters are personally struggling with?
2. What kind of relationship do they have with each other at the start of the story and why?
3. How long have they known each other?
4. How did they meet?
5. How much does character a know of character b's internal conflict?
6. How much does character b know of character a's internal conflict?
7. Are they keeping any secrets from each other?
8. If yes, why?
2. Writ what you like... and what your readers like
1. How have both my characters changed and evolved as a result of their journey/their relationship with each other?
2. How much has character a affected character b's internal conflict?
3. How much has character b affected character a's internal conflict?
4. Are they still keeping any secrets from each other? Why or why not?
5. What does the future look like for these two characters?

[LaurArt_UK]

Challenge: Character A realises they're in love with character B is the Disaster plot point. Falling in love is their deepest fear, and its 'all their fault', so now they believe they've completely screwed themself over with their own, now undeniable feelings.

[hawklegs]

This is actually really helpful for me. I'm ace, and I've never dated anyone. I've had crushes (romantically, after I got to know the person and found that I admired them greatly) but I've never been in a relationship before, so it's difficult for me to write people in a relationship. I'm a very anxious person, and social interaction never came easily to me, so I constantly worry about making the relationship seem real and natural. I mostly just go off of what I would like to have in a relationship: very straightforward blunt communication, and a lot of physical affection.

[malloryo.]

I tend to enjoy "soulmates" type romances, where the couple are similar to each other, and yet different in precisely the right ways for them complement each other perfectly.

They may struggle to appreciate those differences at first, or admire and envy the qualities the other person has which they themselves lack.

I also like soulmates with age differences. There is something very moving about two adults with an age gap and a world of different experiences between them, somehow connecting with each other more than they have with anyone else in their entire lives. I enjoy watching the characters struggle to overcome their insecurities and misgivings and (hopefully, although endings vary) finally realize that love is precious enough to pursue in spite of them all.

And I still like them even if they don't get together in the end, because sometimes it's enough for two soulmates like that to support each other. Their feelings aren't platonic, but they don't act on them and form a romantic relationship.

Whatever the romance, I like it when they push and inspire each other to grow and improve and pursue their life passions.

[ahobbit]

Your description of the "two steps forward, three steps back" terrible slow burn is a great explanation of why Ross/Rachel was just awful by the end of Friends, but Chandler/Monica was great.

[ScottyDMcom]

A person going by the username of enigmaticagentalice wrote the following.

I mean, I say I love the “Enemies to Lovers” trope, but what I really mean is that I love the: Enemies
to Resentful Allies in a Time of Crisis
to Grudging Mutual Respect
to Growing Fondness Concealed by Snark
to Hurtful Betrayal
to Slow Reconciliation with a Greater Understanding of Each Other
to Strange but Solid Friendship
to Unexpected Feelings in a Time of Crisis
to Denying Their Feelings while Growing Closer as Friends
to Epiphanies of Love in the Worst Possible Circumstances
to Mutual Pining
to Unbearable Sexual Tension
to Lovers.

[Ina-nzri]

My favourite ship is 100% Kanej in Six of Crows.

They have this amazing and unique chemistry even without touching each other, flirting, ...
Their relationship is so pure and they express their feelings through their actions.

Another thing I love about them is the fact that they could 100% thrive on their own but are so powerful together!

[ninadee]

Surprisingly, the Anne series by Lucy Montgomery has an AMAZING slow burn between Anne and Gilbert. Like— I’m talking through the whole series. Book three and Anne is still like “imma live an old maid’s life” aka no husband. If you like slow-burn READ First two books are little quips that Gilbert makes here and there and it progresses and it’s so complex and HAHAGAHHAHBQHHH

[animeboysbereal]

Miraculous ladybug is the perfect example of not keeping the momentum going

[Amy_Mi]

I almost never read books with romance so my favs come from tv (which is terribly uncultured, I know) but a couple of my favorites are Jim & Pam (The Office US) and Castle & Beckett (Castle). Slow burn is, BY FAR, the most satisfying brand of romance IMO — it gets me every time (when it’s done well).

[isabellahayes]

"Make your story matter to you." I love that! Thank you, Abbie!