forum What kills a romance plot for you?

Started September 26, 2018 by @Paperok

tune

?

Forced together because "it furthers the plot and not the characters".
Unconsentual anything.
Creepy behavior being passed off as "romantic".
Stalker-like behavior.
The "damsel in distress" and the "hero" pairings.
Females who aren't written as strong or as in depth as actual women.
Repressing and neglecting the wants and needs of a character.
Unhealthy relationships being written as "romantic" and "ideal"

-A couple that fights/argues/disagrees every other scene and still claims to be "in love."
-Poorly done love triangles (which is most love triangles)
-Relationships that rely on the couple constantly giving up things for one another that they should not have to give up
-Irredeemable person falls in love with "good" person. "Good" person turns them
-Love cures depression
Listen, I can't even read romance stuff. There's always something that bothers me

Most of the time, they're not even TRIANGLES. They're Vs! Two people pining after only one person! Where's the actual triangles, where all three of them can't decide who they want?! Or the squares, the cubes, the pentagonal dodecahedrons! I want something other than Mass Effect, dammit!

All of the characters being forced into relationships, especially when they feel shoehorned in at the last moment (like Leo and Calyspso from HoO).

^^^^ I just want a love triangle where everyone loves each other tbh

Honestly that kind of love triangle is something I would totally read. Like a true love triangle. And Miraculous Ladybug managed to create a goddamn love square and IT FREAKING WORKED?!

The only thing I can think of with a legit love triangle is The Infernal Devices, which is the prequel series to The Mortal Instruments. (I hated TMI, but I loved TID.)

What breaks romance for me is using miscommunication as a plot device
Like
Just talk to him??? If you really want to be in a relationship with him you're gonna have to learn to talk to him??
I don't understand

• love triangles/squares
• poor communication
• saying weird/creepy things
• cheesy plots

using miscommunication as a plot device

Ooh same. I hate this so much because it's so unnecessary most of the time, and could be solved like 10 times faster if they'd just hear each other out, which they never do.

Tying into that, but like when the guy has a friend who is a girl who he's not interested in romantically but then the gf gets all annoyed at him because how dare he even thinks about another girl (and vice versa). Like, the idea of a girl and a guy being just friends isn't that hard to wrap your head around. Just let your SO have friends.

Also, I hate love triangles. I know it's been mentioned a lot of times in the thread already, but I just hate it.

• Only reason this character exist is because another character needs a love interest
• Forced together
• Stalker-like behaviour written as romantic
• Must kiss every minute to show they are in love
• Love triangles
• Too much sappy talk

Every. Single. Couple. being written as a tough guy/girly girl couple, and having f/f and m/m couples have one super feminine person and one super masculine one.

It's almost as if characters like Kanji Tatsumi literally CANNOT like anyone but the fairy-types (Pokemon not included) if they happen to be homosexual. Seriously?! There are more than two types of gay people, it's not like they're magnets!
"Hey, Chad! Bring it in!"
Brad and Chad go in for a hug, but the simple fact that they are both masculine gays forces them away. Their heels screech on the floor, but it is no use. They can't be within 20 feet of each other, the Author just won't allow it.

I don't mind it when it's super obvious that two characters are going to get together at the end, but when they do sh*t like pushing someone away when they're trying to hug them because it makes them look like they're a couple, I hate that.

Platonic hugging is a thing. Heck, I've had another female friend who is not straight kiss me on the cheek, and that's perfectly okay. Pushing away is kinda pointless because friends do that stuff too, but you know? Some authors think all physical contact means they're gonna get together. When you rely on that as an indicator, it doesn't work. Just not realistic.

Accidental creation of the Wunderwaffe.
(Jk)
A relationship that is forced or just feels wrong all together.

Honestly if I push someone away if they try to hug me it's because I don't want to be touched, not because I'm dating someone (even though I'm single)

That's different, of course. If someone's that way with everybody, then it makes sense.

Oh, here's one:
How every single friendship will end up as a ship to some people. I have two characters who are very good friends and sometimes come off as shippy, but one is aro-ace and the other is a lesbian and I know (if I'm ever published) people will ship them even though it's canon they aren't attracted to each other.

I don't like it when a girl falls in love at first sight and then the dude is mean to her for literal years but then she gets hawt and the boy falls for her.
also when boys are super creepy and the girls just go with it??? (hem hem, the kissing booth)
or when boys and girls absolutey cannot be friends without dating at some point. (unless they both have separate partners)

@@jynandor To be honest, people will ship things no matter the canon or the legal ramifications
cough cough Bipper cough cough Enabler

MabelxBill Cipher is a ship that confuses me on so many levels. Like, Bill is a manipulative douchebag who only cares about someone if they're useful to him

didn't people used to ship the jonas brothers….

It was a dark time…
It still kinda is, now that I think about it.