One of the most-hated tropes in romance fiction is the love triangle. But is there a way to write a love triangle without getting crucified by your readers?
by Abbie Emmons
The reason why most love triangles are annoying and boring is because they're so shallow. They don't dig into the characters' internal conflict. Everything's just so surface level and stagnant that you can predict what's gonna happen by page one. Who wants to read a book like that? Not me, bro.
Is there a way to make this pain device actually interesting? Is there a way to revolutionize the idea of the love triangle and bring fresh life to it? Yes, I believe there is, and it starts with knowing what not to do with your love triangle.
The Rules of Love Triangles
1. Don't make your love triangle simple.
2. Let your love triangle bring out the internal conflict of the characters.
3. Make the love triangle a catch-22 for the protagonist.
Questions to ask yourself before you write a love triangle:
What is my protagonist's inner conflict?
How did it lead them into this love triangle? If they were being honest with themselves, the real reason they're stuck in this love triangle is because...
How does this love triangle force all three characters to face their fears?
What would it take for the protagonist to overcome their fear and make the right choice?
YOU ARE READING
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