(LOGO)
(LOGO) Hellooo, everybody! Today we're talking about romance, seduction, and the yearning of our
hearts…and privates. Today we're talking about chemistry, namely how to create great chemistry
between a character and their love interest. For a lot of people, myself included, the romantic
plot or subplot of a novel is their favorite part. And there are few things more disappointing than
a romance that just doesn't quite cut it. The characters are one dimensional. They only like
each other because they're hot. They fall in love really quickly and for absolutely no reason. Don't
do this shit. No one likes it. So I'm gonna give you five tips on how to build romantic
chemistry that your readers will devour. These tips will help create a realistic bond between
your characters, but most importantly, it'll get the readers rooting for their relationship. Number
One (1): Build the anticipation. You know who likes an insta romance? A whole lot of no one.
And it's not just because they're unrealistic. It's because you're not giving the reader any
time to get to know the characters. Readers want a reason to be invested in the relationship. They
want evidence that these two belong together, so give your characters time to flirt and to connect.
Give them opportunities to build trust. Obviously, some relationships move quicker than others and
outside influences such as danger or drama can affect the progression of a relationship. But
you should still try to be realistic. Take a look at your characters and think ‘Would I be
falling in love with this person at this moment?’ If they just met, the answer is no you wouldn’t,
unless you're crazy. Additionally, if you want to create sexual chemistry between your characters,
you need to build the suspense in anticipation. Don't make them kiss at the first possible
opportunity, tease the moment and then separate them. Go to your corners! The reader will be that
much more excited when the kiss finally happens. Or when other things finally happen. If you have
your characters rush through all the romantic milestones, it's not gonna be fulfilling to read,
and it's not gonna get your reader rooting for the romance, because there is nothing left to
root for. They already did all the things. So take your time, build the connection, and allow
the anticipation to reel your readers in before slapping them with the big kiss, or the big bang.
Number Two (2): Make them complement one another. A lot of writers like to make their characters
opposites, because opposites attract. And I'm sure you all can think of opposite pairings that we've
seen before: one character is rich, the other is poor, one character is good, the other is naughty.
But you'll probably notice that sometimes these pairings work, and sometimes it's a big fat fail.
That's because it's not enough that the characters have a few opposite traits. These traits need to
complement one another. For those who aren't following to complement someone or something
means to bring them to perfection. In other words, your characters are better when they're together.
Now it doesn't have to be this way from the start. A lot of characters have friction when they first
meet, but eventually those opposing traits should be something that works for them. It should give
them a sense of harmony. Say one character is an introvert, and the other is an extrovert. Maybe
the introvert is able to provide that gentle calm their partner always needed, and the extrovert
is able to bring their partner out of their shell. Because the characters are different,
they're able to bring out a new side of their partner or add some enrichment to their lives
that they didn't have before. Their differences stop being a source of conflict and start acting
as a catalyst for growth. Both internally and within the relationship. Number Three (3): Make
them equal. “But Jennaaa, you just said to make them different. Now you're saying I gotta make
them the same?” No, that is not what I'm saying. Your characters don't have to be identical. They
don't need to be in the same social circle. They don't have to be at the same intelligence level,
but they do have to bring an equal amount of shit to the table. Equal amount of strengths, an equal
amount of baggage. How many times have you read a book and thought, ‘What does she even see in
him?’ You're thinking that because the characters are not evenly matched. The MC is a dumpy, boring,
turd of a person, and their love interest is the embodiment of perfection. Why the fuck would the
embodiment of perfection fall for a human turd? Why? They wouldn’t. You gotta give each character
a reason to be in that relationship, a reason to be attracted to the other person. Maybe it's
because they're smart or funny, confident, powerful, hot, whatever! There are lots of
attractive traits to choose from. And on the flip side, they should probably have a similar amount
of baggage, because if one character’s got their shit together, and the others got more problems
than a run over dog, this relationship isn't gonna last long. Remember, the reader needs to believe
that these two would realistically be interested in one another and that means they both got to
bring something compelling to the table. No human turds allowed. Number Four (4): Give them common
ground. Typically there's some kind of goal or struggle that connects the MC with their love
interest. And that goal or struggle is usually the plot of the novel. Maybe they're both mourning a
horrific loss, or maybe they're both fighting to overthrow an evil government. This shared goal is
the key to writing great chemistry because it gives the characters a reason to bond, and it
also showcases just how well they work together. Allow them to lean on one another, to support one
another, strengthen one another. And it can't be all on one character's shoulders. You never want
one character doing all the work, while the other one's just dead weight. That's not a partner,
that's a pain in the ass. You want them both to be participating toward the goal, and you want them
to do it as a team. And Number Five (5): Make them like each other. I can't believe I have to
say this, but oh my god! I have lost track of the number of stories I've read where two characters
are madly in love with one another, but you can't figure out why. All they do is hump like bunnies,
or treat each other like complete and utter shit. A lot of newbie writers fall into the habit of
expressing their character's love for one another through sex or fighting, which is really weird
because neither of those things are necessarily indicators of love. You don't have to love someone
to fuck them. And you don't have to love someone to fight with them. So here's the deal folks,
if you wanna convince the reader that your characters care about one another, they kind of
sorta have to act like it. Romantic relationships thrive on a solid friendship. So naturally,
characters who have great romantic chemistry are also great friends. Make them have fun together,
make them laugh. “But Jennaaa, I wanna write the passion.” You mean you wanna write the sex,
and that's fine, I get it. But unless you're specifically writing an erotic story, you're
going to need a lot more than sexual chemistry to hook the reader. “But Jennaaa, I wanna write the
drama.” Look, all relationships have hiccups, but unless you're specifically writing about a toxic,
tragic, shit show of a union, the fighting should be a small percentage of the relationship. Because
the entire point of having a boyfriend or girlfriend is that they make you happy.
Imagine that! Bottom line is if you really want to make your readers believe your characters
have chemistry, they gotta like one another as people. Shocking, I know. So that's all I got for
you today. Creating chemistry between characters is super important if you wanna get the reader
invested in their relationship. So make sure you respect the natural growth of their connection.
Tease a little bit of romance, a little bit of touchy-touch, a little bit of smoochy-smoo,
make sure your characters are better when they're together, and for the love of God,
make them enjoy one another's company. Because you can't spell boyfriend or girlfriend without
FRIEND. With that said, don't forget to subscribe to my channel. I post new videos on Wednesdays.
Eve: The Awakening is still available in ebook and paperback on Amazon right now. You can also order
a signed copy. All the links are listed below. And if you have any questions or if there's
something you'd like me to talk about in my next video be sure to tweet me @JennaMoreci! Bye!