How fast to develop the relationship?

[J.S.F.]

I'm currently writing a YA Fantasy about a young lady in her last year of high school who's feeling conflicted about coming out. She attends a party and finds out the girls there aren't all that interesting, and disappointed, she leaves. On her way home, she meets a girl about her age (around twenty although the real age is never given) and through a series of unusual circumstancs, they develop a friendship which ripens into love.

My question is, in the fast-paced world of literature, should I have the MC declare her feelings for the other woman quickly or wait until about halfway through? The other woman is open about her sexual orientation, by the way. I'm just curious as to how the more experienced writers out there would handle confessing one's feelings and would be grateful for any responses.

[Satsya]

How soon the confession is done depends on the type of story you want to tell. Do you want the focus more on the growing friendship or the romance? Either way could work.

Similarly, how someone confesses their feelings depends on the people involved and their circumstances. There are a million ways a confession can be done, but you have to find the way that is the best fit for your story and characters.

I think the main questions to ask yourself are: What benefits your story most? What is most interesting to you?

[slhuang]

What Satsya said -- it will be whatever fits the story you want to tell.

That said, I personally hate quick declarations of love in ANY genre. This hatred, however, is a personal preference and has nothing to do with the well-written-ness of the material.

[J.S.F.]

Originally Posted by Satsya

How soon the confession is done depends on the type of story you want to tell. Do you want the focus more on the growing friendship or the romance? Either way could work.

Similarly, how someone confesses their feelings depends on the people involved and their circumstances. There are a million ways a confession can be done, but you have to find the way that is the best fit for your story and characters.

I think the main questions to ask yourself are: What benefits your story most? What is most interesting to you?

---

Thanks for the reply. The story is about a girl who falls in love with an alien who's a mercenary (okay, it's a fantasy, I did say that) and the way I've roughed it out so far is to have them say they like each other around midway through the novel. This kind of book is more like an action/adventure thing in which they find out they need each other as much as they care for each other.

It needs work, but I'd like to have it as a developing friendship which turns into a romance...but not the mushy kind of "I love you, I want you, I can't live without you" trope. I didn't do that with my previous (straight) novels and I don't want to do it with this, either.

Thanks to you and slhuang for your responses. It gives me something to think about.

[AWriterBlocked]

Originally Posted by Satsya

How soon the confession is done depends on the type of story you want to tell. Do you want the focus more on the growing friendship or the romance? Either way could work.

Great answer! Where do you want to focus AND what would your characters do? Is your MC ready to open her heart and throw caution to the wind? Does this meeting inspire her to do so? Or does she tread more cautiously?

Well developed characters do what they want to do. Not what the author wants them to do!

[Kim Fierce]

[QUOTE=Satsya;7907711]How soon the confession is done depends on the type of story you want to tell. Do you want the focus more on the growing friendship or the romance? Either way could work.

QUOTE]

Agreed. I have one book where two characters aren't even revealed to be lesbian/fall in love until almost the end and the main plot is about running away from home. In another, the MC has a girlfriend by the 3rd chapter, but the main plot is about overthrowing the government. So it's up to you! (PS I think friends who develop into love is pretty awesome.)