The most YA books have love as a subplot. How pity! Why? It’s because not every teen—for example, me—have no ax to grind. Look at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The human needs more than just “f*ck me, boy/girl!”. He/ She needs things to survive (food, fire, etc.), safety, social stuff, he/she have to get the thing he/she want, and he/she must get the chance to be his-/herself. Why do you don’t write about it? Why must the girl popular to get her dream boy? Why not because she wants it to be, then she can be herself? But what’s your opinion on this topic?
Why falling in love every time?
- Thread starter Phoenix_Writer
- Start date
Romance and love is a subplot in a lot of YA fiction because most teens have what they need to survive, think they are more or less living as their true selves, and would very much like to be adored by someone worthy of their attention.
There's nothing wrong with books having a love story as a part of their plot. There's also nothing wrong with ones that don't. Maybe you're just not choosing books you'll like as well as you could be. I'm not a YA reader, but I have no doubt there are excellent offerings for this group of readers that don't feature romance.
There's nothing wrong with books having a love story as a part of their plot. There's also nothing wrong with ones that don't. Maybe you're just not choosing books you'll like as well as you could be. I'm not a YA reader, but I have no doubt there are excellent offerings for this group of readers that don't feature romance.
Simply put, romance sells. I pitched a novel to agents at a conference in 2012, and was specifically given advice to heighten the romance in my book a little bit to make it easier to sell, which I found to be really solid advice. Obviously it's six years later, and things have changed, but romance still makes books disappear off shelves. Maryn's right in that teens like the idea of being special and paid attention to by attractive members of whatever sex they're attracted to.
That being said, I've definitely seen agent wishlists for books with romantic subplots that don't overpower the story, so it doesn't have to be the only thing that happens in a book. But people still like it to be present. It's part of the YA book market, and I don't think that's going away anytime soon.
That being said, I've definitely seen agent wishlists for books with romantic subplots that don't overpower the story, so it doesn't have to be the only thing that happens in a book. But people still like it to be present. It's part of the YA book market, and I don't think that's going away anytime soon.
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2012
- Messages
- 14,669
- Reaction score
- 24,565
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Website
- elizabethbonesteel.com
This depends on genre and a lot of other factors.
Romance is a part of a lot of people's lives, so it tends to show up, at least tangentially, in an awful lot of fiction. I don't think, though, that it has to be done badly or simplistically, and the OP seems to be concerned about trends that haven't been big in a long time (e.g. a girl has to be popular to get her "dream boy").
But no, outside of genres specifically aimed that way, romance isn't a requirement. It's perfectly acceptable to skip it entirely, or to write it in a non-tropey way. It's also acceptable to write it in a tropey way. There are satisfying stories to be had in all directions.
Absolutely I agree with you! And I don't think romance is required in every novel, not even every YA novel. But romance definitely does sell, especially to teen readers.
Agree with the others - romance is not unique to any genre. Just one look at the local Barnes and Noble across any genre, from science fiction, fantasy, and through YA to mystery, action, and even erotica - all will have traces of love themes peppered throughout. Now granted, some are more prone towards it's presence than others, but I'd suspect most writing will have at least a little bit of several themes inclusive, love being just one of them.
I have to admit that I sometimes get tired of the seeming necessity for romance in YA novels. Some novels are made for romance, of course, and I'm all-in for those romances,* but others give every sign of not having romance take over the plot, and it's those that usually end up disappointing me when they do. I remember being highly disappointed last year, thinking that I was actually reading an ace/aro character in a YA fantasy novel, only to have the plot and her character completely taken over by her feelings for another character in the middle of the book. Likewise, a book I read this year seemed to have no problem without romance until about 75% through, when suddenly the romance showed up and the character threw herself into it and devoted many of the remaining pages to it, and seemingly turning everything more melodramatic than the first 75% called for. In some books, the romance is throughout, but the action of the climax literally stops so that the destined couple can make-out. This makes me roll my eyes, no matter how much I was rooting for them.
I don't know if it's that publishers expect romance, that writers get excited writing it, that YA readers don't seem to like it without romance, or if we just see romance in all YA and integrate it instinctually as a natural part of the category.
To the OP, as we have said many times to you, if you don't like what you're seeing in YA, write something different. Have you started writing yet?
(*in fact, these are the books I tend to write)
I don't know if it's that publishers expect romance, that writers get excited writing it, that YA readers don't seem to like it without romance, or if we just see romance in all YA and integrate it instinctually as a natural part of the category.
To the OP, as we have said many times to you, if you don't like what you're seeing in YA, write something different. Have you started writing yet?
(*in fact, these are the books I tend to write)
Some of these questions tell me you have either not ready very much YA or that you haven't read YA in a very long time.
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2011
- Messages
- 23,116
- Reaction score
- 10,870
- Location
- Where faults collide
- Website
- doggedlywriting.blogspot.com
Romantic subplots are common in other categories of fiction besides YA. I think romantic fantasies are pretty common across age groups, and that's one reason they work so well, even outside of the romance genre. Also, romantic relationships can be huge stakes in any story. Choices we make impact those we love, or those we want to love (or be loved by). I'm a sucker for a good love story. I don't insist on a fantasy, HF, contemporary fiction or SF novel having a romantic subplot. Some of my favorite novels don't, but when one is there (and it works), it can be the icing on the cake.
However, there are other relationships that are important too. Friendship, sibling, parent-child, mentor-student etc. Books where these kinds of relationships can also be compelling. I'm sure there is room in YA for a focus on these kinds of stories too. Friendships and familial relationships also have a huge impact on teens' lives and are something they think about and invest in emotionally. relationships are a source of conflict, and stories generally have to contain some kind of conflict. Also, relationships can be important stakes in a story--something a person might lose if certain actions are or aren't taken.
Humans are social animals, so a book with no important relationships at all might be a harder sell, even if the focus is on a goal the teen has that doesn't involve a specific relationship (such as winning an academic competition or getting a desired job or something), relationships will be impacted.
However, there are other relationships that are important too. Friendship, sibling, parent-child, mentor-student etc. Books where these kinds of relationships can also be compelling. I'm sure there is room in YA for a focus on these kinds of stories too. Friendships and familial relationships also have a huge impact on teens' lives and are something they think about and invest in emotionally. relationships are a source of conflict, and stories generally have to contain some kind of conflict. Also, relationships can be important stakes in a story--something a person might lose if certain actions are or aren't taken.
Humans are social animals, so a book with no important relationships at all might be a harder sell, even if the focus is on a goal the teen has that doesn't involve a specific relationship (such as winning an academic competition or getting a desired job or something), relationships will be impacted.
Last edited:
I feel like in recent years there's been a bit of a swing away from the focus on romance in YA. There are a number of authors who are vocal about their books placing friendship - especially female friendship - at the centre of their stories rather than romance, and there's certainly now a strong dislike of the "love cures all" or "love saves MC" tropes, as well as love triangles, probably because they were done to death a few years ago. Back in 2013 I wrote a psychological thriller and was advised to up the romance subplot, and that a LI was "essential" - this wasn't just by my agent, it was feedback from editors who the idea was pitched to at Bologna. I have a feeling this might not be what I would be told now.
Personally I'm very much in the camp of enjoying a romantic subplot that doesn't over shadow the main plot. It's no surprise that those are the books I like to write too. I was recently planning a new book and none of the main relationships in it were romantic, which rather put me off writing it. That said, I've got on very poorly with romance YA, or love story YA - it never feels like there's enough in those books to hold my interest, and I've read a few books people hold up to be very good love stories.
It's personal preference for writers and readers, but I definitely don't think romance is obligatory in the way it perhaps once felt like it was.
Personally I'm very much in the camp of enjoying a romantic subplot that doesn't over shadow the main plot. It's no surprise that those are the books I like to write too. I was recently planning a new book and none of the main relationships in it were romantic, which rather put me off writing it. That said, I've got on very poorly with romance YA, or love story YA - it never feels like there's enough in those books to hold my interest, and I've read a few books people hold up to be very good love stories.
It's personal preference for writers and readers, but I definitely don't think romance is obligatory in the way it perhaps once felt like it was.
Honestly I don't even think he reads YA. I feel like he's just posting his perceived complaints about the category to troll us.