Do readers generally want/expect the female & male MCs to be romantically interested in each other?

CJSimone · Oct 15, 2018

Do readers generally want/expect the female & male MCs to be romantically interested in each other?

In an ensemble cast with 4 POV characters (a YA thriller), would readers be more interested/satisfied if the two MCs had more romantic interest in each other? I had the two MCs paired off with the other two POV characters (and the two MCs go from enemies-to-friends as opposed to the currently popular enemies-to-lovers trope). But I have this fear that readers really just want MCs to be into each other.

I experimented and wrote a new version with only 3 POVs, now having the two MCs with romantic interest. Is this probably the way to go, even if the fourth POV was liked by betas, had a distinct voice, etc.?

I can't seem to decide which is the version I should now send to those requesting it (not sure which one I like better, or which others will like better, and there aren't so many betas floating around that I can have an entirely new set for a different version). So I'm trying to decide by figuring out if one approach as stated is likely to be a success.

THANK YOU!!!

Harlequin · Oct 15, 2018

I think you shouldn't worry about the readers and do what feels right. I personally think love triangles are overdone at this stage.

My first ms had 5 povs, and none of them are romantic interests. Two of the POVs do have partners, but with minor characters who don't take up much screentime. Mind, I can't speak for how well thta MS went down, since it's mostly trunked atm.

Roxxsmom · Oct 15, 2018

In a romance, sure. I am assuming your novel isn't a genre romance. Romantic arcs between main characters are not uncommon in other genres too, but they are hardly universal. I'd suggest you do what works best for your story and not try to force a romance that doesn't feel organic or relevant to the character arcs.

lizmonster · Oct 15, 2018

As the others have said, write the story. You'll find readers who wish it both ways, no matter what you do. I changed a scene in my second book at the request of my editor, who felt it was too flirtatious; from other remarks, I got the sense he shipped these two characters a bit, and wanted me to be Absolutely Clear if it wasn't going to go that way.

Some readers are always going to read things into male/female friendships. Some readers are going to be happy to see realistic male/female non-romantic relationships. Tell your story, and you'll be fine.

KBooks · Oct 15, 2018

Without reading obviously it's impossible to say. It's your story and you know it best.

That said, I read a lot of YA, and romance subplots are super popular. It doesn't even have to take over the entire book/narrative. But having some chemistry going on would be more common than nothing, IMHO.

Next question: why would a romance mean you have to kill off awesome character #4? I just read "Dry" by Neal Shusterman. Barely-there hint of attraction between the two MC's. The two other side characters were there also. I'm trying to recall if there was even a kiss. It was NOT the focus. But just my opinion, most YA nowdays has a little bit of attraction going on to some degree or another.

veinglory · Oct 15, 2018

I find it a nice break when they don't pair up, or even are aromantic.

starrystorm · Oct 15, 2018

I have a female and a male POV, and they don't fall in love, mainly because the male is in love with a girl he met at school and she feels the same way. I chose this even though most of my story is though the female's POV (3/4). Sometimes I wonder if I need to add a boyfriend for my FMC, but a lot of people said/agreed I shouldn't just cram him in because of that.

It's possible, I would just stay away from hinting at love and not having it, or joke about how they should fall in love.

This WIP isn't published, so I'm not sure about the market. I'm just saying I'm doing it too.

frimble3 · Oct 15, 2018

I think it's a pleasant change in YA to have characters who aren't fallingin love, into each other, making out, etc. Especially if they start out as enemies.
It's one of those things that bugs me, a variation of the girl who complains that some guy at school is tormenting her, and gets told that it's cute, it means 'he really likes you'. Enemies to friends seems a big enough leap for one book.

And I'd say don't drop that fourth POV character, especially when

the fourth POV was liked by betas, had a distinct voice, etc.

? Seriously, they sound like a real catch, literarily speaking. Why dump them to shoehorn in a romance that you don't seem to particularly want.?

MaeZe · Oct 15, 2018

Romantic involvements give the writer a means of amping up the tension. For YA, it's also what a lot of teens are preoccupied with.

I have what I hope is a more realistic relationship in my book, rather than the guy and gal falling for each other at first sight, they grow up together and have interests in common. Love grows. That bond is challenged later in the story. The point being it's the opposite of unrealistic magic love, there is story there.

veinglory · Oct 15, 2018

There are other kinds of plots with tension too, like unrequited love and learning to accept that. Could be an important topic in the current climate.

CJSimone · Oct 15, 2018

Thank you, all! So many good points!!

I'm starting to think most readers would be content with them not being love interests, but I'm still worried agents and editors may want what has traditionally worked in YA. Hopefully agents will be specific with feedback in my first set of responses (or better yet an early rep or R&R offer would be great, lol, and then we can discuss which works better). I like both versions fine, and I'm just trying to give it commercial appeal b/c it's a commercial type of story (I've written a story I love that's not commercial, and that's not what this one is for me; I'm aiming for this to be my door opener b/c of the appeal of its pitch and a ton of PitMad requests).

One of the four POVs is cut in this other version b/c she and the male MC are love interests in other books (though not together). I brought a non-POV character in to take her place (needed for many scenes), but just can't have this particular POV character if there's to be romantic interest between the two MCs. A loss with the 3 POV version is that I (and betas) really like the friendship between the female MC and this other POV character (hopefully the MC's friendship with the replacement character sufficiently compensates, but I'm not sure). A gain is that it may be a tighter story with more focus on the thriller aspects (less relationship stuff).

Writing is hard, especially for indecisive types.

Thank you again; all feedback is much appreciated!

CJ

frimble3 · Oct 15, 2018

So her character is popular with betas, etc, but you say she's in your 'other books' as well? How about showing her and male POV MC gradually drifting apart over the course of those books? That's something there's not a lot of in fiction: a nice, fully represented break up - not over the female POV MC, or any big OMG he/she's a druggie! or violent! or dying!, but just teens realizing that it's over. And, how they handle it.

If there are future books coming, you could gradually show the enmity turning to friendship turning to something more, while the other relationship goes from something more, to friendship, and ends there.
It would be nice if they handled it all as maturely as possible (no bunny-boiling, no violence).

Layla Nahar · Oct 15, 2018

veinglory said:
I find it a nice break when they don't pair up, or even are aromantic.

ditto

angeliz2k · Oct 16, 2018

frimble3 said:
I think it's a pleasant change in YA to have characters who aren't falling in love, into each other, making out, etc. Especially if they start out as enemies.
It's one of those things that bugs me, a variation of the girl who complains that some guy at school is tormenting her, and gets told that it's cute, it means 'he really likes you'. Enemies to friends seems a big enough leap for one book.

YES. This trope bothers me, the whole "they hate each other until they love each other" thing. It just . . . doesn't really make sense, unless you, the writer, put in some serious, serious character work to show how the two characters misunderstood each other for legitimate reasons.

I thought of this as I was writing one of my most recent WIPs, and I was fascinated that a beta caught on. I have a male and a female character of roughly the same age who snipe at one another. And I realized that there was a potential that readers could interpret it as flirtatious. A beta even said she was afraid as she read it that there was going to be something romantic there. But I very purposefully did not go down that road because they legitimately hate each other. Bickering and fighting isn't cute, not in real life. It's a sign of real, deep-seated differences or real, deep-seated inability to communicate, or both. And in this case, it's especially not cute because he's a Yankee officer and she's a hard-core Rebel.

bearilou · Oct 16, 2018

Personally, I write with fanfic writers in mind.

That means leave enough connection between the characters that the reader can read in the romantic attraction if that's what they see/want/desire without hamstringing myself to a romantic relationship.

Unless I'm writing romance, in which case, it doesn't apply.

starrystorm · Oct 16, 2018

angeliz2k said:
YES. This trope bothers me, the whole "they hate each other until they love each other" thing. It just . . . doesn't really make sense, unless you, the writer, put in some serious, serious character work to show how the two characters misunderstood each other for legitimate reasons.

Yikes. *Ducks out of view* I had a faint idea in my head for a future novel that runs with this trope. I didn't know it was so hated. I hope that I can make it make sense since the two are abandoned in the woods (possibly a different country) and realize they are going to die if they don't work together to get back home. They still get on each other's nerves and it's hard to adjust at first, but they eventually realize that death is too close to not work together. And it's not like they suddenly are totally in love with each other.

I think the trope can be done in certain situations, like if the characters start to not hate each other as much towards the beginning, and not randomly switch near the end.

KBooks · Oct 16, 2018

starrystorm said:
Yikes. *Ducks out of view* I had a faint idea in my head for a future novel that runs with this trope. I didn't know it was so hated. I hope that I can make it make sense since the two are abandoned in the woods (possibly a different country) and realize they are going to die if they don't work together to get back home. They still get on each other's nerves and it's hard to adjust at first, but they eventually realize that death is too close to not work together. And it's not like they suddenly are totally in love with each other.

I think the trope can be done in certain situations, like if the characters start to not hate each other as much towards the beginning, and not randomly switch near the end.

It may not be to everyone's tastes, but enemies to lovers is a popular trope that is used ALL the time. As long as you write it well, I wouldn't worry.

angeliz2k · Oct 16, 2018

starrystorm said:
Yikes. *Ducks out of view* I had a faint idea in my head for a future novel that runs with this trope. I didn't know it was so hated. I hope that I can make it make sense since the two are abandoned in the woods (possibly a different country) and realize they are going to die if they don't work together to get back home. They still get on each other's nerves and it's hard to adjust at first, but they eventually realize that death is too close to not work together. And it's not like they suddenly are totally in love with each other.

I think the trope can be done in certain situations, like if the characters start to not hate each other as much towards the beginning, and not randomly switch near the end.

Well, it may just be me! I don't know how strongly everyone else feels about it. And I definitely think it can be done well, like I said, if you do the character work. If they don't know each other, or barely know each other before they enter that forest, it's totally possible to get off on the wrong foot, then learn more about each other. Or if they already know each other, they could realize some important facts about the other while in the woods. That's the necessary character work. I assume that by the end, they aren't really arguing all the time, or they're doing so with different intent. By the end, I would think they ought to understand each other's viewpoint and agree on fundamental things. ETA: If they're still sniping at and talking past one another, I don't necessarily buy that this is gonna be a good relationship.

starrystorm · Oct 16, 2018

Great. They actually get along well, but just both have a sour past toward people in general and judge.

I'll keep this all in mind. Sorry for derailing the thread!

Albedo · Oct 16, 2018

veinglory said:
I find it a nice break when they don't pair up, or even are aromantic.

Thirded/fifthed/ninthed/whatever. There ain't no romance drearier than one that seems to exist by contractual obligation. Romantic tension that DOESN'T end up with two characters together can be just as compelling as when it does, if it's realistic. I mean, I hope.

CJSimone · Oct 16, 2018

I've never been into the enemies-to-lovers trope, but it is hugely popular. I'm okay with having my two MCs more into each other in the alternative version because it doesn't go from zero attraction in one version to hooking up in the other (there's some mild attraction in the original version and things still don't go far in the alternative b/c that's not the focus of the thriller, and either way she recognizes he has issues). And the enemies thing is actually more her disliking him and him ignoring her before they become friends.

I wish my gut were leading me more in the direction of one or the other, but I'm still torn. I think the two versions would just appeal to different people. I had some betas who were all about the relationships/emotional connections, but one guy wanted to stick more to the thriller stuff w/o so much relationship stuff, so...

angeliz2k · Oct 16, 2018

Well . . . I know this may be counter-intuitive, but maybe, if everything else is equal, you could go with the option that's a bit less usual. I know agents tend to go with the same-old, same-old, but this might work as a nice "twist". It seems like other elements are commercial enough that maybe you can go with not-so-commercial with this element and thereby stand out. I say all this with a question mark. I'm mostly musing aloud!

Harlequin · Oct 16, 2018

I always liked the lovers to enemies trope, personally, but that seems much less popular.

WeaselFire · Oct 16, 2018

Is there a romance angle? If not, why force it? Unrequited sexual tension can add dimension or distract from the story, write it accordingly.

Jeff

CJSimone · Oct 16, 2018

Harlequin said:
I always liked the lovers to enemies trope, personally, but that seems much less popular.

Lol!

Do readers generally want/expect the female & male MCs to be romantically interested in each other?

Eat books, not brains!

Beastly Fido

Possibly A Mermaid Queen

volitare nequeo

Heckuva good sport

volitare nequeo

Heckuva good sport

Seashell Seller

never mind the shorty

DenturePunk writer

never mind the shorty

Alex

never mind the shorty

Eat books, not brains!

Benefactor Member