Creating Romantic Chemistry
Writing the Elements of Love
The greatest stories have romantic elements whether they’re action, sci-fi, mystery, or romance. Love is the universal human condition that draws people together, no matter how different they are.
Chemistry is the first step in building a romance and happens when there is a spark between two characters in a story. Or three, if it’s a love triangle. Or more, if you’re brave, crazy, or a masochist.
Romantic chemistry is easy to spot in films and books. When two characters are so exciting together that any scene they’re absent from pales, by comparison, you know you’ve found or achieved chemistry.
On their own, each character is fully developed and interesting, but when you partner them in a scene something special happens. Their attraction is so palpable and electric that it pulls readers and viewers in to share their connection.
Experiencing romantic chemistry vicariously through the characters boosts the audience’s own production of feel-good hormones like dopamine leaving them rapt and craving more. This process is what drives readers and audiences to obsess about their favorite pairings better known as ‘ships.’
Creating chemistry is a little more difficult to achieve than it is to define or identify.
