#writing couples

[deception-united]

Hello, I love your blog. I'm writing a story about cheating and I was wondering how you write the person finding out and the couple breaking up making it clingy and annoying?

Hi, thanks for asking! Writing about cheating and the fallout can be emotionally intense, so it's important to approach it with sensitivity and realism. Before you reach this point, though, make sure the dynamic of the couple is established. One one hand, you might want to create a strong foundation of trust and intimacy between them before the cheating happens to make the betrayal worse, making it as much as a shock for the reader as it is for the character; but on the other, there might have been factors here and there that made it expected, or at least lessened the shock. In this case, you may want to drop subtle hints or foreshadow events that hint at what is to come.

Though this is a very general mould, the scenario might typically go something like this:

It all starts with the discovery—the moment the person finds out about the cheating. This scene will likely be extremely emotionally charged. Consider different ways they might discover the truth—catching the other in the act, finding incriminating evidence, or hearing about it from someone else, for example. Show the character's initial shock, disbelief, anger, heartbreak.

There may be a confrontation, or the person being cheated on might decide to keep this information private for the time being, for whatever reason that may be. The former scenario will likely be intense and dramatic, with raw emotions pouring out on both sides. It's important to use dialogue that reflects the feelings of betrayal and hurt in this moment. As the truth comes out and emotions run high, the situation may escalate, leading to a heated argument or even a physical altercation. Remember to be mindful of realistic consequences and character reactions.

After the confrontation, show the aftermath of the breakup: the emotional fallout for both parties involved, any collateral damage to friendships or family relationships, the process of healing and moving on (or not. Revenge and resentment is good, too), and how the experience changes the characters. This will add depth and carry the story forward.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Show one or both parties overreacting to the situation. This could involve exaggerated emotions, dramatic accusations, or unreasonable demands.

Focus on the insecurities of the person who discovers the cheating. This could involve them constantly seeking reassurance or displaying jealousy even in unrelated situations.

Adding miscommunication will fuel the high-strung emotions present in the altercation. Perhaps the person who discovers the cheating misinterprets innocent actions as signs of further betrayal.

Show the person exhibiting obsessive behaviour. Namely, stalking.

Have the person who discovers the cheating guilt-trip the other person, making them feel overly responsible for the situation and manipulating them emotionally. This could also work the other way around.

Include meddling friends or family members who exacerbate the situation by taking sides, spreading rumors, or encouraging certain behaviour.

You can depict the person who discovers the cheating as overly dependent on the relationship for their happiness and sense of self-worth, making the breakup even more devastating for them.

Showcase extreme mood swings, from intense anger and resentment to desperate pleas for reconciliation, creating a rollercoaster of emotions that can be exhausting for the other party, though keep in mind that this could put off the reader if taken too far.

The two characters will probably not be having a logical conversation in this moment. Keep it filled with emotional outbursts and irrational accusations rather than rational discussions, preventing any resolution or closure.

Try to drag out the breakup process with unnecessary confrontations, repeated arguments, and attempts at reconciliation, making it feel drawn-out and tiresome for both characters and readers alike and making the resolution or aftermath all the more satisfying.

Again, all this depends on your story and characters, but I hope this is helpful nonetheless. Happy writing ❤

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[wisteriasymphony]

pro tip for writers writing couples:

look up "the newlywed game questions", pick a few of those, and try and write down what you think your couple would respond with. (Bonus points if it's not a 'one answers for question' thing, and they have to both give answers for each other.) I promise you it'll help you flesh out your couple's dynamic really easily, and perhaps even find yourself giggling uncontrollably about it

[localwriterscommunity]

♡ 𝙲𝚞𝚝𝚎 𝙰𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚜 ♡

Doing face masks in the bathroom

Painting each other’s nails

Cooking together

Dancing in the rain

Sitting in a car just talking

Bookstore dates

Sitting on a rooftop looking at the stars

Playing video games together

Carnival dates

Beach dates

Building a fort together

Movie marathon

Binging a tv series

Cafe dates

Taking dance classes together

Reading to each other

Picnic dates

𝙻𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝟸! ッ✍︎

[antvnger]

((Do you think there's a right or wrong way to write a couple? I don't write a lot of couples fighting in my fanfics. It reminds me of a lot of things I saw growing up, but every time I see people talking about couples in media and how they have to fight to be likeable or interesting...I wonder if I'm doing something bad or wrong, because it's not "realistic". Not to mention how I view things as well.))

((While fights and arguments are normal in relationships, writing couples who argue all the time really isn’t interesting. Or definitely not very likable.

I don’t know who told you that, but not every couple has to be at each other’s throats all the time. It totally is okay for couples to, ya know, be able to discuss things and agree to disagree and enjoy each other’s company. To me, that’s interesting, and it’s something people could see a lot more of. It’s healthy stuff.

Write couples how you want to write them, Anon. Don’t listen to people who tell you to write couples in a negative, unhealthy way.))

[yeehawpim]

a comic about fix-it fanfics

[dictatorialromance]

“Good morning to your breasts. Your bra is tired. Replace it with my hands.”

[linkcharacter]

Some personal design notes I made for comics speech bubbles and on dialogue!

Conclusions were drawn from their dialogue sounds and manner of speech in general in addition to my personal flair and interpretation.

And here's an incomplete list of mental notes on actually writing dialogue for characters:

Curly

expresses genuinely what he feels and what he means, though he's reserved and leaves a lot unsaid

casually playful and whimsical when talking to others or commenting on things

smooth talker

speaks delicately and de-escalatory when faced with a stressful situation

using british slang on occasion, yeah?

Anya

often encouraging or reassuring those she talks to

teasing, witty and playful with anyone not named jimmy

stutters when speaking to those named jimmy but outside of that, speaks smoothly with enthusiasm

speaks with implications, basically says iconic deep meaningful shit in a non-direct way

Swansea

mean, harsh, sarcastic and taunting

like anya, he says some deep shit but in a poetic and direct way

reminds me of Disco Elysium dialogue in terms of vibes

speaks grandiosely

" ain't, goin', el capitano, downstairs longnose, hear hear, ol' codger, rumb-a-tumblin' " very fun to write

Daisuke

unfocused, emphasizes words, informal

speaks at the same time as he thinks, most of his dialogue feels like a stream of thoughts

filler words like, totally like everywhere man

Jimmy

dry, spiteful and bitter remarks, always sounds like he's annoyed at everything

no whimsical or heartfelt comments about anything

uses metaphors and veils his words, spinning them in ways to fit his goals. twists his own words as well as others'

steals phrases from others

persuasive

[morguezsz]

idk man. i just think itd be really cool if sign language classes were mandatory throughout primary school. yeah because it would make communication with deaf kids and autistic/nonverbal kids much easier. and those kids would be accessible to the others so they could make friends and have healthy relationships. yeah. and kids would eat that shit up man. like their own little secret language? they love that.

[soul-from-another-era]

It'll be okay *puts a little flower in your hair*

[what-iz-life]

Soulmates arent just lovers – theyre friends too. Your soulmates naturally recognize you, vibe with you & align with you. They understand you, appreciate you, support you, love you, heal with you & grow with you. They make you feel beautiful in your own skin just for being YOU.

[pawthorn]

Shout out to Tamora Pierce specifically for making her lead female protagonist have a crush on a friend, not act on it, and eventually out-grow that crush and feel grateful that she never said anything.

There are so few stories that affirm choices like that, that admit that feelings don’t always last forever and that choosing not to pursue romance is actually a very valid choice. I love the Protector of the Small series for a lot of reasons, but this is a big one.

[artist-rat]

fine dining at the blushing mermaid. with the boogieboys

[soultied-z]

i wish i knew how to love myself the way i love others

[vaugely10]

maybe an eternity isn't so bad with you

[whendidmythoughtsgocrazy]

You will never be too much or not enough for me. You will always be the right amount.

k.b. // because i love you

[thepromptswhisperer]

"You're blushing." Prompts

“You’re blushing.” “Yeah, so? Never seen anyone fall for your charm before?”

“Are you okay? You look a little…” “I’m fine!”

A tries to hide their blush from B by turning their head away, but the latter doesn’t let them.

“I can’t help it (when you look at me like that).”

“Are you actually blushing?” “No! Shut up.”

“You, uhh… You… Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you… I mean…”

A smiles fondly when B starts to blush and draws them closer, allowing them to hide in their embrace.

“Awww. Did I fluster you?”

“This never happened, do you understand?! If I find out you mentioned this to anyone, I’ll…”

It appears A made B blush, and in response their own cheeks heat up.

“Stoooop. Stop making me all…” “All… what?”

“Just admit that…” (e.g. you like when I look at you like that.)

A has never blushed when they asked that question/made such a comment before. (Before what?/Has something changed?)

“… You’ll never let me live this down, will you?”

A touches their own heated cheeks (, maybe to confirm that they really are blushing. Not that they didn’t already know.)

“Why am I blushing?!”

A and B try to figure out who can make the other person blush first/the hardest.

“I call bullshit. There’s no way you never blush. No way.”

“Months/Years later, and you still make me blush.”

“I’m not blushing. It’s from the cold.” “Yeah. Sure.”

“Sorry. I just... like seeing that I have an effect on you, I guess.”

“God. You look adorable/etc. (when you’re blushing).”

A is curious/confused/etc. Once, they easily were able to make B blush. Nowadays, it seems almost impossible.

“You’re blushing.” “So are you.”