There is a common misconception that writing romance is easy. Writing romance isn’t easy and it takes real talent and creativity to write original romance that becomes an instant hit with readers. Quality writing takes some time, dedication and experience and requires many sacrifices. There are certain key ingredients that you need to make a good romance that includes, but is not limited to an exceptional plot, impressive characters, tension, surprise, wonder, and even suspense.

Just like this, there are some downfalls of writing romance that can be a major turn-off for readers. There are some mistakes that the author must avoid at all costs, especially if they want to garner the respect and adoration of their audience from the get-go.

Here are the major no-no’s of romance writing that you must avoid at all costs:

The first mistake that most authors make while writing romance is that they unite their protagonists too early. If you do this then where is the tension in your story coming from? Is your background story strong enough to hold the attention of your readers? The constant push and pull between the protagonists is the biggest tension that your audience craves because this is exactly what helps in creating chemistry between them. Making your characters get together too early in the plot can be a definite killer.

Certain tropes have been overused by authors and readers are over them. Topics such as past trauma, friends to lover and love triangles are becoming old and overused. However, that doesn’t mean you cannot use them to your advantage. If you think you can do them justice and use them in the best way possible, go ahead. Tread carefully though!

Making everything perfect between the protagonists or in their lives is a major no-no for readers. If everything is perfect in their lives, why is the reader going to invest time in their stories? Nothing is perfect in life, so should it be perfect in your character’s life? There needs to be some tension between your protagonists, there needs to be some complexity, some dramatic elements that take the story to the next level.

Don’t use stereotypical romantic ideals in your story. While they may be very tempting to use, you have to avoid it. Epic heroes are simply not wanted anymore. People want to read about other people who they can relate to. There needs to be a connection with the reader, which means your fictitious characters need to be as human as possible. No character needs to be perfectly sculpted, there needs to be a flaw somewhere; they should have some imperfection that brings them to the level of your readers.

Avoid clichés as if your life depends upon it. Typical clichés such as the character being ice-cold, enemies to lovers and one-night stands becoming more are simply overused. There are so many other things that happen in our lives that can become a great inspiration for your story. Try to avoid these clichés and look for something new or put your own spin to these to make them special.