{"id":29178,"date":"2025-01-28T03:00:46","date_gmt":"2025-01-28T11:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=29178"},"modified":"2025-04-09T12:22:26","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T19:22:26","slug":"3-romantic-subplots-pitfalls-and-how-to-fix-them-by-gala-russ","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2025\/01\/28\/3-romantic-subplots-pitfalls-and-how-to-fix-them-by-gala-russ\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Romantic Subplots Pitfalls and How to Fix Them by Gala Russ"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"3<\/a>Today we welcome a new guest writer to Writer\u2019s Fun Zone, Gala Russ who is stopping by to chat with us about \u201c3 Romantic Subplots Pitfalls and How to Fix Them.\u201d \u00a0Enjoy!<\/em><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Want more tips on writing the romantic subplot? Join us live for this online training with Gala Russ.<\/a><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know about you<\/strong>, but when I first started weaving romance into my stories, I thought it would be a breeze.<\/p>\n

I mean, how hard could it be to sprinkle in a bit of passion, right?<\/p>\n

Turns out, it\u2019s way easier to fall into a few common traps that leave readers rolling their eyes–or worse, skimming past your carefully crafted they-are-in-love scenes.<\/p>\n

Over time<\/strong>, I learned that a romantic subplot can either elevate a story or feel like an awkward side quest no one asked for.<\/p>\n

To help you avoid my<\/i> mistakes, here are three tests that can help determine if your romantic subplot is working:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The Cut Test:<\/b> Can the subplot be removed without affecting the main story?<\/li>\n
  2. The Kiss Test:<\/b> Would readers know the characters are romantically involved even without a kiss?<\/li>\n
  3. The Friends Test:<\/b> Would the characters still work as friends if the romance were removed?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The Cut Test: Overshadowing the Main Plot or Ignoring Character Growth
    \n<\/b><\/h2>\n

    When I first wrote a women\u2019s fiction novel with a romantic subplot, I was so excited about the romance that I sort of forgot that the main focus was\u00a0my female protagonist\u2019s life experiences.<\/p>\n

    She ended up spending more time flirting<\/strong> with one of the male characters than working through her traumatic past and present.<\/p>\n

    The feedback from my editor? \u201cIs this women\u2019s fiction or a romance?\u201d<\/p>\n

    This test first asks you to think about whether your story is primarily a romance with some other elements (like thriller or sci-fi) or a genre (or literary) story with a romantic subplot.<\/p>\n

    Readers pick up a horror (mystery, fantasy, etc.) novel expecting the main plot to be the priority.<\/p>\n

    If your romantic subplot overshadows it<\/strong>–like my women\u2019s-fic-gone-romance–it can frustrate your audience.<\/p>\n

    On the flip side, if the romance is so disconnected from the rest of the story that you could cut it entirely without anyone noticing, that\u2019s a problem too.<\/p>\n

    A romantic subplot should add something meaningful, like pushing characters to grow or adding stakes.<\/p>\n

    What worked for me:<\/p>\n