Every well-developed character starts a story with an emotional wound or a false belief about themselves or the world. For example, a character might believe, "I am fundamentally unlovable," or "In order to be safe, I must control everything." How Romance Forces Growth

This is the "Romeo and Juliet" factor. Family feuds, career rivalries, or literal wars provide the pressure cooker that makes the eventual union feel earned and triumphant.

According to writing instructors, most relationships in fiction follow one of four basic trajectories:

Today's media landscape looks vastly different. Audiences are treated to a rich tapestry of love stories, including: