Tuesday, February 12, 2013

The Love Bug


I’m not big on romance. Writing a lovey-dovey scene is my least favorite part of being a writer. And there’s no way to avoid it either. Love (realistic and otherwise) is a driving force behind many a plot and hell. Have you read a YA book lately where there’s no love story, even as a minor thread?

I figured I better do some research. So after watching movies and reading books considered “romantic”, here’s what I’ve come up with:

1. Obviously the first person you fall in love with will end up being your one true love.
2. Sabotaging your significant other’s job/friendships is perfectly okay because you love them and don’t want them to spend time with someone else.
3. It’s also to okay to sabotage someone’s current relationship if the person is bad for them.
4. Nerdy girls will win the boy when they take of their glasses (and they always have glasses).
5. No means “keep asking and I’ll eventually say yes”.
6. It’s totally acceptable to threaten to kill yourself to get a girl to go out with you.
7. The dark, mysterious stranger who sleeps with anything that moves and is a total jerkass just needs someone to love him.
8. If you have feelings for someone, it’s totally okay to decide to marry someone else anyway. You can always leave them at the altar.
9. Rescuing someone is totally the same as falling in love.
10. Breaking into a girl’s house to watch her is a sign of true love.

Seriously, what the hell?

Note to self: do not take relationship advice from movies or books.

7 comments:

  1. Funny research..but true and useful.I want to add another point:
    * All the bad, depressed, frustrated guys in the beginning of book turn out to be the hero...isn't such fluctuation in human nature quirky???

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  2. Shadow Spinner has no love anything.
    House mostly doesn't.

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  3. This reminds me of the Princess Bride when the preacher goes off saying "Wuv...True wuv..."

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  4. Oh, 5,7, and 10 are so true. And so creepy! I hate that creepy-stalker-behaviour is being mistaken for romance. Blech.

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  5. I've been on a romance novel bender lately. I think I need help.

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  6. Woohoo! I got here by way of an email notification. Imagine that! :P

    I'm a hopeless romantic romance writer. Maybe you should give my debut novel a try (once I get it published- LOL), because...

    1. Obviously the first person you fall in love with will end up being your one true love.

    In my book? Maybe, maybe not. (Ooo)

    2. Sabotaging your significant other’s job/friendships is perfectly okay because you love them and don’t want them to spend time with someone else.

    Um. Nope.

    3. It’s also to okay to sabotage someone’s current relationship if the person is bad for them.

    Um. Definitely nope. Mine's totally opposite.

    4. Nerdy girls will win the boy when they take of their glasses (and they always have glasses).

    No glasses. Well, unless you count the ones she uses to start fires.

    5. No means “keep asking and I’ll eventually say yes”.

    There is a big misunderstanding at one point, and they sometimes hide their feelings, but they honor each others requests.

    6. It’s totally acceptable to threaten to kill yourself to get a girl to go out with you.

    Sacrifice your life for her? Yes.
    Threaten suicide? No.

    7. The dark, mysterious stranger who sleeps with anything that moves and is a total jerkass just needs someone to love him.

    LOL - Seth is sometimes an ass, but his intentions are good. And he's a virgin by choice. ;)

    8. If you have feelings for someone, it’s totally okay to decide to marry someone else anyway. You can always leave them at the altar.

    Um, no. The heroine overrides the will of her aching heart to honor her original commitment.

    9. Rescuing someone is totally the same as falling in love.

    Nope. But while rescuing them, it's easier to fall in love.

    10. Breaking into a girl’s house to watch her is a sign of true love.

    Nope, but hauling her out of the wilderness is. :P

    How's THAT for hijacking your post? xD


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  7. #10: the biggest argument against Sparkly Vampires being seen as romantic heroes.

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Please validate me.