love story essay

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How to Write a Love Story

Last Updated: March 18, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 379,432 times.

Writing love stories can be a brilliant, emotional, and creative outlet. Writing an engaging love story isn’t just about emotion, though. To tell a good love story, you need to create strong, multi-dimensional characters that encounter substantial obstacles in their quest for love. Use your love story to explore different topics and themes and help you build your own voice as a writer.

Building Your Characters

• For example, your list for your protagonist may include stubborn, intelligent but not street-smart, slow to trust but incredibly loyal once trust is earned, overcoming a rough past, and outspoken. Use these traits to inform this character's dialogue and actions in the scenes you write.
• Think about traits that help the development of your story, not just your romance. Your protagonist may be a strong woman overcoming emotional scars, but don’t make her that just so her match can break down her walls. Use her emotional past to develop a holistic character. [1] X Research source
• Think about Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Their love story has been chronicled in literature and film. In the most lasting depictions, Cleopatra is a strong leader with political ambitions that extend beyond her love. The love story is engaging, but so is the character.

• For example, your characters may both be neurosurgeons at the top of their game, but 1 of the characters might be extremely high-strung and serious while the other character is laid back and makes a joke out of everything.
• Marie and Pierre Curie, for example, had a shared interest in their scientific work. The politics of the time, though, meant that Marie had to push a lot harder to get recognition and support for her work. Their love story is remembered along with their science because of what they shared and what they had to fight for.

• A character sketch should include the basics of each character’s physical description, their personality, information about their background and transformative life events, and some details about how you want your character to progress in your story.
• A character sketch is a guideline. You don’t need everything you sketch to be in your story. You’re also allowed to change your character if your original sketches don’t fit the progress of your story.

• Think about everyday relationships. What you are and are not willing to accept in a partner likely different from your friends or neighbors. Write the partner that works for your protagonist, not for all your readers.
• Write a partner that is right for your protagonist, but not so right that your conflict seems forced. Consider real-life relationships. People in love often disagree, butt heads, and question their relationship. Your lovers should be a good match, not a perfect match.

• The too-tough-to-handle protagonist who only opens up when a foe makes them need a hero’s rescue.
• The evil-other-woman (like former lover or ex-spouse) that tries to ruin the protagonist’s chance of finding true love.
• The too-busy-to-notice protagonist that doesn’t realize when the love of their life enters the picture.
• The I-never-believed-in-love-until-you paramour that was hardened to love until the protagonist entered their life.

Determining Your Plot

• Framing a love story as part of a larger story can create a more realistic, relatable feeling to your writing. Focusing primarily on romance can be sweeping, epic, and more escapist. Neither is inherently better or worse, they’re just different styles.
• For example, Love in the Time of Cholera is driven by its love story, but it also deals with themes of social strife, warfare, disease, aging, and death. It's also defined not just by its love story but by its magical realism, making it part of a strong Latino literary tradition.

• To get an idea of how love stories are framed across genres, read books and short stories from the genres in which you’re interested.
• Noir, sci-fi, fantasy, historical fiction, and comedic writing are some good genres to explore. Pay attention to how different authors in these genres develop different conventions of a love story.

• You can change this as you progress with your story if find that a different ending fits how your plot and characters develop. This should be a guide, but it doesn’t need to be a rule.

• There is no right or wrong answer to this, but it is important to consider the message you’re putting out.
• Love stories commonly deal with topics like social inequity, body image, gender equality, sexual orientation, class difference, and ethnic identity.

Crafting Your Story

• Outlines can be minimal or more fleshed out. Play around with the amount of detail to see what works best for you as you’re writing.
• Outlines, like character sketches, are guides rather than rulebooks. Your story is allowed to progress outside of what you’ve outlined if that feels natural for your plot and characters.

• You don’t want to introduce your lovers too soon, you don’t want them to fall in love too soon, and you don’t want them to be too happy together too soon.
• Love stories should explore a full range of emotion. Put obstacles in place that make your lovers happy, angry, sad, conflicted, jealous, etc.

• Think about a book like Pride and Prejudice as an example. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are brought together and separated multiple times. During each encounter, their feelings change and they think of one another a little more.

• An example of a common, overused misunderstanding is one lover getting upset when they walk in on a former love interest kissing their new lover. It’s dramatic and irrational to have your protagonist fume over an action their paramour couldn’t control.
• Instead, think of an obstacle like a partner getting a job on a different continent, or one partner really wanting kids and the other not wanting them at all. These are commonly used, too, but they create a sense of real emotional conflict.

• For example, “He missed his love like the shore misses the gentle lap of the sea foam as the tides go out,” is a romantic-sounding simile, but it doesn’t offer clarity. “A sharp pain overcame his chest as his lover faded into the sunset,” is familiar to your reader, since most people understand some level of chest pain. In this case, the latter is more relatable.
• When in doubt, ask yourself, “Will this help my readers better understand what’s going on?”

• For example, “When Jessie left, Jordan was filled with a sense of despair and dread that overcame her so completely she never went anywhere or did anything again,” is an unsatisfying ending.
• Instead, make it bittersweet. When Jessie leaves, Jordan can absolutely be hurt and afraid. But she should also look out with nervous optimism about the new opportunity in front of her.

• Don’t use flowery language just for the sake of it. Unless your adjectives and adverbs directly help your reader understand what’s going on, or the emotion and intention behind an action, cut them.
• Don’t use words without understanding their connotation. If you have a naturally fair-skinned and generally healthy character, for example, you wouldn't call them "pallid." While pallid does mean pale, it's most often used as a medical term in association with illness and poor health. Instead, "fair," "ivory," or "porcelain," would all work.

Writing Help

Community Q&A

• Try to imagine as if you were one of the characters. How would you feel? How would you react? Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Read love stories from different authors and love scenes from different genres to get an idea of the many ways that love stories can be plotted out and written. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Not all love stories need to have specific antagonists. Sometimes, life events or different wants and needs can create enough conflict in the story. Consider whether your story needs an antagonistic character, or if circumstances will create the drama. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Plagiarism is not accepted in the writing community and may constitute copyright infringement, which is a crime. Never copy the work of someone else without proper permissions and credits. Thanks Helpful 7 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.nownovel.com/blog/writing-love-stories-avoid-5-flaws/
• ↑ https://www.writermag.com/improve-your-writing/fiction/boring-characters/
• ↑ https://writersedit.com/fiction-writing/everything-you-need-to-know-about-planning-your-novel/
• ↑ https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/nicholas-sparks-writing-tips
• ↑ https://dc.cod.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1484&context=essai
• ↑ https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/7-steps-to-creating-a-flexible-outline-for-any-story
• ↑ https://allwritefictionadvice.blogspot.com/2017/07/how-to-create-drama-in-fiction.html
• ↑ https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/literary-devices/
• ↑ https://thewritelife.com/writing-fiction-10-sneaky-overwriting-traps-to-avoid/

About This Article

To write a good love story, start by giving the two main characters personalities that go well together, but which also have enough differences to make the story interesting, like one being quiet and the other being outspoken. You can even have your characters dislike each other at the beginning of the story! After the lovers initially come together, separate them and give them obstacles to overcome. Finally, create a believable climax that reunites the lovers in the end. For tips on using symbolism and imagery in your story, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write a Love Story: The Definitive Guide to the Most Popular Type of Story

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Love stories appear everywhere in the films we watch, books we read, and shows we binge.

Sometimes these love stories are the center of the plot, like in Pride and Prejudice or The Notebook, popular examples of romance novels and film. Sometimes they're a subplot, like in The Hunger Games or  Ready Player One.  Other times they're hidden, looking more like a journey of friendship than a traditional romance, like in  The Shawshank Redemption  or  Good Will Hunting  or even  The Blind Side .

Love stories make up a popular genre in and of themselves, the romance genre, but they also are at the heart of many of the most well-regarded stories in history, including Homer's  Iliad , Ernest Hemingway's  The Sun Also Rises , and also more recent, prize winning novels like  All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doer and  Less  by Andrew Sean Greer.

Which is all to say, if you want to write novels or screenplays, you probably need to know how to write a love story.

In this guide, we're going to explore love stories of all kinds, from the ones that end “happily ever after” to tragic love stories and even stories that don't look like love stories but actually are. We'll talk about the elements of love stories, their structure and arcs, the best love story examples to study, and finally how to actually write one of your own.

Here's a table of contents for this guide:

Table of Contents

Love Story Definition Elements of Love Stories 1. The Value Scale of Love Stories 2. High Stakes 3. Love Story Character Archetypes 4. Obstacles 5. Tropes Love Story Masterworks to Study How to Write a Love Story: 7 Steps

But first, what  is  a love story, really?

What Is a Love Story: Love Story Definition

A love story is a narrative centered around the progression of two characters' relationship as they deal with internal and external obstacles to be together. Love stories explore the value of belonging and love, usually romantic love, and deal with the emotional and interpersonal forces of attraction, connection, desire, trust, vulnerability, betrayal, and commitment.

That being said, not  all  love stories are about romantic love. Some involve friendship, community, and belonging, and we will explore these types of stories as well.

So there you go. That's  what  a love story is, now let's talk about their different components.

Elements of Love Stories

There are nine types of stories, and each type has its own unique elements, structure, and conventions that readers expect . Love story is no different.

If you want to write love story, it's important to understand the expected elements, even if you choose to circumvent them. While story types are extremely flexible, allowing infinite variations within the established forms, there are almost always a few of the following things in  every  successful story within this type.

Let's look at the elements and conventions of love stories:

1. Core Value Scale: Love/Belonging vs. Hate/Isolation

Maslow's hierarchy of needs places love and belonging on the third level of universal human values.

To have your needs met, to be truly fulfilled, humans must have a sense of belonging, of tribe, family, and connection with each other. Belonging has a deep link to feelings of safety, since being part of a tribe meant protection and shared resources to our early ancestors (not to mention any characters stuck in a dystopian plot!).

But historically, humans have also believed that we can't be fully ourselves, to reach our true potential, until we find not just our group but our  partner , usually a romantic partner.

In fact, the way that storytellers have usually shown belonging within a group or society as a whole is through the relationship between two people, in the form of romantic love.

Mixed in with this human need and value of belonging are the forces of desire and sexual attraction, which is what makes this story type, and often storytelling itself, so vibrant, complicated, and exciting!

Of course, many great stories don't  involve romantic relationships: think Frodo and Sam in The Lord of the Rings or the relationship between Harry, Ron, and Hermione in Harry Potter or the caring love between Jean Valjean and first Fantine and then her daughter Cosette. These are all still powerful love stories, that follow the love story plot type, while also not being romantic.

Love story truly is one of most powerful and flexible plot types.

Love story value scale: love vs. hate

Sub values: attraction/desire vs. repulsion, trust/commitment/vulnerability vs. betrayal

2. High Stakes

All stories must have stakes, things at risk if things don't go well in the story.

For a romance story, the stakes usually center around isolation and loneliness, as well as losing their soul mate, the loss of future happiness, and potentially even ruining their lives.

For historical romance stories about women, there was also a real physical threat, since the loss of a prospective partner could mean financial destitution, ruin, and the lack of physical safety.

Whatever the stakes are for your story, they must be significantly high enough and the consequences must be clearly shown if the character doesn't  achieve them.

3. The Character Archetypes of Love Stories

All stories are about characters, and in love stories, there are certain types of characters who have appeared so many times over so many years, even centuries, that they've become character archetypes, patterns for characters that are near universal in storytelling.

You  should  have one character (and sometimes more) for each of these categories (i.e. protagonist, love interest, rival, and sidekick), but you certainly don't need to use these or  any archetypes. Hopefully, though, they will help inspire a character of your own and clue you into the common patterns and structures in love stories.

Below are some of the common character archetypes specific to love stories.

Protagonist Archetypes

First is the protagonist, the character the story is about. This character appears in every  story, not just love stories. While I usually only recommend having one protagonist, because it drastically increases the complexity and difficulty of the writing process, love stories are the only type that I'm begrudgingly ok with having two protagonists, the couple. There are also some common archetypes for protagonists, including, but not limited to:

• The Idealist. A character who believes in “true love” and “soul mates” and has been desperately waiting to find theirs.
• The (Loveable) Rake. A character with plenty of romantic experience and who has a long history of using their charm and self-confidence to pursue (and possibly manipulate) their love interests, but one who also has a vulnerable, even soft-hearted side few ever see that makes them sympathetic. (Without the vulnerable side, they would make a better villain than a protagonist!)
• The Lone Wolf . A character with a dark past and history of emotional pain who has become distrusting of people as a result and must let their guard down in order to experience love and connection.
• The Knight in Shining Armor . A protective, loyal, and competent character who may attempt to rescue their love interest in the process of the story.
• The Rebel, With or Without a Cause . A character who is independent, unconventional, and perhaps cynical, and finds themselves challenging the expectations of society and potentially the love interest. This type often blends with other archetypes.

Love Interest Archetypes

Of course, for it to be considered a love story, the protagonist must also have a love interest. This may be a co-protagonist in some stories or romance books.. Here are some common character archetypes for love interests:

• The Girl or Guy Next Door. A familiar yet newly exotic character who has recently emerged to capture the protagonist's attention.
• The Out of Reach Love Interest. A character who, due to their status, wealth, or other factors, seems unattainable (but of course, they eventually fall for the protagonist, since this is a love story!).
• The “Best Friend.”  A longtime friend who, at some point in or before the story, begins to foster romantic feelings

Rivals Archetypes

Almost all all compelling romance stories have a rival, either a second love interest to make the protagonist's choice more complicated, or someone also pursuing the love interest, increasing the obstacles. The presence of the rival creates a love triangle, one of the central elements of love stories, which we'll talk about in a moment. Here are some common archetypes for the rival:

• The Ex . A former romantic partner who reappears just at the right time to cause emotional mayhem.
• The (Unlovable) Rake . A charming but manipulative character who attempts to seduce either the protagonist or love interest for selfish reasons.
• The Unrequited Love . Someone likes someone else, but they don't feel the same way. Drama!
• The “Perfect” Match . A character who  seems  perfect for the protagonist, but who just doesn't have the right “spark.”

Nearly all love stories have a sidekick character, a friend of the protagonist who characterizes and aids the protagonist and usually gives to story some humor. Often these sidekick characters will even have their own subplot story arc . Think about Mercutio in  Romeo and Juliet or  Jane from  Pride and Prejudice . Sidekick characters can have their own archetypes in love stories, including:

• The Promiscuous Sidekick . The promiscuous sidekick is more experienced (or at least more interested) in romantic pursuits, particularly of the more carnal variety, and is usually pared with a more inexperienced protagonist to draw them out and challenge them. Example: Casey from 27 Dresses .
• The Idealist Sidekick . Believing in “true love” and “soul mates,” the idealist is best paired with a protagonist who is more cynical. Example: Casey Sedgewick from  Hitch  (what's up with all the sidekicks named Casey?).
• The Funny and Supportive Sidekick . Caring, kind, and always supportive, this sidekick is best paired with a protagonist with a difficult past.
• The Nervous Sidekick . Rule-following and concerned, this supportive sidekick should be paired with a protagonist who is more daring. Example: The Nurse from  Romeo and Juliet .

Again, you don't need to use any of these specific character archetypes, but you should create at least one character for each of these broad categories: protagonist, love interest, rival, and sidekick. Feel free to use the above archetypes as inspiration or invent your own!

Which of these character archetypes are your favorite? Which do you have in your story?  Let us know in the comments .

4. Obligatory Scenes

Every story type has certain scenes that the audience expects, scenes that if you don't provide, romance readers will be disappointed. These scenes provide emotional payoffs, contribute to character development, and advance the narrative in a way that is both satisfying and familiar to the audience.

However, there is a tension there, too, because you must both provide something that is both familiar and  new  to the audience.

These obligatory scenes vary based on the story's arc, as well, but here are the obligatory scenes that need to exist in most love stories:

Obligatory Scenes in a Traditional Love Story

• Meet-cute (inciting incident): The “meet-cute” is a hollywood term for the first meeting between the protagonist and love interest that sets up their relationship. These scenes are often funny or awkward and evoke strong feelings in the characters either of attraction or anger. At the same time, the meet-cute is often where the first obstacles to the couples potential relationship emerge (see below for obstacle examples).
• First connection : A moment when the characters share a meaningful connection or experience, hinting at the potential for a deeper relationship.
• The breakup : As the couple grows closer, there is an event or realization that causes creates tension and highlighting the seemingly insurmountable obstacles to the relationship.
• The realization : Now separated after the breakup, one or both of the couple realizes any obstacles are meaningless in the face of their need and desire for their partner.
• The proof of love (climax) : One or both of the characters undergoes a dramatic declaration or proof of their love, resolving or proving their willingness to resolve the obstacles in the way of their relationship.
• Last kiss (denouement) : In the final scene of the story, the couple close with a final kiss, showing how they have overcome their obstacles and begun a bright future together.

Keep in mind that these obligatory scenes almost completely describe a specific love story arc called the Cinderella Arc, which is the most common arc for romantic comedies. See the story arc diagram below.

However, love stories come in all shapes (or ways to map their story arcs ), including man in a hole (or double man in a hole), rags to riches, icarus, and Oedipus. Some of the above obligatory scenes might be tweaked or even removed depending on the story's arc.

For example, a man in a hole love story plot will feature a seemingly happy couple, who through circumstance or betrayal, find themselves facing new obstacles in their relationship.

Obligatory Scenes for a Relationship Testing Plot

Here are the obligatory scenes for a man in a hole love story arc:

• Obstacles arise ( inciting incident): A happy couple faces new challenges in their relationship, either through outside circumstances or internal betrayal, but in their naïveté, optimism, or loving commitment, they resolve to deal with the obstacles.
• The breakup : After attempting to deal with the obstacles,  they appear to be insurmountable, and the couple breaks up.
• The realization : Now separated after the breakup, one or both of the couple realizes they must overcome the obstacles in the face of their need and desire for their partner.

As you can see, this structure is fairly similar, but the different inciting incident causes a change to the shape of the story and the feel of the following obligatory scenes.

Also, if you're writing a tragic love story, you might just have a different denouement, changing the “last kiss,” for example, to a last goodbye, or something similar.

The point is that these obligatory scenes are flexible enough to tell any love story but also will deliver the emotional payoffs your audience expects.

4. Obstacles

As with real life relationships, couples in love stories face obstacles that keep them from experiencing the sense of belonging and intimacy they desire. All love stories include obstacles, and some include many different obstacles. Here are the types of obstacles your characters might face, but draw from your own real life experiences too:

External Conflict or Obstacles:

• Social barriers: Differences in class, religion, or culture.
• Distance : Physical distance can test the characters' commitment and communication skills.
• Love triangles or rivals : There's nothing like a good love triangle! Rivals create competition for one of the character's affections, which may create jealousy, force a choice between potential partners, or cause one character to betray the other.
• Disapproving friends or family:  Friends and family may not support the relationship, causing tension (and if you're the Capulets and Montagues, lots of death!).
• Work or personal responsibilities: Careers, duties, or goals that conflict with the characters' ability to prioritize their relationship.
• Physical limitations or deformities : physical limitations like paralysis ( Me Before You ), impotence ( The Sun Also Rises ), or illness ( The Fault in Our Stars ) will create major obstacles in a relationship, but physical scars or perceived deformities can also cause issues, like Cyrano's nose or the phantom of the opera's burned face (these also tend to create internal obstacles like insecurity in one or both lovers).
• External events : natural disasters, evil vampires, car accidents, or sociopathic killers at the office Christmas party are all examples of external events that can act as obstacles to a love story.

Internal Obstacles:

• Emotional baggage : Past trauma, heartbreak, or unresolved issues can affect the characters' ability to trust or be vulnerable.
• Insecurity or self-doubt:  One or both characters may wrestle with unworthiness or uncertainty about the relationship's viability.
• Miscommunication or misunderstanding: Conflicts about misinterpreted actions, words, or intentions can create emotional distance between the characters.
• Personal flaws: issues like mental health, addiction, or career pressures can create conflict .
• Conflicting ambitions : Characters who have life goals, career aspirations, or values that challenge their compatibility and future together.
• Infidelity or attraction to another person : Cheating or breaches of trust, whether fulfilled or felt internally.

There are as infinite number of obstacles in stories as the ones humans face in our own relationships. Use the above as inspiration or as a prompt to dive into your own experiences and the experiences of those you know to find obstacles for characters to face in your story.

How your characters deal with the obstacles to their relationship will ultimately determine whether your story ends happily or tragically.

What obstacles are your characters facing?  Let us know in the comments !

5. Other Conventions or Tropes in Love Stories

Tropes are familiar patterns that recur in stories. Tropes don't appear in every  story of a certain type, but they're common enough that audiences easily recognize them.

This means that tropes can be overused, even turn into clichés, but can also provide a sense of comfort and enjoyment for the reader when employed effectively or subverted.

Here are some common tropes or conventions in love stories:

• Opposites attract: Two characters with contrasting personalities or backgrounds find themselves drawn to each other despite (or because of!) their differences.
• Secrets, “if they only knew…”: Secrets that, if revealed, could significantly impact the characters' relationship.
• Secret identities: One or both characters conceal their true identity, creating complications, often humorous ones, in their romantic relationship (Shakespeare loved this one!).
• Mistaken identities:  Similar to secret identities, characters are mistaken for someone else, leading to unexpected romantic complications.
• Forbidden love or “star-crossed lovers”: A romance that is seen as unacceptable or ill-fated due to family, group, or cultural barriers.
• Fake It Till You Make It: Characters pretend to be in a romantic relationship, only to develop genuine feelings for each other.
• Back in (Small) Town: A character returns to their hometown and either rekindles an old fling or meets someone new.
• Friends-to-lovers: Characters who start as friends gradually develop romantic feelings for each other.
• Enemies-to-lovers: Characters who begin the story in conflict or in a rivalry but eventually fall in love.
• Second Chance Romance: Former lovers reunite, often after overcoming past issues or misunderstandings.
• Love at First Sight: Characters instantly fall in love upon their first encounter, setting the stage for a passionate and whirlwind romance.
• Cinderella Story: A character from a lower social or economic background falls in love with someone from a much higher background.
• Disaster romance: A catastrophic event, like a volcano erupting in Los Angeles or assassins trying to murder them or while being chased by the soldiers of half of a kingdom, serves as the catalyst for characters falling in love.

Remember that you don't need to use all or  any  of the above tropes. Use them as inspiration, not as rules, and even if you  do  use them as inspiration, make sure to transform them somehow to serve your writing style and unique voice.

Masterworks: 27 Love Story Examples to Study

Good writers read. They study other great books within their genre , stealing and transforming what works, and subverting or putting their unique touch on the rest.

Here are twenty-seven love story masterwork novels and films of all different types that you can study to improve your own story:

Traditional Love Story

The following are traditional love stories that either end happily or tragically:

• Pride and Prejudice: Elizabeth Bennet navigates societal pressures and her own prejudices to find love with Mr. Darcy.
• Romeo and Juliet: Two young people from families with a vendetta against each other fall in love and vow to be together despite everything.
• Jane Eyre: An orphaned governess falls in love with her employer, Mr. Rochester, and must navigate his secret past.
• Gone with the Wind: During the American Civil War and Reconstruction, Scarlett O'Hara fights to survive and find love.
• The Notebook: A poor boy wins the heart of a rich girl and fight to stay together despite family opposition and later, the challenges of aging.
• Outlander: A World War II nurse is transported back in time to 18th century Scotland, where she falls in love with a Highland warrior and navigates political and personal challenges.
• Titanic: A wealthy young woman falls in love with a poor artist aboard the Titanic , but their romance is challenged when the ship begins to sink.
• Casablanca: In Morocco during World War II, a cynical nightclub owner must decide between his lost lover and his moral and political ideals.
• When Harry Met Sally: Can men and women be friends? Two friends attempt to be friends and possibly more over the course of many years.

Love Stories About Group Belonging

Some love stories are as much about belonging to a group as romantic love with an individual. After all, belonging is one of Maslow's main levels in his hierarchy of needs, and the way that writers throughout history have illustrated belonging with a group is through belonging within romantic love. Here are a few stories that show this kind of love story about belonging to a group:

• Ian Miller and Toula's Greek Family in My Big Fat Greek Wedding : Ian, a non-Greek man, struggles to win over his fiancée Toula's large, traditional Greek family, eventually finding acceptance and a sense of belonging.
• Vianne and the French town in Chocolat : Vianne, an unwed mother of a young daughter, gradually transforms the rigid attitudes of a small French town through charm and delicious chocolates.
• Jess and her family in Bend it Like Beckham : Jess, a British-Indian teenager, goes against her family's traditional expectations by pursuing her dream of playing soccer, ultimately gaining her family's support and helping them embrace a new worldview.
• Michael Oher and the family in The Blind Side : A wealthy, white family takes in Michael, a homeless African-American teenager, providing him with love, support, and opportunities that lead to his success in football and a sense of belonging within their family.
• Hassan Haji and the French restaurant world in Hundred Foot Journey : A prodigy chef, Hassan, faces cultural barriers and competition as he enters the French culinary world, eventually finding success and acceptance as his talent and cultural background win over skeptics.
• Joe Rantz and the Washington crew team in  The Boys in the Boat : An abandoned young man must overcome the hardships of the Great Depression to bond with his team as they take on the world at the 1936 Olympics hosted by Nazi Germany.

 Love Story Subplots

Love stories don't have to be the main plot. Many of the most popular films and novels contain a love story as a subplot , including:

• Hunger Games : The love story subplot in the Hunger Games centers around the protagonist, Katniss and her relationships with Peeta and Gale, two boys she is attracted to for different reasons and must navigate while fighting for survival in the Hunger Games.
• The Lord of the Rings : In The Lord of the Rings , there are several romantic subplots that involve characters like Aragorn and Arwen and Faramir and Eowyn, but the main love story is not about romantic love but the deep friendship and loyalty between Frodo and Sam.
• Harry Potter : The love story subplot in Harry Potter revolves around the relationship between Harry and Ginny Weasley, but throughout there are subplots involving the bonding and friendship between the major characters, especially Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
• Inception : The movie explores the relationship between Cobb and his wife, the deep passion, tragic ending, and final coming to terms.
• The Godfather : The love story subplot in The Godfather involves the relationship between Michael Corleone and Kay, whom he marries despite his involvement in organized crime and the loss of his Italian wife, Apollonia.

Friendship Love Stories

Love stories are also not always about romantic love. Here are several love stories that involve friendship or love between a parent figure and child.

• Good Will Hunting: A genius MIT janitor is mentored by a psychologist and must confront his traumatic past and fear of intimacy.
• Nina, Sofia, and Count Rostov in A Gentleman in Moscow : An unlikely bond forms between the house-arrested Count Rostov and a precocious young girl, Nina (and later, her daughter Sofia), as they navigate life after the Communist Revolution in Russia.
• Jean Valjean and Cosette in Les Miserables : Ex-con Jean Valjean raises Cosette, the daughter of a dying friend, forming a deep father-daughter relationship, all while being investigated and chased by Inspector Javert.
• David and Jonathan in the Bible : David and Jonathan develop a deep friendship and remain loyal to each other despite the conflict between David and Jonathan's father, King Saul.
• Gus McRae and Woodrow Call in Lonesome Dove : Lifelong friends and retired Texas Rangers Gus McRae and Woodrow Call leave Texas with their cattle for Montana, encountering dangers and challenges along the way.
• Lt. Cross and Tim O'Brien in The Things They Carried : Lt. Cross and Tim O'Brien form a complex friendship as they navigate the horrors of the Vietnam War, grappling with guilt, loss, and the weight of their shared experiences.
• Andy and Red in Shawshank Redemption: A man wrongfully convicted of murder forms an unlikely friendship with a fellow inmate as he works to clear his name.

How to Write a Love Story

Now that we've looked at the elements of love stories and many different love story examples, how do you actually write one?

1. Start with characters you (and your audience) can relate to.

Great stories are about great characters! Begin by creating characters who can carry the plot of the story.

There are at least four that you will need, and you can use the character archetypes above to inspire or develop each of them further.

Main Characters

1. Protagonist. The protagonist carries the weight of the story, centers the plot, and drives most of the action. Make sure they are someone who makes choices and is sympathetic while not being perfect.

2. Love Interest . Love stories by nature must have a love interest!

Secondary Characters

3. Rival.  Almost all love stories have love triangles! By adding a rival to your love story, you raise the stakes, create conflict, and add tension.

4. Sidekick. We all need a good wing man or woman. Sidekicks help progress the plot, characterize your protagonist and love interest, and often give the story some much needed humor. The protagonist of a love story nearly always has a sidekick, but the love interest may have one as well!

Not sure how to create great characters? Here are some resources that will help you in your characterization:

• Sympathetic Character: 10 Writing Techniques That Make Readers Care
• Character Development: Create Characters That Readers Love
• Proust Questionnaire: 35 Questions To Ask Your Characters From Marcel Proust

2. Create obstacles for the protagonist and their love interest.

All relationships have obstacles that we must overcome to experience true intimacy and belonging, and the relationships in love stories are no different.

Create at least one of each kind of obstacle:

• External Obstacles: social barriers, distance, love triangles or rivals, disapproving friends or family, work or personal responsibilities, physical limitations or deformities, or external events.
• Internal Obstacles: emotional baggage, insecurity or self-doubt, miscommunication or misunderstanding, personal flaws, conflicting ambitions, or infidelity or attraction to another person.

See the love story obstacles section above for more details on these types of obstacles.

3. Choose your story arc.

The arc of your story has dramatic implications on every facet of your story.

For example, are you going to have a happy ending or sad ending? Does the couple start out together or do they meet at the start of the story? Does the couple have a break up in the middle or do they gradually grow closer throughout the plot?

There are six different story arcs, six shapes that stories make, and all of them can be used in love stories. To learn more about each of them, you can read our story arc guide here .

Which story arc is right for your story?

4. Write your story as a one sentence premise.

A premise is a single sentence summary of a story (you can learn more about what a premise is and how to use it in our full premise guide here ). Creating one  before  you start writing your story is one of the best things you can do to make sure you actually  finish .

There are many benefits of summarizing your story in the form of a premise, including:

• Simplifying your story to its core elements
• Creating a strong foundation for the rest of your story
• Helping you break through writers block
• Giving you the chance to get feedback before you start writing
• Helping you get published by giving you an “elevator pitch”

For a love story, here's a formula you can use to write your premise:

When _____ (protagonist) _______ (situation, e.g. meets the love interest), they must overcome _____ (obstacles) in order to ______ (their goal).

Give it a try!

5. Outline the obligatory scenes.

All love stories have obligatory scenes, scenes that if you don't include them, your audience will feel like something is missing.

We discussed these in detail above, but here are the obligatory scenes in a typical love story (see above for more details on each):

• First connection
• The breakup
• The realization
• The proof of love

There are also variations depending on your particular arc.

These scenes typically follow the six elements of plot, which are:

• Exposition . The character's normal life at the start of the story.
• Inciting incident . An event that upsets the status quo, e.g. the meet-cute.
• Rising action/progressive complications . As the story progresses, things get more complicated! If there is a break up, it will occur in this section.
• Dilemma . The character must make an impossible choice. In a love story, this choice is usually whether or not to face the obstacles and do anything they can to be with the love interest.
• Climax . The character makes their choice, faces the obstacles, and experiences the consequences of that choice. If there is a proof of love scene, this is where it will occur.
•   Denouement . The story ends by illustrating the new normal. In a traditional love story, this is often where the couple ends with a kiss.

For more, view our full guide on the elements of plot here .

Now, just outline each obligatory scene in one sentence. It doesn't need to be elaborate. Just a quick description will be great to help you create a strong foundation for your story.

6. Decide your subplot.

Most novels and films don't just have one plot, they have three. If your main plot is a love story, you will likely need to include a subplot to flesh out the middle of your story and create further complications and obstacles for your characters to overcome.

Love stories can include any story type as a subplot, including:

• Performance
• Coming of age

*Yes, you can have a love story subplot in your love story! Just look at  Pride and Prejudice .

No idea what these mean? That's ok! See a detailed list of the types of stories here .

Different subplots will interact better with different arcs, so choose your subplots carefully.

7. Then, write the first draft!

Once you've written your premise, outlined your obligatory scenes, and chosen your subplots, you're ready to write the first draft.

Easy, right?

Well, maybe not. But we have resources that can help.

First, here's a complete guide on how to write a novel that you should bookmark and save (it's long!).

Next, consider taking a program like 100 Day Book to get the coaching and accountability you need to actually finish your book. We'd love to help you turn your love story idea into published book!

Check out 100 Day Book here.

In the meantime, good luck, and happy writing!

Today, let's start a character sketch for your own love story or subplot. Look back at the section on character archetypes above and pick one: t he Idealist, t he (Loveable) Rake, t he Lone Wolf , t he Knight in Shining Armor , t he Rebel, With or Without a Cause . Set your timer for fifteen minutes . Start by describing two things: what this character is afraid of (and why) and what they want (and why). If you finish fleshing out those details, go ahead and begin a scene where they interact with a potential love interest.

When time is up, share your practice in the Pro Workshop here for feedback, and comment on three other writers' work too.

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

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108 Romance Writing Prompts & Love Story Ideas

Everybody loves a good love story – here are 108 romantic writing prompts and love story ideas to inspire you!

We may receive a commission when you make a purchase from one of our links for products and services we recommend. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for support!

Sharing is caring!

Everybody loves a good love story, and with these romance writing prompts for romantic fiction, you are sure to find some inspiration to write a story for the ages.

These romantic writing prompts are free for you to take and let your imagination run wild. Use them as novel ideas, short stories, screenplays, or just try them as creative writing exercises to stretch your imagination.

Romantic Fiction Writing Prompts and Story Starters

Please note : We use the pronouns “she and he” in some of these examples, but of course you have the freedom to reverse and change genders as you see fit!

1. Their story begins on a bright summer morning when they both awake in bed together with no memory of who they are or where they came from.

2. She is determined to go on an epic road trip this summer. When her best friend bails out at the last minute, she talks one of her co-workers into joining her as a reluctant sidekick for the adventure of a lifetime. 

3. Write a story where one character finds the other character in their tent while camping alone.

4. Our heroine catches the hero stealing food from the restaurant where she works. Is he a bad guy or is there more to this story? What happens when she realizes she is falling for him?

5. A mysterious stranger leaves an item at the main character’s front door with a note attached saying “For a rainy day”.

6. Our hero is a jet-setter whose father has died and just left all of his possessions to someone else. He’s about to demand the rights to his inheritance when he realizes maybe he likes this person.

7. Write a romance story about an undercover cop investigating a person for a crime they didn’t commit. As the cop learns more about them, they realize they are innocent and they might be falling in love.

8. The heroine’s father warns her that she’ll be in terrible danger if she accepts the hero’s marriage proposal.

9. Our two characters are shipwrecked after an unexpected storm. They find themselves on an island where they are forced to spend their first night together under the stars.

10. An impromptu dance competition is announced at the bar where two characters are enjoying an evening of drinks. Do they have what it takes to win the contest and at love?

11. The hero is the brother of the person our heroine has had a crush on for years – who is also her best friend.

12. Write a love story where two single parents drop their kids off at the same daycare every morning. When they run into each other, will they be ready to give love a second chance?

13. She has a secret thinking spot on the roof of a nearby building. When she goes there after learning she lost her job, she discovers someone sitting there.

14. Our characters are both recovering addicts. They both have had problems with alcohol and drugs – will they be able to stay clean long enough for true love to find them?

15. Our characters are on vacation in the countryside of a foreign country when they accidentally crash their cars into each other, resulting in them being sent to the same hospital where they share a room for a week.

16. Our hero and heroine meet in line at the grocery store almost every week. After constantly running into each other, he finally asks her out.

17. The heroine’s wedding is cancelled the day before she was supposed to walk down the aisle. She isn’t sure how to pick up the pieces so goes to the beach to sort herself out, where she finds herself falling for someone new.

18. The might be lawyers on opposite sides of many cases, but they can’t deny that there is something between them…

19. The two of them are in a band together, hoping to get their music heard by the world. They start falling for each other, but will it rip the band apart?

20. Our main characters are both struggling to find their places in the world – one feels like their parents never supported their dreams, and the other left their hometown behind without any plans to return. Together, they learn what it’s like to be true to themselves for the first time.

21. They’ve lived together in the same apartment building for years and have a somewhat passive aggressive relationship with each other. It sparks into something more when he asks her to try his new hot sauce recipe.

22. Our two characters find themselves thrown together and in love after they meet while on vacation in a tropical paradise – only to discover that they live in different countries on separate continents. Can they make it work?

23. He likes her… she likes him… but he’s a total ladies’ man. Can she ever get over this fear and see him as more than a player?

24. They are both running from something in the woods and help each other to escape and survive a dangerous situation. What are they running from and could it make them fall in love?

25. She thinks she’s found the perfect guy – until she discovers he has a secret identity. Will he tell her on his own or will she call him out for it?

26. After a mix-up with their reservations, the characters find they both booked the same rental for the week. Rather than forfeit the deposit and ruin their plans, they decide it to share the space together. Will temporarily living together spark romance or will it be a disaster?

27. The story begins with our heroine rescuing the hero from a life-threatening situation. After they meet, sparks begin to fly. What we don’t realize until much later is she’s the one who caused the accident in the first place.

28. The protagonist is a famous chef who is loved by everyone in the neighborhood – except the frustrating food critic who keeps writing terrible things about their cooking. Can the chef woo them over?

29. Our characters meet when both of their cars break down in the middle of nowhere, and they need to wait together until their cars are repaired.

30. The two of them are sharing the back seat of a limousine after a logistics mix-up at their job when things take a turn for the passionate…

31. They have been friends since they were kids vacationing together every summer – but now it’s getting serious. They might not be just friends anymore…

32. The heroine has been hired by the hero’s start-up company to test his new product for attracting love. However, the product is so effective that she finds herself falling for him!

33. He is a famous actor and she is a waitress at a restaurant he frequents – but they both know that he’s tired of the glitz and glamour and wants to settle down. Can she show him that romance is real?

34. One of them is a real estate agent and the other is a home buyer looking for the perfect house, but they end up finding so much more than either of them expected…

35. They go out on a blind date with the hopes of finding love. But what if one of them ends up being the other’s boss and part owner of the company?

36. They had a casual romance in high school, but they both went their separate ways and have both changed a lot. When fate has them meet again, will it spark the magic from their old relationship?

37. They’ve both reached fame in their careers – but when the cameras are on at all times, how can they be honest with each other and their feelings?

38. Frustrated with life on earth, our hero and heroine volunteer to go live on the space station as part of an experiment for two years. They might have escaped all their problems on earth, but can they actually make a relationship work?

39. The two main characters work together at a local animal shelter and they both have secrets to hide about themselves and their lives. When their paths cross on a daily basis, can they resist the pull to tell each other everything?

40. The story begins with two high school sweethearts who are reunited years later only to discover that they are both unhappily married to someone else. Is it too late or will their love prove to be stronger?

41. He’s a famous musician with all kinds of problem. His life is falling apart and now he starting to fall for the person who tends the gardens at his mansion.

42. They’re both on the run from the law. When they cross paths to form an unlikely bond, can they both get out of their current situations to make it work?

43. He wants his lost love back, but how can he convince her he’s changed?

44. The two of them are on a business trip in a foreign country when there is unrest in the streets – can they make it out alive?

45. A famous actor and a famous actress are both staying at the same hotel during the filming of a romantic movie. Could the sparks be more than just what’s in the script?

46. She has had a crush on him for years, but he never notices her. Will he finally realize that true love is right under his nose?

47. Our main character is always setting up their friends on dates and playing matchmaker – what happens when someone tries to match them with someone new?

48. One of them is a soldier, the other an army nurse. They meet on a helicopter ride after being evacuated from a dangerous situation.

49. They broke up years ago but then run into each other after not talking to each other anymore. When they stop and actually listen to what the other person has to say, do they realize that maybe they never really stopped loving one another?

50. Our main character’s dog is missing – but will they find love in an unexpected place instead?

51. Write a love story where one person is a tech mogul and the other person thinks technology is evil. When they start to fall for each other, will technology get in the way?

52. They are both running for mayor in their small town. Only one person can win the election – but can they both win in love?

53. Write a romance story where one character believes that love isn’t for them, so the other person must prove them wrong by showing them how wonderful love can be.

54. Two people meet after finding out they’ve both been dumped. As they try to plot their revenge on their exes, they discover maybe they have feelings for one another.

55. Our main character’s father is determined to find them a match and has arranged for them to have a new date everyday. Will they ever meet the one?

56. When two people who have never met before get into an argument, they end up trapped in the same room together for hours on end. Will this argument push them together or tear them apart?

57. Our main character finds themselves having vivid dreams that feel real about someone from their past. Use this romantic writing prompt to write a love story that transcends the test of time.

58. They are both avid readers who frequently go to the library but one of them believes they can read people’s future through their books. When they finally meet will they be able to read the other’s mind?

59. Our main character is an adrenaline junkie living life on the edge. When they meet someone who wants to tame them, will they be able to gain some balance in their life?

60. She lives in a world where men are forbidden. When she finally meets one face to face, will she be able to resist her feelings or fall into temptation?

61. Write a story where the main character is the president’s daughter. Can she have a relationship with the son of a political rival?

62. Two discover that both their horoscopes describe what their ideal mate would be like and how they will meet – and it’s each other!

63. One of them is a hard working chef and the other is a photographer who wants to take pictures in the kitchen. When they meet, they find that they have more in common than just their love of food.

64. When our main character gets a new puppy, it turns out to be more than they bargained for. After the dog tears up their neighbor’s flower bed it might just turn into romance.

65. She’s an actress and he’s a cop on location providing security for the movie – but what happens when reality mixes with fiction?

66. Two lovers forced apart by war are reunited only to discover that one of them has been injured physically and the other mentally. Can they get past their scars and move forward?

67. Two people who have gone through terrible things in life meet in a support group and learn how to live again together.

68. The Civil War has just broken out – but one of them is from the north and the other is from the south. Will the war tear them apart or bring them closer together?

69. In a post-apocalyptic world, our two characters are both on the run. When their lives cross paths, they decide teaming up could benefit them both – but does their alliance turn into something more?

70. After accidentally sending an email to a stranger, they become online pen pals. When they meet for the first time in real life, will it be love at first sight or disaster?

71. Their tempers have both gotten them in trouble in the past. When they meet at an anger management class, will they finally learn to control their anger and let love in or will it all blow up?

72. Two con artists meet and decide to team up. They have great chemistry but will they ever be able to fully trust each other?

73. After a tornado devastates a small town, our two characters are drawn together by their grief. Can they rebuild a new future together?

74. When two detective partners need to catch the bad guy, they go undercover as a married couple. Could it be more than just a ruse?

75. Write a romantic love story where two friends start having dreams about each other. Will will these dreams be prophetic or turn into a real life nightmare?

76. When our hero finds himself trapped in another dimension, he takes refuge in an abandoned warehouse only to discover that there is another guest who also happens to be beautiful.

77. The two are travelers who both stop at a diner at the same time. When they are served something otherworldly, they suddenly find themselves with the ability to see ghosts – and each other’s pasts.

78. After finding a wallet in the parking lot, the main character is determined to find out who it belongs to and return it. After a long goose chase of research, they finds themselves falling in love with them. When they finally meet, is the person everything they imagined?

79. A group of people are forced to live in a small bunker together when nuclear war breaks out. Can they find love with each other or will they all turn on each other?

80. Our main character starts seeing a vivid symbol in mysterious places. They try to brush it off as nothing until meeting a stranger who has a tattoo of the symbol. Could it be fate?

81. During their first date, two people receive terrible news. Can they still find happiness together despite all of their problems?

82. After being ditched by their friends at the prom, two loners meet and decide to spend an exciting evening together.

83. While skeptical of psychics, our protagonist is also desperate to find love. After being told of a terrible misfortune about to happen, will it turn out it makes them meet the one?

84. Two people from different social classes find themselves attracted to one another. Can they make it work or will it be torn apart by their differing backgrounds?

85. Two long-time friends find themselves thrown together by a terrible accident. Can they be there for each other or will their differences tear them apart?

86. A young couple find themselves responsible for protecting a powerful and ancient weapon. Will they be able to keep it together and stop the evil that is trying to destroy it?

87. A woman confronts her ex-boyfriend at the wedding of a mutual friend – and their hate for each other is unleashed. Can they make up or are they determined to destroy each other?

88. Our hero meets a woman who teaches him about true love and everything he’s ever dreamed of finding in a relationship. Before they can be together, however, she disappears – only to return mysteriously years later.

89. Burned out by the dating scene, two people decide it’s best to sign up for a service that sets up arranged marriages. Will they be able to make it work?

90. They might both be rich and beautiful, but they always feel like the people they date only care about their looks and money. One decides to pretend to be poor while the other wears a disguise. Have they finally met someone who loves them with no regard to money or looks or will the truth be too much to handle?

91. They just met and really hit it off but one of them has to leave for a work project overseas for the next 5 years. Can they make a long distance relationship work?

92. Two people who hate each other become stuck on the same ocean liner together and must work together to survive a violent storm.

93. He might only be 28 and has a successful career, but he’s starting to go bald. Is it too late for him to find a partner?

94. As journalists for their school’s newspaper, they are always on assignment together. Could an innocent stop for breakfast one morning turn their casual relationship into something more?

95. The older couple in a photograph she discovers looks familiar – but she doesn’t know who they are. One of the people looks a little like her, only older. Could it be a view of the future to come?

96. Two people who have known each other since childhood must fight to survive against an army of zombies that are trying to turn them into meals. Can they make it out alive or will their pasts consume them?

97. She is out of work and lives in a trailer park with her sister. She decides she will marry someone rich and sets off to win over the heart of the local millionaire. Will she learn there’s more to love than just money?

98. They have been growing apart for years – but when they each meet someone new, they realize that maybe it’s time to stop running and face the past head on.

99. When you are born, you are assigned three potential love matches. You meet them all on the same day at the same time on your 21st birthday and must choose one by the end of the night to spend the rest of your life with.

100. They are both from different cultures, but when they meet each other for the first time, they are instantly drawn to each other. Can their love survive all the forces that want to tear them apart?

101. She is kidnapped and sold into slavery, but he will do anything to find her.

102. When he ends up in prison, will she find a way to help him or will his past always be too strong for her to overcome?

103. The two of them have been best friends since they were kids, but when they go into business together, their love for each other may become more than it was before.

104. Write a romantic love story that is inspired by whatever you ate for lunch yesterday.

105. A man travels back in time to find his true love and change the way things ended.

106. She has been sent on a mission by the king to find and return the prince before something terrible happens to him.

107. He is one of the best bounty hunters in the galaxy – but when he meets someone who can be considered his greatest catch yet he realizes he is in love with them.

108. Two leaders of planets on the way to extinction decide to join forces and create a new species of people to continue their worlds. Will their attempts to play matchmaker and procreate work?

I hope these romantic writing prompts and love story ideas inspire you to write something great. If you do happen to write a story with these prompts, you know we would love to check it out so please let us know about it in the comments below!

Looking for even more great story ideas and writing prompts? Check out these other resources at ThinkWritten!

• 365 Creative Writing Prompts for Everyday
• 42 Fantasy Writing Prompts
• 101 Poetry Writing Prompts

Do you have any other romantic love story ideas to add to this list? Share your own romantic writing prompts in the comments below!

Chelle Stein wrote her first embarrassingly bad novel at the age of 14 and hasn't stopped writing since. As the founder of ThinkWritten, she enjoys encouraging writers and creatives of all types.

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Before You Write a Love Essay, Read This to Get Examples

The day will come when you can’t escape the fate of all students: You will have to write a what is love essay.

No worries:

Here you’ll find tons of love essay topics and examples. No time to read everything? Scroll down to get a free PDF with original samples.

Definition: Essay on Love

First, let’s define what is love essay?

The most common topics are:

• Definition of love
• What is love?
• Meaning of love

Why limit yourself to these hackneyed, general themes? Below, I’ll show how to make your paper on love original yet relevant to the prompt you get from teachers.

Love Essay Topics: 20 Ideas to Choose for Your Paper

Your essay on love and relationship doesn’t have to be super official and unemotional. It’s ok to share reflections and personal opinions when writing about romance.

Often, students get a general task to write an essay on love. It means they can choose a theme and a title for their paper. If that’s your case,  feel free to try any of these love essay topics:

• Exploring the impact of love on individuals and relationships.
• Love in the digital age: Navigating romance in a tech world.
• Is there any essence and significance in unconditional love?
• Love as a universal language: Connecting hearts across cultures.
• Biochemistry of love: Exploring the process.
• Love vs. passion vs. obsession.
• How love helps cope with heartbreak and grief.
• The art of loving. How we breed intimacy and trust.
• The science behind attraction and attachment.
• How love and relationships shape our identity and help with self-discovery.
• Love and vulnerability: How to embrace emotional openness.
• Romance is more complex than most think: Passion, intimacy, and commitment explained.
• Love as empathy: Building sympathetic connections in a cruel world.
• Evolution of love. How people described it throughout history.
• The role of love in mental and emotional well-being.
• Love as a tool to look and find purpose in life.
• Welcoming diversity in relations through love and acceptance.
• Love vs. friendship: The intersection of platonic and romantic bonds.
• The choices we make and challenges we overcome for those we love.
• Love and forgiveness: How its power heals wounds and strengthens bonds.

Love Essay Examples: Choose Your Sample for Inspiration

Essays about love are usually standard, 5-paragraph papers students write in college:

• One paragraph is for an introduction, with a hook and a thesis statement
• Three are for a body, with arguments or descriptions
• One last passage is for a conclusion, with a thesis restatement and final thoughts

Below are the ready-made samples to consider. They’ll help you see what an essay about love with an introduction, body, and conclusion looks like.

What is love essay: 250 words

Lao Tzu once said, “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” Indeed, love can transform individuals, relationships, and our world.

A word of immense depth and countless interpretations, love has always fascinated philosophers, poets, and ordinary individuals. This  emotion breaks boundaries and has a super power to change lives. But what is love, actually?

It’s a force we feel in countless ways. It is the warm embrace of a parent, filled with care and unwavering support. It is the gentle touch of a lover, sparking a flame that ignites passion and desire. Love is the kind words of a friend, offering solace and understanding in times of need. It is the selfless acts of compassion and empathy that bind humanity together.

Love is not confined to romantic relationships alone. It is found in the family bonds, the connections we forge with friends, and even the compassion we extend to strangers. Love is a thread that weaves through the fabric of our lives, enriching and nourishing our souls.

However, love is not without its complexities. It can be both euphoric and agonizing, uplifting and devastating. Love requires vulnerability, trust, and the willingness to embrace joy and pain. It is a delicate balance between passion and compassion, independence and interdependence.

Finally, the essence of love may be elusive to define with mere words. It is an experience that surpasses language and logic, encompassing a spectrum of emotions and actions. Love is a profound connection that unites us all, reminding us of our shared humanity and the capacity for boundless compassion.

What is love essay: 500 words

A 500-word essay on why I love you

Trying to encapsulate why I love you in a mere 500 words is impossible. My love for you goes beyond the confines of language, transcending words and dwelling in the realm of emotions, connections, and shared experiences. Nevertheless, I shall endeavor to express the depth and breadth of my affection for you.

First and foremost, I love you for who you are. You possess a unique blend of qualities and characteristics that captivate my heart and mind. Your kindness and compassion touch the lives of those around you, and I am grateful to be the recipient of your unwavering care and understanding. Your intelligence and wit constantly challenge me to grow and learn, stimulating my mind and enriching our conversations. You have a beautiful spirit that radiates warmth and joy, and I am drawn to your vibrant energy.

I love the way you make me feel. When I am with you, I feel a sense of comfort and security that allows me to be my true self. Your presence envelops me in a cocoon of love and acceptance, where I can express my thoughts, fears, and dreams without fear of judgment. Your support and encouragement inspire me to pursue my passions and overcome obstacles. With you by my side, I feel empowered to face the world, knowing I have a partner who believes in me.

I love the memories we have created together. From the laughter-filled moments of shared adventures to the quiet and intimate conversations, every memory is etched in my heart. Whether exploring new places, indulging in our favorite activities, or simply enjoying each other’s company in comfortable silence, each experience reinforces our bond. Our shared memories serve as a foundation for our relationship, a testament to the depth of our connection and the love that binds us.

I love your quirks and imperfections. Your true essence shines through these unique aspects! Your little traits make me smile and remind me of the beautiful individual you are. I love how you wrinkle your nose when you laugh, become lost in thought when reading a book, and even sing off-key in the shower. These imperfections make you human, relatable, and utterly lovable.

I love the future we envision together. We support each other’s goals, cheering one another on as we navigate the path toward our dreams. The thought of building a life together, creating a home filled with love and shared experiences, fills my heart with anticipation and excitement. The future we imagine is one that I am eager to explore with you by my side.

In conclusion, the reasons why I love you are as vast and varied as the universe itself. It is a love that defies logic and surpasses the limitations of language. From the depths of my being, I love you for the person you are, the way you make me feel, the memories we cherish, your quirks and imperfections, and the future we envision together. My love for you is boundless, unconditional, and everlasting.

A 5-paragraph essay about love

I’ve gathered all the samples (and a few bonus ones) in one PDF. It’s free to download. So, you can keep it at hand when the time comes to write a love essay.

Ready to Write Your Essay About Love?

Now that you know the definition of a love essay and have many topic ideas, it’s time to write your A-worthy paper! Here go the steps:

• Check all the examples of what is love essay from this post.
• Choose the topic and angle that fits your prompt best.
• Write your original and inspiring story.

Any questions left? Our writers are all ears. Please don’t hesitate to ask!

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Home / Essay Samples / Life / Love Story

Love Story Essay Examples

Love story begins with the first sight.

The real secret behind why we fall in love at first sight is because something in the way this particular person happens to look, has triggered a comparison in our subconscious mind to someone from our past who meant a lot to us. This is...

My Love Story: Heartbreaking But Funny

Just a quick significant flashback though, 'my manning up was actually in a letter, my asking her out was written on paper. I wrote the question and she spoke her answer. Maybe I wasn't a real man after all, but she didn't mind, and I...

Teen Love - is not Surreal

There are so many things I don’t believe in. The very first thing that I truly don’t believe in is the number of poor, cynical people who don't believe in something that is critical to our survival. One big thing that some people don't believe...

The Love Story of Erica Stoll and Rory Mcilroy

Irish professional golfer Rory McIlroy is one of the most famous sportspersons of the 2010s. Since turning professional in 2007, he has recorded several accomplishments in record time and so much more is expected of him going by his antecedents. His achievements in the world of...

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