What Is Slow Burn Romance? Definition, Tropes And Tips

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“There are some people we can’t let go of. As long as we’re holding on to the right ones, I think that’s okay.”

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Both here at What We Reading and across the wider reading world, you’re likely to have stumbled across the term ‘slow burn romance’. But exactly what is slow burn romance? How do you classify a book as being a slow burn? And how can you start writing your very own slow-burning love story for the ages? Join us today as we run you through everything you need to know about slow burns. From teenage angst to pining away a lifetime, we’ll be running you through all the definitions, types and writing tips needed to craft a natural and believable romance!

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What Is Slow Burn Romance?

Slow burn romance is where an author builds the romantic connection between characters gradually throughout a book or series. Whilst they aren’t exclusive to the romance genre, they are most prominent there. 

Opposed to a trope such as ‘instalove’, slow burns arguably more closely resemble real-life romances where attraction and feelings develop over time, which gives writers the opportunity to put their characters’ emotions, insecurities and personal growth on show. The anticipation and connection readers get to these characters and their journeys make the final payoff all the more rewarding. 

If you’ve ever found yourself slamming your head against a wall because two obviously perfect people are constantly stuck in the ‘will they, won’t they’ phase, chances are you’re already familiar with how effective slow burns can be. 

Slow Burn Romance Tropes

Slow burns can come in the form of several different tropes. As mentioned, the key is having enough room to allow characters to gradually come together, learning and developing themselves. Some of the most common romance tropes are: 

• Friends-to-lovers: The characters begin as friends, which blossoms into a romantic relationship.
• Enemies-to-lovers: The characters initially dislike or have conflict with one another. Over time, however, their negative feelings switch to love.
• Workplace/Office romance: The characters share the same work environment and keep their feelings hidden due to professional boundaries.
• Opposites attract: The characters have contrasting backgrounds and personalities. Whilst this initially causes friction between them, it leads to a connection as they find common ground.
• Forbidden love: The characters face many challenges from other people/wider society that stop them from being together.
• Second chance romance: The characters have a previous history with one another. They find themselves together again with the opportunity of rekindling their feelings.

Happy Endings

With the ‘happily ever after’ in a slow burn romance, the characters finally find a way of making their feelings known. These feelings are shared by the other interests, leading to all of us packing up our bags and walking off into the sunset. Hurdles are overcome, the connection is reinforced and the characters have developed both themselves and their interest which suggests their relationship is deep, nurtured and set to last. In these slow burns, readers can get an appreciation for how patience and perseverance are required for love, and why it is worth fighting for. 

Sad Endings

Most of the time, a slow burn romance will end with a happily ever after. But, this isn’t always the case. In a sad ending, characters might realise their feelings too late and miss their big moment for true love. If characters don’t develop, their relationships can become strained and even break down, leading to painful heartbreak. In these slow burn endings, readers see how crucial timing, communication and seizing the moment are when it comes to the affairs of the heart. 

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Check Out The Best Books With Sad Endings

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How Should Characters In Slow Burns Behave?

When it comes to writing characters in slow burn romances, here are some pointers on the most common strategies other authors utilise: 

• Harmless flirting: Playful banter and teasing is a way of masking a character’s true feelings. Small moments and gestures can also be used to point out there is more on the table.
• Possessiveness: Jealousy shows a reader a character cares about their interest, who they’re with, what they’re doing etc.
• Reluctant to open up: Struggling to communicate is a great way of introducing moments of internal conflict in a character.
• Just friends: Slow burns often start with characters as friends or acquaintances before they realise their true feelings.

How Should Characters In Slow Burns Act?

Depending on the trope you’re using in your slow burns, characters may act in several different ways: 

• Evolving feelings: Characters might start out indifferent or apathetic to a potential interest, before developing to fascination, and infatuation to love.
• Love-Hate: Certain tropes call for characters to have friction between them. This energy causes them to switch between frustration to attraction.
• Vulnerability: One of the pivotal moments in a slow burn is having characters open themselves up to their partner, showing vulnerability and acceptance.
• Resistance: In other tropes, there may be moments where a character tries to resist their feelings, denying the connection they feel even as it grows.
• Self-Doubt: The road to a happily ever after can be a rocky one. Moments of self-doubt can be a great tool for having a character reflect on their relationship.

How Should Characters In Slow Burns Interact With Each Other?

Finally, nailing the interactions and pacing of these interactions is crucial for building a slow burn that feels believable for a reader: 

• Build-up: Characters should have a number of different interactions that grow in their intensity as the story progresses.
• Secrets and revelations: Secrets are a means of demonstrating trust and a strong emotional bond between characters.
• Deep conversations: As well as secrets and revelations, deep conversations are a way of getting characters to open up about their fears, motivations and vulnerabilities.
• Intimate moments: Forced proximity and other vulnerable moments can be a way of escalating characters’ relationship with each other.
• Anticipation and tension: The feeling of unresolved tension should be apparent throughout the interactions characters share, especially as they build up in intensity as a slow burn progresses.
• Body language: Describing characters’ body language is a way of ‘showing not saying’ the stage of a slow burn. Examples of slow burn body language include:
  • Leaning in.
  • Blushing/flushed cheeks/becoming red.
  • Locking eyes (especially from across the room).
  • Biting their lip, shifting awkwardly and other nervous gestures.
  • Mirroring and copying each other’s gestures and body language.