5 things thriller writers can learn from Romance writers
Thriller writers can enhance their stories by incorporating elements from romance writing, such as slow-burning relationships, vulnerability, and emotional depth. These techniques create more engaging characters and intensify the stakes, giving readers both suspense and connection.
WRITING & EDITING
5 Things Thriller Writers Can Learn from Romance Writers
Thriller writers are masters at creating tension, suspense, and high stakes, drawing readers into a world where danger lurks around every corner. However, one element that can often take their stories to the next level is emotional depth. Romance writers, on the other hand, are experts at weaving complex relationships, slow-burning tension, and vulnerability into their narratives. By learning from romance writers, thriller authors can add layers of emotional complexity that not only deepen the stakes of their stories but also create characters that readers connect with on a more profound level.
If you're a thriller writer looking to bring new dimensions to your work, here are five key things you can learn from romance writers to enhance your thrillers.
1. Building Emotional Investment Through Slow-Burning Relationships
In thrillers, the focus is often on the external plot—puzzles to solve, villains to outwit, and life-threatening situations to navigate. While this keeps the action moving, it can sometimes come at the cost of character development. Romance writers are particularly skilled at crafting slow-burning relationships that evolve over time. They build emotional investment by giving readers moments of tension, vulnerability, and connection between characters.
What Thriller Writers Can Learn: Thriller writers can enhance their stories by incorporating a romance subplot or even a slow-burn relationship between characters. By doing this, they give the readers someone to root for—someone who isn’t just surviving the plot’s external danger but also evolving emotionally. This gives the thriller a human element that makes the stakes feel more personal and increases the emotional payoff when those relationships face obstacles or near-death experiences.
Example: A detective and a civilian witness develop a complicated, slow-building attraction as they work together to solve a crime. The romance creates a compelling emotional arc for both characters, and their relationship adds emotional tension to the story’s final confrontation.
2. Heightening Tension with Vulnerability and Intimacy
One thing romance writers know well is how to introduce vulnerability into their characters. Whether it’s about a broken heart or fear of commitment, romance writers use emotional depth to make characters more relatable and engaging. Vulnerability isn’t just for the romantic aspects of a story—it can also be used to amplify tension in thrillers.
What Thriller Writers Can Learn: Adding a layer of vulnerability to your characters—whether through a romantic relationship or personal backstory—can create high-stakes emotional moments. When a character is emotionally invested in another, their vulnerability adds an extra layer of danger. If something happens to the love interest, the stakes for the protagonist become higher. The emotional weight of the thriller’s plot will resonate with readers because they’ve been given a reason to care about the relationships, not just the action.
Example: In a spy thriller, a protagonist may be tasked with saving someone they love, while also battling a dangerous enemy. As their romance grows, the emotional stakes heighten. The reader is torn between the thrill of the action and the emotional tension of wondering whether the protagonist will save their loved one in time.
3. Using Chemistry to Drive the Plot
Romance writers excel at creating chemistry between their characters, allowing tension to build gradually, making the eventual romantic payoff feel earned. That chemistry is often the core of the narrative, and it drives the characters’ actions and decisions. In thrillers, chemistry can be a potent tool as well—especially when it comes to relationships that are integral to the plot.
What Thriller Writers Can Learn: Thriller writers can take inspiration from romance writers by building compelling chemistry between characters. This can be between the protagonist and their love interest, or between enemies, allies, or even family members. When characters have strong, palpable chemistry, their interactions become more compelling. Chemistry can also be used to create tension between characters, particularly if the romantic relationship is a dangerous one (for example, forbidden or complicated love).
Example: Imagine a thriller where two seemingly opposite characters—perhaps a hardened cop and a mysterious informant—form an unlikely bond. Their chemistry not only fuels the tension in their relationship but also propels the plot forward as they navigate dangerous situations together.
4. Character-Driven Storytelling
Romance writers are experts at crafting multidimensional characters whose emotions, choices, and growth drive the story. Whether it's the struggle to open up emotionally or the challenge of overcoming personal flaws, romance stories often thrive on character development. This makes the payoff of romance feel earned because the reader has seen the characters' growth.
What Thriller Writers Can Learn: Thrillers are often plot-driven, with twists and action sequences taking precedence. But when you take the time to explore your characters’ inner lives, motivations, and vulnerabilities—especially within the context of a romantic or emotionally-charged relationship—you create more depth in your story. The reader is not just invested in the mystery or danger, but in how the characters evolve and whether they can overcome their personal obstacles. Character-driven thrillers, where decisions are influenced by emotional stakes, often feel more impactful because readers care about the people involved.
Example: In a psychological thriller, a character’s internal struggle with trust and intimacy can serve as a parallel storyline to the main mystery. As they face external dangers, their personal growth becomes a key element of their ability to navigate the plot's challenges.
5. Balancing High Stakes with Moments of Softness
Romance writers know how to balance the intensity of emotion with tender, soft moments between characters. While thrilling action scenes or intense confrontations drive a thriller forward, moments of softness—be they romantic gestures, tender dialogue, or emotional revelations—help to create emotional depth and give readers a break from the action.
What Thriller Writers Can Learn: Thrillers don’t need to be constant tension and suspense. Adding moments of softness or emotional connection between characters—whether romantic or platonic—creates emotional relief that allows the reader to become more invested in the characters. These quieter moments also make the high-stakes moments stand out more because the contrast increases the intensity. A slow moment of intimacy can make the stakes of the thriller feel more personal and emotionally charged.
Example: A lone survivor of a horrific event has a moment of quiet connection with a loved one, perhaps a fleeting, tender kiss or a quiet confession of love. This moment of emotional connection heightens the danger that comes next, adding emotional tension to the plot.
Conclusion
While thrillers and romances might seem like two vastly different genres, there’s much to be learned by merging elements from both. Thriller writers who incorporate the emotional depth, slow-burning relationships, and vulnerability of romance writers can create more immersive, character-driven narratives. By adding romance, chemistry, and moments of emotional connection, thriller writers can elevate the stakes of their plots and make their characters' struggles more engaging.
Whether it’s through heightened vulnerability, emotional arcs, or moments of intimacy that contrast the tension, these elements will not only enrich the thrill but also give readers something to root for on a deeper, emotional level. So, next time you write a thriller, consider what a little romance might do to intensify the tension—and take your readers on a ride they won’t forget.
