Love triangles. Some love them, some hate them. A frequently used trope, the love triangle is where the protagonist is forced to choose between two equally appealing love interests. (Not that they are being forced to choose, but we want them to anyway.)
It’s difficult to find a good love triangle in stories today, but it’s still possible to write a well-executed one.
Here are my tips on how to write a good love triangle, with reference to The Hunger Games and Unblemished trilogies. (Warning: spoilers.)
(Disclaimer: these are my own thoughts and opinions and you might disagree.)
Make both contestants actually likable.
In order to avoid some unnecessary agony (although admit it, all love triangles cause agony), you might want to make both love interests actually interesting, likable, and distinct. This ensures that no one confuses them, and that the love interest that the reader does not support is still mildly acceptable at best.
Remember, all fleshed-out characters need to have flaws and quirks that make them, them. There are way too many perfect love interests in fiction and to be frank, that’s just unrealistic. Of course, this also applies to love squares, pentagons, and various other shapes.
The Hunger Games: the fandom is still divided between Peeta and Gale to this day.
Unblemished: Joshua… uhh we do not speak of Joshua. What we can speak of is how he was cause for much pain when reading about him.
Love has to go deeper than physical attraction.
This is crucial, but for some reason so many YA novels fail to hit this mark. All that happens is “oh wow he’s hot” and 100 pages later the protagonist and the good-looking guy are kissing passionately.
This is just shallow. Beauty is fleeting, and in order to stay in a relationship it takes more than lust for someone who has aesthetically pleasing features.
The Hunger Games: Katniss falls for Peeta’s personality and characteristics, not how he looks.
Unblemished: Eliyana falls for Ky despite his acne and otherwise average features.
Something about one person has to be better for the protagonist.
In the end, the protagonist still has to make a decision. (Or maybe they don’t, I hear Lauren Oliver’s Delirium trilogy left things open.) This is the best way to satisfy some percentage of your readers, depending on who’s rooting for whom. To do this, make it clear exactly what about the victor appeals most to the protagonist and why.
The Hunger Games: Katniss decides she needs Peeta’s hope and gentleness to survive, not Gale’s fiery passion.
Unblemished: Ky’s selfless love wins against Joshua’s selfish love.
Bonus: Make the love triangle integral to the book.
It’s always better if the love triangle actually has a reason for being in the book. It’s not necessary, perhaps, but it is always, always, better if you can link the love triangle to the story and/or the characters. This makes the reader engage with your love triangle and increases your chances of making the triangle less shallow.
The Hunger Games: Katniss is forced to act like she loves Peeta to survive in the Games, and this actually leads her to start liking him. Unfortunately, she also likes Gale, and both Peeta and Gale like her. Yay.
Unblemished: Unfortunately, I can’t remember if the love triangle was ever related to the plot. But because of the fairytale-like kisses that link someone’s soul to another, that makes the romance somewhat relevant? I think?
That’s what I have for now!
Okay, that’s what I have when it comes to love triangles. Do you enjoy reading love triangles, or are they your sworn enemy? Where have you seen one done well? What exactly makes a love triangle good?
Tell me in the comments below!
All the best,
