How to Write a Character Falling Out of Love
How to write a character falling in love is a topic thatâs been explored a lot on writing blogs, so when I was recently asked how to write a character falling out of love I felt like it needed a full post. Thanks to natashawattswrites for the question!
A lot of us know what it feels like to be infatuated with someone and then look back on the event later in life and say to ourselves, âwhy did I ever like that person?â It can sometimes be easy to feel that way looking back on something, but when youâre in the moment itâs harder to explain. How to do you explain the process of falling out of love with someone? How can you let your readers know what your character is feeling? Hopefully these tips will help you.
Here are a few ways to write a character falling out of love:
They will become less interested in the other person
One big way to show that your character is falling out of love is that they start to lose interest in what the other person likes or does. Maybe they find that they like to be alone more often. Where they were once excited to hang out with other person, now they never have the urge to.
Focus on your characterâs emotions toward the other person. They might snap at their partner easily. They might get annoyed by things they say. These will all help reveal that they might not feel the same anymore.
There was an event that changed their feelings
A great way to have a character fall out of love is to write in a scene that would explain their changing feelings. Maybe they were cheated on. Maybe theyâre suspicious. Maybe they just donât feel like they connect on the same level.
They might hate the thought of being alone with the other person
One major clue that your feelings have changed for another person is if you hate the thought of having to hang out with them. This might seem like a no-brainer, but we often make excuses for these emotions like âI have a headacheâ or âIâm just grumpy todayââinstead of figuring out why itâs happening so often
They find interest in another person
Another good way to show that your character wants to move on is if they start to become interested in someone else. This might reflect what theyâre missing in their current relationship or partnership.
Sometimes when people fall out of love, they feel extremely guilty about their changing feelings. They might feel like they need to give it another shot or something is wrong with how theyâre feeling. Have your character analyze these feelings and try to come to terms with their relationship.
They might be afraid to lose comfort
Many people stay in a relationship thatâs not quite working out because theyâre afraid of being alone and losing the comfort they have in their current situation. Obviously this isnât true for all relationships, especially abusive situations, but it can be a major factor for your character. Maybe theyâre afraid to move on or they feel like theyâre making a mistake.
They might feel relief when itâs all over
A character falling out of love wonât be a completely negative experience. Sometimes ridding ourselves of relationships that arenât working is a huge relief. Consider these feelings when writing your character. They might be happy to move on and admit that theyâre no longer in love (or maybe they werenât ever in love).
