i know this is kind of the opposite of this blog's purpose, but, aro to aro, do you have any tips on writing alloromantic characters?
Hi!
So, first off, my advice is to stop wherever you feel uncomfortable or weird, whether that’s writing an in depth romantic arc, or just writing romance at all.
That said, I do have a couple of tips.
1. Treat romantic relationships like any other! Obviously the characters will have romantic feelings for each other, but try not to overthink the differences between how two people who are dating would show they care for each other as opposed to people who aren’t, especially since society really equates love and romance so readers are unlikely not to get ~romance vibes~ from any characters who are written as loving each other.
This is a curse a lot of the time, but a blessing in this context. Basically, don’t think ‘what would make this scene more romantic’, but ‘what would be nice/sweet/caring’. It will probably create romantic dynamics that feel very fresh to alloromatic readers too.
2. Don’t worry that your alloromantic characters are ‘too aro’ in their thinking. You’re allowed to write characters that would accept you, even if that feels selfish, or single characters if you don’t want to write a romance. Just because someone Can date or be amatonormative doesn’t mean that have to.
I’m not saying never to write an arophobic character or an alloro who sees things very differently to how aros would, just that alloromantics aren’t some monolith any more than aros are, so it’s fine to write the kind of character you’d like to rather than thinking ‘oh they’re alloromantic, they’d never think to comfort my aro character like that’ and then upsetting yourself by writing a character you don’t actually agree with for the sake of ‘accuracy’.
Good luck!
- Mod Kaladin