hiya!! so, for my story, i wanted my couple to be really shippable!! and a couple that people would want to be together. but at the same time, i know that i can’t just have them act totally different when they first meet, because that wouldn’t be realistic in real life. i also don’t want them to fall head over heels for each other right away, and kinda make it super obvious that they like each other and are gonna end up together in the end, RIGHT in the beginning of my story.
so, any tips? or anything keys things that make you ship a couple? :))
OOO okay cool beans!! so cool you’re writing a story btw
anyways some things important to me are just
consent like make sure they are respectful of each other and their boundaries!!
not cliche idk i also don’t LOVE when the couple is just super cliche or boring-like they’re just perfect in every way? idk it’s hard to explain whoops
idk what to title this but i hate when PERSON #1 is like a total perverted creep who is abusive towards PERSON #2 but it’s “fine” because they are good looking. So yes just make sure that PERSON #1 and #2 either act appropriately or are called out on their behavior and make a change?
also for meeting… hm, that’s hard. Where are they meeting? What are they like?
OMG YESSSSS- couple have there flaws, and sometimes fights, there normal people, we don’t live in a fantasy world. i feel like some authors do forget to make their couples have fights, or not even not but like you said their just, ‘the perfect couple’. just because a couple has a dissagreement or two, doesn’t mean that they hate each other and are gonna break up. if the relationship is really worth fighting for, and they supposedly ‘love’ each other, then they won’t give up that eaisly over a silly little argument.
YESSSSSS. that’s not okay at all, and i guarantee that no one would actually date someone like that in real life.
at a ice cream shop in new york- and he’s from italy
she’s pretty bold- not afraid to say what’s on her mind, and pretty silly
the guy is closed off and doesn’t express himself very easily, and he also doesn’t like talking to people
EXACTLY- like I hate when I just see no communication, arguments, flaws, or anything, just two uninteresting people and also CLICHE FIGHTS- like “OMG YOU CHEATED?! No, she’s just my cousin. OH OKAY SORRY” kinda thing- obviously it isn’t always bad but it can also be unoriginal and cliche often! And yeahhhh true! EVERY COUPLE has disagreements for sure but they can get through it, which makes them a stronger and more shippable couple in my opinion!
EXACTLY-
unless that person is like desperate / a simp
which could be an interesting story but it’s not okay to glorify or excuse that behavior-
WOAHHH THAT IS SO COOL!
OOH okay I see ya I see ya-
alright so two ideas
they order the same flavor. The flavor of ice cream is uncommon and she’s never met ANYONE who likes it. So she’s like, “Whaa did you just order BLANK?!” and he’s like “er… yeah”
Or maybe
she recognizes his accent and she’s like “ooh, you’re Italian?” OR “is that an Italian accent?”
Slow burns (but not to much- )
3.Something romantic that translates to “I love you” or “You’re the one my hearts desires” without actually saying it. Example:
PA *sitting down with PB around a flower garden plucks a pretty red flower * : This flower in my country represents love.
PB: Really?
PA: Yh.
PA: *stand up and puts the flower in the person hair/drops it on their lap as they walk away * Looks, like it’s going to be raining, we should get going.
PB: *Looks at the flower with Amazement * ‘PA… I-’ *smiles looking at the flower
PA: What are you smiling about?
PB: Nothing, *giggles looking at the flower * *Insert their hand in PA hand *
PA: *blushes * Y-you cant walk b-by y-yourself or what?
PB: Maybe.
If you’re writing a girl x boy romance don’t make the girl weaker to make the boy more powerful.
Opposites (after all opposites attract)
Don’t make PA hit PB for absolutely no reason. It’s toxic
Chemistry!
Make them lock eyes
PB Makes PA smile and PA makes PB feel good in theirself.
Make it real, don’t make it too cute in the beginning or too over-the-top.
Show their struggles, and how they find the way to overcome them together
Don’t only focus on those big moments - like, the first kiss, or first date… but also on the little ones (for example silently watching the sky together or feeding birds)
Let the characters have their own stories outside of the relationship
Call out characters when they do something terrible, don’t make their love interest immediately forget about it and forgive them
Don’t make their relationship too toxic - I think it can be a bit in the beginning (enemies to lovers trope) but it requires good writing skills and a good, believable redemption arc. Just don’t make characters being constantly abusive towards one another
Try to make them likable - you don’t have to do that from the start, but readers have to care about your characters
CONFLICT IS IMPORTANT! - but it can’t be forced, it has to come from the characters and their emotions, their past, their personalities
The relationship is like a dance - it changes through the story, sometimes it’s faster, slower, gentler, jumpier - the characters need to switch in leading and following (one of them can’t always be the leader), and with each mood swift we should learn more about the characters, as well as the characters about themselves. And their relationship should grow as well! - they either get closer or farther from each other. In the end, they should be in perfect harmony. - it’s the basic template, you don’t have to follow it thoroughly, really
Me: writing that and doing some research about it
Also me: not knowing how to apply any of those rules in my fanfic
Ahh, yes I agree. It’s more interesting to make a couple unique. And even when you follow cliches, always try to add some sort of twist, or make them really compelling!
and also CLICHE FIGHTS- like “OMG YOU CHEATED?! No, she’s just my cousin. OH OKAY SORRY” kinda thing- obviously it isn’t always bad but it can also be unoriginal and cliche often! And yeahhhh true! EVERY COUPLE has disagreements for sure 
but they can get through it, which makes them a stronger and more shippable couple in my opinion!
)
I was gushing and shipping PA x PB as I made it.