POLL ROLEPLAY Romance in Roleplay

[Dusk]

It's the season of romance, and that means it's time for me to posit a question I've been wondering about for a while now. And that question is "How important is the inclusion of romance in a roleplay to you?"

Additional Questions:
i. How much focus do you give romance in your roleplays?
ii. What kinds of tropes do you like to include in your romances?
iii. Do you prefer plotting out romances beforehand?

 

[Catspear]

Generally, all my roleplays have some level of romance in them. I learned how to roleplay through romance rps, so it's something i'm just very comfortable with (tho not detailed smut). It could also be because I lack any romance in my real life that I crave it so badly.

Saying that, though, I wouldn't say it's absolutely required in my rps. If my partner isn't feeling it or just simply doesn't want to, I can live without it. Probably.

As for tropes, I'm pretty much down for any XD I've explore many, many tropes, though I do have my favourites. Cinderella types (Rich and arrogant guy/poor headstrong girl) are definitely my favourite, but it can get tired if you do it too often, especially playing the same role every time. So I like to experiment with it, and with different settings and stories.

I also like having an idea on what will happen before it happens, but that doesn't mean the surprise has to be taken out! Mostly I just like to know if romance is an option or not, and if it is, then let it develop as it develops. I find characters can take up a mind of their own a lot of the time, and so its always fun to see the characters grow either close or further apart. But yeah, some discussion but not enough to ruin all the surprises we might have for each other.

 

[Diana]

-KICKS DOWN THE DOOR- MY TOPIC

I went with All of my characters are made with romance in mind, and I always explore romantic storylines. Because I am 99.9% of WISHING FOR a romantic storyline. ..Sometimes, on very rare occasions, a character might turn out unromancable, but that's like a... really strange happenstance. O:< The romantic sub plot is my sweet tasty candy.

NOW FOR QUESTIONS TO ANSWER

i. How much focus do you give romance in your roleplays?
It is THE subplot. Sometimes it IS the plot, but generally it's the subplot that goes along it's merry way while another bigger story is being told. So even if I am starting off with like a Pairing Scenario (Betrothed Couple for example), there's always more to the story than just these two people building a relationship.

ii. What kinds of tropes do you like to include in your romances?
ALL OF THEM. I LOVE ROMANCES. Enemies to Lovers, or slapslapkiss is a huge favorite though. >:D I like to diversify and try up different tropes to keep things fun.

iii. Do you prefer plotting out romances beforehand?
A little yes and a little no! Usually I am working out a pairing from the start, cause I don't always know if a partner will play multiple characters or not. I tend to design characters for the player/other character, I'm pretty good at making sure there's chemistry. But I love love love love "let's see who it works with" situation when a partner plays a dozen charries >:D and the potential for triangles or more where everyone wins. There's a lot of fun in playing around and seeing who works best with who.

 

[Lyrikai]

I am ALWAYS for the romance! I love love looooove when my characters find love and they get to be all sappy and adorable with someone special.
I widely prefer having romance in my RPs, but, that said, I wouldn't list it as a 100% requirement to RP with me. I am definitely open to a story where it's just two friends hanging out and being goofy and chaotic! (I just like to know this beforehand so I'm not trying to be gushy and make a romance happen where my partner never wanted it to be}

For the questions, mmmmm
I. I mean, like I said, I'm all about the romance! While I did say I'm open to non-romantic plots, where there IS romance, I love it when it takes a front seat and it's a story about two characters coming together.
I do love worldbuilding, I love driving a plot, and I loooove throwing random twists into the mix and trying to throw my partners for a loop, but I adore every time that the characters get to sit and be cute together and kiss and hold hands (or bone. Lol)

II. Honestly, any trope? All the tropes? Friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, royalty and a nobody, opposites attract, especially forbidden romances. Listen. Listem. You name it and I will probably nod my head and say "Yes! I want that!"

III. It depends. I can plot it out beforehand or we can wing it, it's all good, I'm flexible, but my preference is to not plot it out too far. Like as far as "This is my character, that is yours, eventually they're going to fall in love". That's about as far as my personal preference goes and I love just tossing them together and seeing where and when and how they end up!
Like if it's gonna be a whirlwind romance out of the gate or a burn so slow they're trying to start a fire with two wet sticks... I love either and both and all of the above.

 

[Havoccultist]

i. How much focus do you give romance in your roleplays?
ii. What kinds of tropes do you like to include in your romances?
iii. Do you prefer plotting out romances beforehand?

1. Depends on the roleplay.
2. Sometimes enemies to lovers. I don't pay attention to the tropes really, I just write according to the idea(s) I have bouncing around in my head.
3. Ideally I'd prefer to plot out the entire roleplay, but I rarely get the chance to do so as many people prefer the unexpected element to their stories, so I don't usually end up plotting out many romances beyond certain scenes as they occur in actual practice.

 

[Nemopedia]

Had you asked me a few years ago I'd say I belong to the bottom two options. Having done some fanfiction (and finding that it is mostly romance geared) I find myself renewed. Romance is an option, but still more of an afterthought with me than anything. I still don't enjoy plotting romances, however, as I prefer to test out the IC-chemistry instead. Discussing things and watching them actually unfold are two such different things for me.

Tropes I love, though!!! Give me the tender slow burn, the pining, the thinking it is unrequited and then a bursting confession. Aaah. Give me that mutual respect, the sudden crack of vulnerability that usually isn't there, the reliance even the biggest tree needs. The slowly but surely edging into each other's lives until the presence of the other is a given, like breathing air. Gimme that and I am one happy camper.

 

[ImaginationGoneWild]

It's not that important if people don't want to have romance in a story, but it is a nice subplot to have. : 3

i. It depends on the roleplay. It depends on how much focus my writing partner wants to put on it but it also depends on the type of story you want to tell. For example if we're telling a horror story about stopping a monster then I don't see diving into the romance subplot would help. The mood of the story is fear not 'let's go on a date'.

ii. Whatever the mood strikes. ^^ My favorites are romances between classes/hierarchy, arranged marriage, interracial or interspecies like supernaturals or aliens, etc.

iii. I prefer plotting everything, including the romance subplot ahead of time. I find myself have writer's block too often because I don't know where the story is heading. With planning I can at least get an idea of what direction to take this story if we get stuck. It doesn't mean everything needs to be plotted into great detail, just enough to have it as a guideline. We can still throw surprises at each other as we go.

 

[Nougat]

I usually put very little focus on romance -- if someone approaches me about it then I'll usually be down (I do occasionally make explicitly aroace ocs though). I used to do more romance-focused rps but I can live without it. But if someone wants to do romance then like 99% of the time I'd probably be down.

If I do though there's some tropes I like! love a good friends to enemies to lovers plot. Angst and pining I feel like in the few romance plots I've done the characters always start off on the wrong foot somehow lmao.

I don't usually plot out romances too much. mostly just like, "this is how our characters see each other at the beginning of the rp, and eventually we will get to point B" lol

 

[Megasis]

Hehehehe yes please, let us talk about this >:3 I love romance in my RP's. I very rarely do a platonic main pairing - and now that I am thinking about it, I dont think I ever have on iwaku. I am a sucker for the story that brings two together that were meant for each other, it makes me happy!!

i. Romance for characters develops along with the story for me. It is not necessarily the focus/topic of the story, but it is there as an underlying theme. I would tag my story as romance but 'Romance' is not the title of the story!

ii. My absolute favorites are enemies to lovers as well as the 'destined' or 'fated' couple c:< I am sure there are others I am forgetting.

iii. NO. Nope. Nadda. I want to see the characters come together on their own through their adventures and hardships. I think that is the best part about RPing and writing with another person. You are learning about your partner's character through the story as well and seeing how they vibe with your own. It takes the fun out of it for me if every single thing is plotted out beforehand. Especially the romance!!

 

[FenFren]

i. How much focus do you give romance in your roleplays?

a. If there is romance in a RP, I try to give it at least 40%-60% of my focus! Since, as a genre, it's the main thing in the RP. The other percentage is platonic activities or just character bonding. Maybe action plot perhaps.

ii. What kinds of tropes do you like to include in your romances?

a. I love all kind of tropes. Actually? I love all tropes. All of them. I don't have a favorite and I don't have a preference! I know some people might find that annoying when planning and such and they ask what kind of tropes I like. I really don't have a preference because all are perfect in my eyes. (Some should stay in fiction, I would like to preface that, but I do love them in fiction, nonetheless.)

iii. Do you prefer plotting out romances beforehand?

a. Some of it, yes! Probably planning out meeting and such, but interactions and how it pans out? I like to let it roll down that hill of unpredictability.

 

[Fluffy]

Oooh yes. There must be romance or I will get bored, unfortunately. XD I'm not interested in sibling roleplays or platonic relationships. I'm here to write cute romance and smutty goodness.

i. How much focus do you give romance in your roleplays?
I give it probably too much focus. xD The romance is really important to me.

ii. What kinds of tropes do you like to include in your romances?
All of them. Meetcutes, forbidden romance, enemies to lovers, monster and human, all the good stuff.

iii. Do you prefer plotting out romances beforehand?
Nah, I like to let them happen organically.

 

[Queen Tink]

Oooh yes. There must be romance or I will get bored, unfortunately. XD I'm not interested in sibling roleplays or platonic relationships. I'm here to write cute romance and smutty goodness.

i. How much focus do you give romance in your roleplays?
I give it probably too much focus. xD The romance is really important to me.

ii. What kinds of tropes do you like to include in your romances?
All of them. Meetcutes, forbidden romance, enemies to lovers, monster and human, all the good stuff.

iii. Do you prefer plotting out romances beforehand?
Nah, I like to let them happen organically.

Same! This is one of the many reasons we're such good partners and even better friends!

 

[Crow]

i. How much focus do you give romance in your roleplays?
ii. What kinds of tropes do you like to include in your romances?
iii. Do you prefer plotting out romances beforehand?

i. Eh, depends, but usually not a lot or not directly

ii. The gradual buildup. Slap a dance in the middle maybe?

iii. Nah, I wing all my things let it happen inbetween.

 

[Starish]

I have to have it! All of my characters are made with romance in mind because I get bored if there isn't any. Romance is the one genre that is an absolute must for me in a roleplay, but I prefer a slow-burn so it's usually not in your face right out the gate.

i. How much focus do you give romance in your roleplays?
I don't make it the entire focus of the plot, there's usually more important stuff going on, but it's always there in the background and I love writing scenes for the main characters to just bond and explore that connection together. It's a big theme but not the only one!

ii. What kinds of tropes do you like to include in your romances?
I like almost any of them. I'm a sucker for forbidden/taboo romance, enemies-to-lovers, human x nonhuman, partners in crime, childhood friends, arranged marriage, master/servant, toxic relationships, angst, and a healthy dose of fluff, too. It'd be easier to pinpoint the ones I don't really like - that is, purely slice of life tropes such as teacher/student or workplace romances. I also prefer not to have characters already start out as lovers, except for in rare circumstances. It's more fun to get to watch it develop imo.

iii. Do you prefer plotting out romances beforehand?
Somewhat. I like to have a general idea of like "this is how the characters see each other at the start, but through their actions they'll slowly grow closer and develop feelings for each other (maybe with hiccups along the way)". Often I have ideas for certain scenarios in my head and how they could affect the romance overall, but since my partner's actions are up to them it really depends on where they end up taking things. But I do like to go over things and make sure we're on the same page, as well as share headcanons I have for future interactions sometimes, but I don't plot down to every last detail.

 

[Blind Hemingway]

@Diana says that I am unromanciable. Which is true, since I am ace. So for the most part, I don't focus on typical romances in my writing. I like doing varations of the Platonic ideal. But that's just how I roll.

 

[ayushiest]

Dating is mostly arguing about what to watch on tv and where to go for lunch.