Last week, I shared with you 15 Ways to Write a Romance that Will Make Readers Swoon. Today, I’m excited to bring you the sequel to that post! If you’ve been struggling to write an authentic romance and build a deep, meaningful relationship between your characters, this is the post for you, friend. Here are 15 more techniques to help you create that swoon-worthy romance–enjoy!

(More) Ways to Write a Romance That Makes Readers Swoon

1. Compliments–Let your love interests compliment each other, but don’t limit it to just looks–think about intelligence, accomplishments, skills, etc. as well. What do your love interests admire about each other? Let them say it!

2. Making Sacrifices for Each Other–Loving someone means putting their needs ahead of your own, and doing whatever it takes to keep them safe. Sometimes, this might involve sacrifice. But this doesn’t always have to mean sacrificing one’s life; a love interest might sacrifice something else that’s important to him/her such as a job/promotion, a prized possession, a dream, an opportunity, etc. When they give up something they want or love, it shows just how much they care for their love interest.

3. Accepting Each Others Flaws/Past–Love means accepting the bad along with the good, because let’s face it no one’s perfect. Let your love interests develop a relationship where they feel comfortable sharing anything with each other, now matter how dark or shameful, because they know they will be accepted and forgiven.

4. Encouraging/Supporting Each Other–Let your love interests support each other through tough times, encourage each other to reach their goals, and believe in each other even when they don’t believe in themselves.

5. Verbal Confessions and Affirmations of Love–This might be harder for some characters than others. Though its true actions speak louder than words, its still always nice to hear an “I love you.” Give your love interests an opportunity to verbally express how they feel about each other.

6. Humble Enough to Apologize–If a character has made a mistake, is in the wrong, or has started a fight, have them be humble enough to apologize to the love interest. I see this skipped over too often in films and novels, and it always gets under my skin. “I’m sorry” might seem like frivolous, unnecessary dialogue, but it’s not. It reveals a lot about the love interest’s character. It shows 1) that they are mature enough to take responsibility for their mistakes, and 2) that they are working to “fix things.”

7. Forgiving Each Others Mistakes–When one love interest apologizes for doing wrong, the other should (hopefully) forgive them, though it could depend on the situation. If the love interest has done something completely unforgivable, the relationship might have to end. But for a relationship to work, forgiveness is required. Don’t let your character carry a grudge or hold the mistake over the love interest’s head forever.

8. Sharing Their World with the Other–Have your love interests slowly start to share their worlds with each other. They might begin to introduce each other to friends and family, or share special places, stories, traditions, interests, pets, or possessions. Gradually, they will want to make their new love a part of their world.

9. Sharing a Life & Death/Traumatic/Emotional Experience–When you go through a tragic or traumatic experience with another person, it tightens the bond between you. You both experienced the same intense emotions and helped each other to survive, whether it was physically, mentally, or emotionally. No one else will be able to understand what you went through like that person who shared your experience. Consider putting your love interests through a life & death or traumatic experience to help create a stronger bond between them.

10. Sharing Hopes and Dreams–When you share your dreams, deepest desires, and passions with another person, it’s like sharing a piece of your heart. What do your characters want for their future? What are their dreams? Let them share it with their love interest.

11. Patience–You might not realize it, but patience can be extremely sexy in a love interest. Whether it’s patiently waiting for the other to fall in love, figure out their feelings, begin to open up, or become comfortable enough to move further physically, patience shows determination, dedication, selflessness, and respect. It shows that the character cares enough about their love interest not to pressure them, no matter what they might want themselves at the moment. They put their love interest’s feelings and best interests ahead of their own desires.

12. Devotion and Loyalty to Each Other–Are your love interests completely devoted to each other? Would they do anything for each other? Go to the ends of the earth, to hell and back? Devotion means constancy, unwavering loyalty, and commitment. Create opportunities for your love interests to show their devotion.

13. Showing Concern for/Worrying Over the Other–I always find it sweet in books and movies when a character shows concern or gets worried over their love interest. It shows that they care and the love interest is always in their thoughts.

14. When the Guy Pursues the Girl–I’m not saying a girl can’t pursue a guy, but there’s something about a guy who pursues a girl that’s pretty damn romantic. It shows he’s interested and cares enough that he’s willing to make an effort to win the girl’s heart. It also shows that he’s willing to make himself vulnerable and risk being turned down for a chance that she might like him too. Maybe it’s that combination of boldness and vulnerability that gets me every time.

15. Physical Displays of Affection–Last but not least, let your love interests use displays of physical affection to express their feelings. This could be small, flirty touches, tender embraces, a peck on the cheek, passionate kisses, hand holding, cuddling, etc. Physical touch helps to deepen the bond between love interests.

BONUS: Making the Other Laugh–Whether it’s to try to cheer them up or just because they like to see them smile, your love interests should know how to make each other laugh.

Have anything you’d add to the list? Tell me in the comments below!

Miss out on Part I? Click here to catch up!