I write romance, but I’ve never written a love triangle. The tension in my stories doesn’t arise from a girl choosing between two guys. It arises because the hero and heroine have conflicting goals.
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Yet love triangles are popular in the world of romance. And in the world of vampires, apparently. Because Bella has to choose between Jacob and Edward, just like Elena will ultimately have to choose between Stefan and Damon.
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Only in Twilight, we all knew who Bella would choose. Sure, there are people who wear Team Jacob shirts, but I don’t think many of them truly thought Bella would choose Jacob in the end. It was obvious. Jacob would not win.
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Yet in Vampire Diaries, I have no clue who Elena will end up with. And I’m genuinely torn, because I love her with Stefan, yet I’m rooting for Damon at the same time.
This is rare.
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Love triangles tend to be obvious. The heroine might have feelings for two guys, and those feelings might add some tension to the story, but usually the reader knows who she’s going to pick. I don’t think any of us watched The Notebook and really thought Alli would go with Lon. Of course it had to be Noah, even though Lon was an attractive, likable man.
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I tweeted about this recently. Love triangles. I asked if it was possible to write one where the reader truly has no clue who the heroine will choose. And my friend Heather Sunseri replied: Yes, but apparently it makes readers a little angry with the writer.
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So this leads to a conundrum.
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The majority of love triangles are obvious. But even if a writer manages to write one that isn’t, she risks angering 50% of her audience. Or maybe I’m missing the point. Maybe it’s okay for love triangles to be obvious. Maybe the point of them isn’t to keep the reader guessing.
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Which leads to my question….
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Let’s Talk: What’s the point of a love triangle? Do you like them? If so, what’s your favorite one?
After an insanely intense round of final line edits, followed by a trip to St. Louis, this girl needs a blogging break. I’ll see you in October!
I think romance readers want an obvious choice, but others of us who like a Nicholas Sparks "romance" love the guessing. That's my take on it!
Susie Warren's PJ Sugar series dealt with love triangles, as does Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. We didn't know until the last PJ book who she chose. We still don't know who Stephanie will end up with.
For me, a love triangle represents wanting the best of both worlds. If the heroine doesn't pick the guy *I* think is best, I'd be ticked. Look at the outraged Bach fans when the Bach or Bachette doesn't pick the *right* guy or girl. I think it all comes down who does the heroine feel holds her heart for a secure future of love to last a lifetime.
Katie, it was awesome seeing you in St. Louis!
I love love triangles as long as there is definitely one stronger than the other.
I like love triangles – reading them or writing them. I did hear at a conference, that there has to be a good reason for the girl to end up with the guy she does, if there's more than one. They fulfill a need in each other and the reader realizes that this is the only person – the best person – for the hero or heroine to be with.
They definitely add tension! I'm not sure if I like them…it's disappointing when the guy I love doesn't get picked.
Convincing love triangles are tough to pull off, since usually the writer "tips his hand" by coercing the reader/viewer to root for one more than the other.
If done successfully, the result of the love triangle will polarize the reader/viewer.
triangles rock. and triangles with vampires rock even more.
UNobviously ones sometimes irritate me. Mostly because usually there is a HOT bad guy and an slightly weaker good guy.
I KNOW I should want the good guy to win.
And I feel horribly guilty for rooting for the bad buy.
I don't like to feel guilty when I read for fun! HA HA HA!
I wrote a kinda love triangle in my book that comes out next year. It is opposite though, cause I thought that would be fun.
It is the GUY that has two girls to choose from. I'd seen it the other way around so many times, that I thought it would be fun to twist it up.
What's funny, is he is engaged to one of them at the beginning.
Now, we see this with a woman all the time, and we are all like "Dump the dude!"
But with a guy? I got quite a few contest comments warning me to be careful because if he breaks the fiancee's heart, no one will like him!
So, evidently girls can break guys hearts, but parish the thought for the other way around.
To get over this, I had to be sure I put enough in there for the readers to empathize with fiancee but that they really don't like her and want her gone because they want hero go get together with the heroine.
Oh, that is a mouthful, sorry for long comment!
Ooooh! I love love triangles. But they usually are kind of obvious (like Bella, Eddie, and Jake). I'm with you on the Vampire Diaries one, though. It's a toss up.
I've written a love triangle before and I tried to do justice to the strengths of both male characters, but I always knew who I wanted my heroine to end up with. I love a good "pulled between two guys for two different reasons" story.
But what if someone wrote about a man torn between two women? He'd just be a pig.
I LOVED this post. And I love Vampire Diaries. There's one where I know the right choice, but I can't help rooting for Damon. Every time he does something I think "he can't come back from that," and I've forgiven him by the next episode.
I actually have a love triangle in my current novel. But it's different for a couple of reasons–there's really no choice involved for any of them, because two of them are married, and they're all believers who respect their marriage vows. And two, the two guys are CIA partners and best friends, so they love each other too. So, the odd man out HAS to bow out. But that only makes us love him more for doing the right thing.
Upon reading that again I realize that it may seem like there's some infidelity going on, but there's not. The husband is missing and presumed dead for three years when the other two fall in love.
Sorry for the long comment.
I don't mind love triangles, but I think they are a bit over done lately.
Sonia, it's hard for me to see Gone With the Wind as a love triangle. Ashley is so wrong for Scarlett and Rhett is so right, you know?
Love triangles are real life … they show that a woman can be attracted (in love with) two very different men for two very different (and valid) reasons. But ultimately, she has to choose.
And that's real life too.
We have to choose.
Say yes to one man.
And no to the other.
And then live with that choice and not the other.
LOL Paul – I got a kick out of your comment.
Usually when a love triangle shows up I'll take the side of one of the guys (or girls) and simply hate the other one. I'm big into my shipping and once I've settled on who I want to see together, woe betide any character that gets in their way!
Love triangles make my belly ache. Even if (and maybe especially if) I know who she will end up with, throwing the possibility in there that another could change the course of things makes me nervous… But in a good way I suppose. It keeps tension alive in a story, and if there is just enough conflict, I will be glued to the pages while I'm popping Tums. 🙂
"The Forest of Hands and Teeth" is a great series that excels at love triangles … tough ones, where you have NO idea who will end up with whom. But the way they make you feel better about the heroine's choice, is to have a likable back-up female for the "unchosen" male to find love with, after he's been gently discarded. 🙂
One of my favorite love triangles is Emma Woodhouse, Frank Churchill and Mr. Knightley in EMMA … the best part of this triangle, is that some of the people who are in it, aren't aware that they're in it until the end! Good post, Katie!
Gone With the Wind, Closer and Wuthering Heights, to mention just a few. Triangles though hard, make for interesting convoluted plots. Great post Katie.
Love these comments! so interesting to read what people think about love triangles. Jess-I loved felicity! In fact I have all four seasons on DVD. Great example! Btw I am posting anon because I am at acfw writing conference and away from my computer.
-Katie
I think it is entirely in the hands of how the writer presents it. You and I both know that Vampire Diaries has an exceptional writing team because we root for both men. Elena could have a life with either of them and I'm ok with whoever she chooses because it'll be the right choice for her. Another great example of where I think it works is the old TV show Felicity. She has to choose between Ben and Noel. I so wanted to get an I choose Noel t-shirt, but she ends up with Ben. Sorry if I just ruined that show for anyone! Felicity could have been happy with either guy, but it was about who was going to make her be a better person for herself in the longrun.
Awesome post! Definitely worth diving into in more detail.
Susan May Warren had a love triangle going in her PJ Sugar series. I've only read the first two so far, so maybe it's been wrapped up. But there were two guys and I saw positives in both of them. At the same time, there's one that I felt she should go with.
I don't find a love triangle annoying if you really don't know who she's going to end up with. It's the obvious ones I can't stand. It's become cliche.
Confession: I don't like them. I'll read them and even enjoy them, but they're not my preference.
Yeah, I don't think the purpose is to honestly keep me guessing. I enjoy knowing who she is going to pick, even while feeling a low level tension that she's having fun with the wrong guy! The key for me is that I like to just have a little bit of tension in my gut while I'm reading, not a real fear!
Katie, I love triangles!! But when I had my current book edited, the editor was about 3/4 of the way and she said, "I have no idea who I want the heroine to end up with. And that's a bad thing. I need to start to lean one way or the other by now."
I think it was good that I had made all of the characters strong, but I had to go back and add more hints about the true love interest.
Thanks for the mention!!
I loathe love triangles. The obviousness of them insults me! I need to be kept guessing. Surprise me. Write something I could never have seen coming. Then I am all yours baby! 🙂
I don't mind love triangles but I do think they're hard to pull off. I think they can be either way – obv. who the girl will end up with or not obv. I don't mind rooting for both guys as long as the author doesn't build it up so she's with one guy and then change on me.