S30E1 - Enemies to Lovers

Enemies to Lovers has been around for centuries, but it has recently become an incredibly popular trope. Authors and other writers have used this trope to help build a relationship arc that pulls readers in and keeps them invested in the characters.

All through this month, we'll be talking about tropes which are commonly used to fill entire plots. It doesn't have to be the plot, but needs to span the story. Some of the tropes we'll cover later include heists, fake dating, and coming of age stories. All designed to help build the base structure of your story.

In romance, enemies to lovers can be the main plot point. In other genres, it simply encompasses the relationship development. It should always, however, be an arc over the entire story. No enemies should become lovers (in other words, in an actual committed relationship) within a chapter or two of the book. There are actually more than two steps, after all, to this popular trope. Even if you're doing the variants, such as rivals to lovers or friends to lovers.

Ley and Leigh discuss enemies to lovers in this episode, from examples to common sub-tropes, to how to use it in your own stories. Listen now below, or by subscribing on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or Apple Podcasts. Don't forget to review us wherever you listen.

First aired March 3, 2022.

Writing Retreat

Big news! We're planning to hold another writing retreat this year in Northern California. If you're interested, follow us on Instagram or Facebook. We'll be posting more details there as we solidify venues. As of now, tentative dates are July 13th - 17th.