How to Write Teenage Romances
The world of teenage romance is one fraught with stereotypes, embarrassment, and awkwardness. Here's a quick guide on some tips to writing believable teenage couples without sexualizing children, or setting unrealistic goals for our youth.
1. Be careful while writing about sex. Don't make sex scenes too graphic, and only include them when a couple has been dating for a long time or if the character has been raised to be promiscuous and consequently fine with random hookups. Make sure to clarify what's a bad sexual relationship (casual, unprotected, uncaring) and what's a good sexual relationship (mutual love, trust, understanding). Also include all of the feelings that teenagers have about sex - misunderstanding, awe, nervousness, uncertainty. Don't throw around sex as a plot tool.
2. Understand the stereotypes surrounding teenagers. Teenagers are going through a rough patch in their lives, what with puberty, budding romances, and their inability to quite fit in with the adult world. There are lots of stereotypes surrounding teenage relationships, and the more you understand them, the more you can decide which ones are true and which ones are exaggerations.
3. Know that you should be writing awkward scenes. Even if they've had a couple partners before, teenagers are going to be uncertain about their relationships. Be sure to write this, and give your younger readers confidence that it's okay not to understand some things.
4. Conflict resolution is usually not a strong suit with teenagers. If a teenage couple gets into an argument, they're probably not going to be able to take a step back and use impeccable conflict resolution skills to solve the issue. The situation will likely get hotheaded and out of hand. Sure, if the couple's been together for a few years the issues will be easier to resolve, but they may have to turn to outside sources or give themselves time to cool off before an agreement can be reached.
5. Their friends will not always be mature and understanding. Sure, some teenagers are grown-up about relationships and act just like adults on sitcoms - there with coffee and sympathy when something goes wrong and quietly supportive when things go right. The majority of teenagers tease their friends mercilessly about their relationships. This can either make or break teenage romances - use this information wisely.
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It honestly ticks me off when adults try to write teenagers and basically just write adults that are a little more relatable for their young readers. I'm hoping that all of you will be able to effectively write teenagers into your stories - and effectively write your stories, for that matter!
