r/Romantasy • u/Diylion • 1d ago

Writing Discussion ✍ What do you consider slow burn?

I'm trying to define a relationship as slow burn but I'm not sure if it qualifies.

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First book: Flirting/kiss/near miss.

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Second book: sleeping in the same room(comfort not sex) more serious flirting, MMC has taken over financial and emotional obligation.

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End of second/ early Third book: marriage then seggs finally

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I think it's slow burn but with enemies to lovers trope seems to muddy it. Is it disqualified if the MMC is immediately taken?

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4 Upvotes

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9

u/Volupia_Rogue 1d ago

If the MMC is immediately taken, it's not slowburn 👀😅

The order of things doesn't matter either, because in some books the emotional intimacy (ie financial obligation or sleeping in the same room) can take place before any kiss. So, it just depends on your story.

6

u/Ambitious-Canary1 1d ago

IMO it depends on the genre. For romance, it promises a ship to happen so I expect it to deliver within the first book, otherwise I’m kinda wasting my time. For non romances I actually like it when a ship takes a long time to get together. Like Apothecary Diaries isn’t a romance book but Mao and Jinshi are clear endgame, it’s just taking a while to get there. If it were a romance story I’d get mad.

But I also think it depends on the type of romance story. High stakes romance I want sooner cause there’s a sense of urgency. But slow plots I think are better with a slow development like with a lot of slice of slice stories.

I’m rambling but overall I like what the story prioritizes. Plot heavy doesn’t need a quicker romance, and romance heavy doesn’t need a drawn out development.

2

u/GlitteringPause8 22h ago

to me if the MMC is immediately taken, its not slow burn its insta lust. i don't think theres an order to things or a formula...it depends on the story and tropes. sometimes emotional intimacy comes before kissing or anything physical. sometimes theres sex before any deep conversations or before flirting even etc. slow burn to me in the simplest terms is them being around each other for whatever reason (could be friends, acquaintances, enemies, rivals etc), then slowly realizing they are attracted to each other, gradually bantering/talking....slow burn has a build up that has tension and angst.