This is a guide for writers and readers for understanding the difference between romance tropes, character archetypes, storytelling conventions, and subgenres. Many authors have their own classifications, but these are the ones that work the best for me. The six primary categories below are not mutually exclusive. Many entries legitimately fit into two or more classifications, but they all need a primary home. This is a work in progress and is updated often.
| Code | Classification | What it describes |
|---|---|---|
| RT | Romance Trope | A recurring romantic relationship pattern |
| PS | Plot & Situation Trope | A recognizable event or situation that drives the romance |
| CA | Character Archetype | A recurring character type or personality pattern |
| SC | Supporting Convention | An emotional, family, or narrative pattern supporting the romance |
| SW | Story World / Subgenre | The environment, genre, or community surrounding the romance |
| CT | Craft Term | A writing technique, pacing choice, or structural concept |
1. Romance Tropes (RT)
These are central relationship patterns that readers recognize:
Enemies to Lovers · Enemies with Benefits · Friends to Lovers · Friends with Benefits · Second Chance · Forbidden Love · Fated Mates · Grumpy/Sunshine · Lovers to Enemies to Lovers · Neighbors to Lovers · Opposites Attract · Rivals to Lovers · Roommates to Lovers · Soulmates · Star-Crossed Lovers · Strangers to Lovers · Unrequited Love · Workplace Romance · Childhood Sweethearts · Long-Distance Romance · Pen Pals
2. Plot & Situation Tropes (PS)
These are circumstances that force characters into romantic conflict or intimacy:
Accidental Marriage · Amnesia · Arranged Marriage · Bodyguard · Brother’s Best Friend · Captive Romance · Co-Parenting · Fake Dating · Fake Engagement · Forced Proximity · Hidden Identity · Mail-Order Bride · Marriage of Convenience · Marriage Pact · Mistaken Identity · Nanny and Single Parent · One Night Stand · Only One Bed · Road Trip · Runaway Bride · Secret Admirer · Secret Baby · Secret Relationship · Snowed In · Surprise Pregnancy · Undercover · Wedding Date
3. Character Archetypes (CA)
These terms describe popular character types and the roles they fulfill:
Alpha Hero · Beauty and the Beast · Billionaire · Cinnamon Roll Hero · Cowboy · Dragon Shifter · Fish Out of Water · Monster · Morally Gray Character · Possessive Hero · Protector · Single Dad · Single Mom · Touch Her and Die · Villain Romance · Wallflower · Widow or Widower · Chosen One
4. Supporting Conventions (SC)
These are recognizable emotional beats, character journeys, and supporting relationship patterns:
Found Family · Grovel · Hurt/Comfort · Jealousy · Love Triangle · Makeover · Matchmaker · Pining · Redemption Arc · Rescue · Returning Home
5. Story Worlds & Subgenres (SW)
These are genres, community, occupations, or settings in which the romance takes place.
Celebrity Romance · Court Intrigue · Dark Academia · Doctor Romance · Fae Romance · Hockey Romance · Holiday Romance · Mafia Romance · MC Biker Romance · Military Romance · Monster Romance · Paranormal Romance · *Reverse Harem · Rock Star Romance · Romantasy · Royal Romance · Sci-Fi Romance · Shifter Romance · Small Town · Sports Romance · Teammates · Time Travel Romance · Vampire Romance · Werewolf Romance · *Why Choose
6. Craft Terms (CT)
These are a few terms that describe pacing, scene types, and romantic development patterns:
Instalove · Meet Cute · Slow Burn · Mutual Pining · Yearning · Almost Kiss · Grand Gesture · Grovel · Black Moment · HEA/HFN
*NOTE ON Why Choose Romance vs. Reverse Harem Romance
The terms Reverse Harem and Why Choose are often used interchangeably in romance publishing, but there’s a subtle distinction.
| Reverse Harem | Why Choose | |
| Definition | One woman has romantic relationships with multiple men. | A protagonist has romantic relationships with multiple partners without having to choose just one. |
| Gender | Traditionally one woman with three or more men. | Can involve partners of any gender. |
| Relationship structure | Usually centers on the heroine and her individual relationships with the men. | May include relationships among the partners themselves. |
| Ending | The heroine typically remains with all her partners. | The protagonist typically remains with multiple partners. |
| Terminology | Older, more specific publishing label. | Newer, more inclusive umbrella term. |
Why the terminology has changed: Reverse Harem developed as a counterpart to harem, describing stories in which one woman is surrounded by multiple male romantic interests. However, Why Choose has become increasingly popular because it emphasizes the central romantic promise: the protagonist doesn’t have to choose between the people they love. It also accommodates a wider range of relationship configurations.