Too often, I see people regard the Romance and the Sci-Fi/Fantasy (SFF) genres as oil and water. They just don’t mix.
SFF focuses on world building, exploration of galaxies or kingdoms, rag tag groups in search of adventure. Romance is often set in the contemporary and historical world, focusing on interpersonal relationships and individual characters.
SFF usually has high physical stakes: can they save the world? Romance focuses on high emotional stakes: will they be happy?
But honestly, Romance and SFF complement each other. As this article from Tor points out, romance is incredibly valuable in sci-fi and fantasy stories. It grounds the characters and gives them very human problems, problems that readers can connect with. It explores their emotional arcs and develops their character. It carries personal risk and conflict. Continue reading “Romance in Sci-Fi/Fantasy”