This week: The Spring Fling Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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Romance/Love Newsletter by Dawn
As the seasons change we get into different time frames or situations that can relate to romance. In the Northern Hemisphere, as the snow melts and we head towards spring there are thoughts of fun vacations based off school breaks. After a long winger, a little spring fling can sometimes be in order. |
This newsletter might be a few weeks early considering the amount of snow we still have on the ground in Minnesota, but after the typical Valentine's Day romance stuff, my mind goes to spring. For the places that experience cold in winter, after the cozy snuggles of those coupled there may be a spring renewal. For those single, after enduring another winter alone and pink/red holiday reminder of the solitude, more effort to find someone could happen in spring. There is also a sort of established break times created by certain school systems known as spring break. This leads us to the topic of the spring fling.
Many romance stories are about finding "the one." That is the one person that will be the long lasting love of the character's life, whether the happy ever after lasts for a long time or not. The romance novel is often focused on this with the happy ever after or even the happy for now ending often desired by readers. But that doesn't mean every story has to be that particular one. In fact, we can compare or consider something shorter, like the spring fling, with the shorter word count aspects of short stories and flash fiction.
Flash fiction is probably a good comparison or vehicle for the spring fling kind of story because both are very short. A short story can still be thousands of words, which is small compared to a novel, but long if compared to micro fiction. Spring could mean a whole season and not just a week or two. This means both can work for a character who has a short term romance.
This can be a challenge for those of us that tend towards novels and struggle to keep a romance story under ten thousand words. And some can't imagine seeking or wanting to just have a little fling knowing that it will end. Which is another point to consider, whether the fling element is known or not. As a writer, you might know if you are trying to write flash fiction or a short story but the character might not be planning on a short stint romance. Or maybe they can't make up their mind. Like on the TV show Friends, Rachel says she wants a little fling and even says something along the lines of: "it has been a long time since I have been flung." Without context that sounds weird. She asks Chandler for a setup date wise admitting she probably didn't need anything serious and he was surprised that some girls might want a fling. However, after the date she says that she could see it going somewhere but Chandler had told the guy she only wanted a fling. Drama! lol
Whether a character knows or not, no matter the word could length, you can write a story that is a spring fling romance. It could be during any season too as it is a concept but adaptable to situations. You could even write a whole novel based on just a fling if you are like me and everything becomes a novel. Either way, give it a try. Write a spring fling romance and see what unfolds.  |
| | | In the Park (ASR) A story of finding love when and where you least expect it. |
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Have you ever written a romance story about a spring fling?
Comments from December 10 Newsletter about Character Descriptions:
Comment by StephBee  :
Thank you for selecting my story, "Meeting Rachel" in your Editor's Picks. First impressions mean a lot so I try hard that the first description of the characters are realistic. The newsletter had a good theme - appearance means a lot when you're writing a romance.
Comment by Maddie Pot o' Gold Stone  :
I liked the stream of thought newsletter, and its form(at) was appealing. LOL.
I'm a sucker for a good romance, though preferences have adjusted as I have aged. Your newsletter led me along this train of thought.
Younger audiences may appreciate more character details. I started reading romance books in middle school/high school and the authors did tend to describe the perfect guy - big muscles, tall, piercing 'enter eye color here' eyes, and of course, a great smile. I think it helped in a way because I was new to reading that genre and at that age. Of course, I was not attracted to blonde-haired guys (my brother is blonde), so in my mind I just immediately reimagined the hair color if needs be.
As I've aged, I appreciate just a few key details or even no physical details, to be honest. My imagination was rich as a younger person, but less developed. After a while, I did notice the 'cookie cutter' guys and that led me to looking for new authors.
Thank you for the interesting topic of your newsletter!
Comment for Newsletter from January 7 about pet sidekicks:
Comment by TeeGateM  :
Good article for romance authors. I can run through this: "Then there is the conflict option. Perhaps the character is in a relationship but with the wrong person and the pet can help point that out. A cat can avoid the bad dating partner but then someone else comes along and they show a very different side, making it clear that they like the other person. Or perhaps something happens to the animal that it needs to be saved and the love interest does something big to help them survive." and honestly say I have read something with an example of each idea you named. And with as much as I read it is amazing that I remember each one. Thanks for your hard work to get this newsletter to all of us romantics. Kind wishes, Tee
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Romance/Love: March 04, 2026 Issue [#13622]
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