An obstacle to romance can appear in many forms and makes this a versatile plot scenario. If you’d like, you can check out other plot scenarios here.
- A lover must overcome an obstacle with their beloved.
When discussing the roles of this plot, it’s pretty simple. You have at least two lovers and you have something in the way of their happily ever after. That obstacle could be almost anything–violently feuding families, financial hardship, one of them already being engaged, the list is virtually endless. There’s really not a lot to change around in the roles here. You can have a villain as the obstacle, or a situation which creates a problem for them when they try to get together. The roles here don’t flex too much.
What does flex however, is how well this plot scenario slides and flexes because of the endless possibilities of that obstacle. This is your core romance plot. Have a love triangle? One of your participants is probably that obstacle. Have feuding families and a forbidden teen love? There’s your obstacle and your lovers.
As a minor plot, your obstacle may be smaller and easier to overcome. As a major plot, your obstacle might require entire schemes or even armies to resolve.
The Written Vixen 