Diving Into Writing Dark Fantasy Romance | My Journey as a Self-Published Author
So… Why Dark Fantasy Romance?
Honestly? Because I’m dramatic. 😅
I love romance (give me slow burns and longing glances forever), and I love fantasy (dragons! curses! swords! all the drama!). But at some point, I thought: what if I smashed them together and dipped the whole thing in shadows?
That’s dark fantasy romance in a nutshell—love, but make it dangerous. Feelings, but with a side of “oops, my boyfriend might also be the villain plotting world domination.”
Sounds fun, right? (Please say yes.)
Morally Gray Characters = My Kryptonite
Look, perfect characters are boring. Give me the messy ones—the “I’ll save your life but also stab someone in the same chapter” types.
There’s just something addictive about writing (and reading) love stories where the characters aren’t shiny heroes. They’re complicated, a little dangerous, and maybe not even trustworthy.
And let’s be real: who doesn’t love a broody villain with a tragic backstory? If he also happens to be hot? Yeah… sign me up.
The Hard Parts (A.K.A. Why Did I Do This to Myself?)
Writing dark fantasy romance isn’t all fun tropes and swoony chaos. There are… challenges. Big ones. Like:
Worldbuilding → I thought I’d just toss in a castle and a dragon. Turns out, readers actually want the rules of the magic system. Rude.
Romance + Darkness → Balancing “let’s fall in love” with “everything is on fire” is harder than it looks.
Tone → If I go too dark, it feels like horror. If I go too sweet, it’s just fantasy romance with eyeliner.
The Angst → Do my characters really need to glare at each other in every chapter? (Answer: yes, probably.)
My Inspiration (AKA My Excuses)
When people ask what inspires me, I want to sound cool and say “ancient mythology and Gothic architecture.” But honestly? It’s mostly:
Reading Sarah J. Maas and thinking, yep, I want to write something that ruins people emotionally too.
Watching movies where people fall in love with monsters. (I see you, Shape of Water fans 👀.)
Making moody Spotify playlists that make me feel like I’m storming a castle in a velvet cloak.
What I’ve Learned So Far
Diving into this genre has taught me:
To embrace chaos. My characters are messy, my plot is messy, my coffee habit is messy—and that’s okay.
To stop apologizing. Sometimes your love story is soft kisses in the moonlight. Sometimes it’s “I love you, now let’s go fight this demon king.” Both are valid.
To have fun. At the end of the day, I get to write about hot villains, cursed kingdoms, and soul-shattering love stories. That’s not a burden—it’s a gift.
Why Readers Love It (and Why I Do Too)
Because it’s intense. Because it feels like the stakes are sky-high. Because watching love bloom in the middle of curses, betrayals, and battles makes it feel that much more powerful.
Also… let’s be real. Readers love a little danger with their romance. (And so do I. Obviously.)
Wrapping It Up (Before I Get Too Dramatic)
So yeah—writing a dark fantasy romance is kind of like riding a rollercoaster in the dark. It’s thrilling, a little terrifying, and I scream way more than I should. But it’s also ridiculously fun, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
If you’re curious about the genre—read one. If you’re brave—try writing one. And if you’re me—well, you’re already in too deep, so good luck. 😅
FAQs
Q: Do all dark fantasy romances have happy endings?
Nope. Sometimes it’s happily-ever-after, sometimes it’s “happy-for-now,” and sometimes it’s just pain. But the emotional ride? Always worth it.
Q: Isn’t it too dark to mix with romance?
Not if you balance it right. A kiss hits different when it happens between sword fights and curses.
Q: Why are morally gray love interests so popular?
Because perfect is boring. We want villains we can root for and heroes who make mistakes.
