: Readers root for couples who "click" because of shared values, not just physical attraction.

For writers and creators looking to craft the next great relationship story, the rules have changed. Here is the modern formula:

In recent years, there has been a significant shift towards more diverse representation in romantic storylines. Media now features:

Great romantic storylines rarely start with two people who are perfectly compatible. They start with .

Consider the arc. Perhaps the most enduring of all romantic structures, it relies on the idea that the line between love and hate is thin. The aggression serves as a mask for attraction, and the resolution requires a humbling of the ego. It satisfies a deep human craving: the belief that even our adversaries can be transformed by love into allies.