6 reasons why I adore male/female platonic relationships in fiction, A Thread!

1. It's something we don't see much of. Deep feeling and meaningful r'ships are SOOO sexualised in this culture, yet most of the r'ships we'll have in our lives are friendships, not romances. Yet we have SO FEW good examples of happy, healthy, non-romantic friendships in fiction.

2. It's harder to fake. We've got a formula for romantic plots (2 reasonably attractive people + bit of bickering = boom, romance!) but it can take more character work to create a believable friendship, which means greater emotional investment in that more fully-fleshed r'ship.

3. It gives more scope for equal characterisation. In friendship stories neither party is available as a trophy. Instead, they’re in the story to act as an ally or opponent, to bond with the hero on a far more equal level, and to be their ally in the fight.

4. It feels more meaningful. Subtract superficial attraction from a relationship & what you have left often feels uniquely unselfish and real. One of my FAVOURITE things is when typical romance tropes are used platonically. IT'S SO INTENSE, Y'ALL.

5. SHIPPING POTENTIAL. CHEMISTRY EVERYWHERE. Maybe the friends flirt with each other. Maybe there are meaningful friendships and chemistry with more than one friend. Maybe a slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance eventually unfolds with one of them. Or not! Either way, it's SO GOOD.

6. Finally, it's what I know best. My most meaningful relationships with men are friendships. I love writing romances; but m/f friendships tap into emotions I know very well, very personally, and these stories resound with me better.

This thread is brought to you by all the platonic friendships in A DAY OF DARKNESS, which is my love for this trope breaking dramatically free