Use as a model: Romantic fantasy
Slow-burn article notes...
Apart from the mention of the slow-burn romance of Catra and Adora as noted on the History of LGBTQ characters in animated series: 2020s page, the term has also been mentioned on the following pages:
- slow-burn: "A fanfic in which the sexual part of a relationship does not happen until well after the relationship is established—most often seen in book-length pieces."[1]
- " At the same time, Nathan's pairing with Maxie becomes a fan favorite pairing and their "slow burn" romance was praised by critics."- Nathan West (General Hospital)
- "A writer for Soap World observed that "the slow-burn romance between Tori and Duncan has been one of the sweetest love affairs that the Summer Bay locals have witnessed in a long time.""- Tori Morgan
- "Caryn James of The Hollywood Reporter called it a "nuanced, slow-burn, will-they-or-won't-they romance" and noted that Batra "turns a story that sounds tired and goofy into a lovely film with a tone of tender sadness."- Photograph (film)
- "The character of Rafe was first paired with Sweeney's Sami Brady. Gering appreciated the slow burn pacing of the romance"- Rafe Hernandez
- "Marsh added that it was always planned for Ciaran and Michelle to begin a relationship upon Duffy's return. Marsh said that she and Duffy wanted the audience to feel that Michelle and Ciaran had "earned this romance" so it was a "slow-burn"."- Ciaran McCarthy
- "Mohan explained that the pair's romance would be a "slow burn" which would "be worth it in the end""- Rash Masum
- "She described the relationship as being a "slow burn" story. She loved the pairing but felt nervous about the outcome"- Allie Novak
- "Mike Jubinville of Zap2it wrote that the character's relationship with Neil Winters (Kristoff St. John) had been a "slow burn, one going on for weeks, but one that is hard to miss. It has the ingredients of a hot romance."- Ashley Abbott
- "While TV Fanatic's Caralynn Lippo felt it was a soon for Maxie to enter into another romance in 2018, the writers are "laying great groundwork for a nice, slow-burn Maxie/Peter romance.""- Peter August
- "Mason told John Burfitt from TV Soap that there would be "a slow burn" between Chris and Aidan and things would not be rushed, as Chris does not get much of what is happening."- Aidan Foster
- "Their relationship took a while to happen because Dom was still emotionally damaged by Isaac. Ames defended Dom, stating "I think Dom can be forgiven for thinking that most men are bastards!"[49] But Ames was actually happy with the slow progression of the relationship. He believed that Lofty helped his character remember that some people are "good and kind". Lofty is "unsure of life in general and quite timid".[49] The actor thought this was an additional reason for their "slow burn" relationship."- Dominic Copeland
- "After Simmons is trapped on the planet Maveth for six months, she becomes "profoundly different", with Henstridge describing her as "definitely still her essence—she doesn’t just completely change. But she’s been through so much. She’s hardened. She’s had to face things that she never would’ve imagined, also by herself without Fitz, so she’s definitely changed, stronger and kind of damaged."[67] Describing the relationship that Simmons develops with Daniels on the planet, and comparing it to that with Fitz, Henstridge said, "It's very visceral. It's more primal and intense. That just comes from having to survive in a hostile environment, only having each other on the whole planet. The stakes are always so high, so it's more physical than her relationship with Fitz. FitzSimmons is a slow burn that's taken years and years, and they connected over intellect, whereas her and Will, it's an "us against the world" kind of thing."[68]"- List of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. characters
What is a slow burn romance?
- "When it comes to romances, they can come in all shapes and sizes. There are the fun, flirty ones, the deep, soulful ones, the love/hate ones (a personal favorite), the tragic ones and so on. The impact each of them leaves on us can vary widely but there is one type of romance that sucks you in and keeps you there. These are the slow-burn romances. Frequently surprising and always enjoyable to watch unfold, these are the sort of relationships on which fandoms are built. So, without further ado, here are eight reasons why slow-burn romance is the best kind of romance."- https://www.silverpetticoatreview.com/2017/02/09/8-reasons-slow-burn-romance-best/
- "And slow burn romances are my personal favorite. A "slow burn" is basically a romance novel that focuses on a character-driven love story where that relationship takes some time to develop. There has to be a significant amount of development both for the individuals and for the pair throughout the novel, with romantic tension that builds and builds. And it can go one of two ways: the duo have an immediate attraction, but bury those feelings throughout the plot until they finally boil over; Or they don't consciously realize their attraction to each other at all, giving the reader nothing more than context clues along the way (perhaps a few intense glances or lingering touches), and their feelings for each other grow as they actually get to know one another. It is the latter trope that I find not only endlessly, deliciously entertaining, but comforting, too. In a slow burn romance, two people meet, they talk, they learn more about each other, they begin to share their thoughts, their feelings, their lives, and they find love through that effort. They write their own romance — it doesn't just happen to them. And that is the sort of love story I will always believe in."- https://www.bustle.com/p/slow-burn-romance-novels-are-my-favorite-love-stories-to-read-especially-when-im-single-15942802
- "The typical set up for a YA fantasy is as follows: a boy and a girl meet, or meet again, or have been friends for years. There is an immediate attraction between them, whether it's him thinking her attractive, she thinking him attractive, a spark that expands into an argument burying deeper feelings, or the revelation that one or both have had feelings for the other for years that have yet to be reciprocated. Then, the plot happens, and the boy and the girl's relationship slowly progresses from there — occasionally complicated by a love triangle — until they finally, finally kiss after making eyes at one another for nearly the entire book.
I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with that approach to a slow burn romance. I can think of several couples I love that fall somewhere in the above summary. I just think there's another, underused version of the slow burn romance that I'd love to see more of in upcoming books. I want a slow burn romance that's heavy on the burn and slow on the romance. I want the two sides of the 'ship to meet and bond before the possibility of an attraction or a romance is ever on the table. I want to be pairing them together romantically long before the narrative leads me there with those longing looks and poetic appearance descriptions. I want the realization of affection to take as long to happen as that inevitable kiss. By the time the narrative acknowledges that, yeah, there's something here, I want to be saying, "I knew it," not just, "Finally." That satisfying validation that the signs you saw were romantic not platonic is something you just don't get when all the signs of an approaching romance are outlined from that first meeting."- https://www.bustle.com/p/we-need-to-redefine-slow-burn-romance-in-ya-fantasy-53589
- "If you are looking for a very slow burn, the saucy legal drama “Suits” is almost entirely that. There are a few will-they-won’t-they couples on the show, so even if the main ones don’t do it for you, there are other love stories to invest in. The show gets miserably repetitive after Season 5 or so, so start at the beginning, and whenever you run out of juice, simply bid it a peaceful farewell."- https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/21/watching/tv-romance-where-to-watch.html
- "Regardless of the reason, this is where two people pretend to be together and then the acting turns real. Which make sense. How many stories are there from Hollywood about people getting together after playing the role of a couple? These tend to be ‘slow burn’ ones, so if that is your jam, this is the sub-genre you will want to look for."- https://bookriot.com/2020/03/31/romance-tropes/
- "As an avid reader of romance, there’s not much I love more than a slow-burn story of enemies to lovers. You know, the ones where the mc fights that mysterious warm and fuzzy sensation they get when the irritating, forced-proximity companion does something out of line like smile at them? The ones where they insist over and over that it’s not feelings they’re developing, nope, definitely not, until finally, wonderfully, the inevitable: Oops, I’m in love with you, how’d that happen? Truth is, I’m always in the mood for a story like that. Which is why settling in to write a now pretty well-established couple for the first time ever was…nerve-wracking."- https://www.carinapress.com/blog/2020/02/will-they-wont-they-the-joy-of-slow-burn-romance/
- Urban dictionary: "A fanfiction genre in which the characters that are romantically shipped take a very long time to get together. It could be 30 chapters before they even brush elbows."
- "The beauty of the slow burn is that it draws us into the story being told and makes us root for the couple. The drama of a slow burn keeps us hovering on the edge of our seats to see when the couple might finally overcome all of their obstacles to be together. We're all suckers for a happy ending...The key in crafting a slow burn that is pro-consent is in the way that the story is told. In telling the story of a slow burn relationship that evolves naturally, and in avoiding the kind of "relationship" that romanticizes and lauds the unsolicited wearing down of another person"- http://www.itsjustaboutwrite.com/2015/09/feminism-vs-slow-burn-romance-guest.html
- "Here are a few things I've noticed while reading stories that include slow-burn romance: The characters need a compelling reason why they can't be together. Forbidden love is one such example. Distance is another. Being in another relationship doesn't seem to be an awesome reason, as I've seen many people express their dislike for stories that include affairs, but there's always exceptions to the rules. Maybe the characters don't like each other at first. Maybe they're on opposite sides of a fight. Regardless of what keeps them apart, there must be a reason, and it better be good, or the reader might throw the book across the room. Sometimes a character just isn't ready, or both of them are dealing with things that make them unavailable."- https://steemit.com/writing/@katrina-ariel/the-art-of-writing-slow-burn-romance
Other examples