But here’s the thing that separates a forgettable fling from a legendary romance on the page or screen:

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Don't tack on a happy ending because you feel obligated. Let the ending grow organically from the characters' choices. If he is selfish for 300 pages, he doesn't get to suddenly become Prince Charming on page 301—unless losing her destroys him first. Stop writing about love. Write around it. Write the quiet mornings. The stupid fights about the thermostat. The way he remembers she hates pickles. The way she drives three hours to pick him up when his car breaks down.

Let’s be real for a second. We’ve all been there. You’re two hundred pages into a book or six episodes into a show, and you find yourself yelling at the screen: “JUST KISS ALREADY!”