Writing Romantasy: How to Balance Fantasy Elements and Romance in Your Novel

In a world where readers increasingly crave both epic adventures and heart-fluttering romance, it’s no surprise that the Romantasy genre has exploded from a niche corner of BookTok to a global publishing phenomenon that's reshaping the literary landscape. But what exactly does writing a Romantasy novel entail? 

In this episode, you’ll discover what it means to write Romantasy—including the key differences between Romantic Fantasy and Fantasy Romance, both of which exist on the Romantasy genre spectrum. I'll share actionable strategies for worldbuilding, character development, and plot construction that will help you craft a story readers can't put down. 

Whether you're aiming to write the next Fourth Wing or create an intimate fantasy romance like Radiance, this post will give you the tools to navigate this complex but rewarding genre. So, let’s dive in, shall we?

What Is Romantasy?

“Romantasy” is a term used to describe stories that combine romance and fantasy. They’re stories that make use of magical elements, take place in imagined fantasy worlds, have various degrees of danger and life-or-death stakes, and, most importantly, feature a prominent romantic relationship.

As readers, this definition makes sense. 

But many aspiring authors struggle to write Romantasy well, often ending up with either weak world-building or underdeveloped relationships. 

They wonder things like, Should the plot points in a Romantasy focus more on the romance or fantasy elements? Does a Romantasy story need a HEA ending or not? If the story starts to focus on the romantic relationship, when does it stop being a subplot and become a core piece of the story?

And when writers ask me these very same questions, my answer is always: it depends on what kind of Romantasy you’re writing. Let me explain.

5 Ways To Look At Fiction Genres

There are many different ways to talk about the genre of any given story. For example:

• Is it literary, upmarket, or commercial fiction?
• When does the story take place? Is it historical or contemporary?
• How old is the target reader? Middle grade, young adult, new adult, adult?
• What kind of setting (or reality) does the story take place in? Fantasy? Sci-Fi?
• What is the content genre (or mix of content genres)? Is it an action story with life-or-death stakes? Or a romance with a “Happily Ever After” ending?

As an example, consider Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. Depending on where you look, you’ll see this book described as Romantasy, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, or even just New Adult (or Adult) Fantasy. 

Each of these labels speaks to something different on the list above, but as readers, we can get the gist of what the story’s about—it’s a book that’ll combine elements of fantasy and romance—and who it’s for.

But here’s where things get tricky…

Take another book like Radiance by Grace Draven, which is marketed using similar terms—Fantasy Romance, Romantasy, Adult Fantasy, etc.—but offers a slightly different reading experience from Fourth Wing. The plot and stakes in Fourth Wing feel bigger and more dangerous, while Radiance feels more intimate and focused on the romantic relationship.

To make matters even more complicated, you could say the same thing about The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, which includes many of these same elements but isn’t marketed as Romantasy. Yes, there’s a romantic relationship between Kvothe and Denna, but there’s no “Happily Ever After” ending (at least not yet). 

This is where a lot of the confusion comes from because:

• All three books take place in an imaginary world
• All three feature romantic relationships
• All three see the protagonist in dangerous situations
• All three deal with larger societal and/or plot issues

So, what gives? What makes stories like Fourth Wing and Radiance “Romantasy,” while books like The Name of the Wind are just “Fantasy?” And why is the reading experience so similar yet different between books like these?

Romantic Fantasy vs. Fantasy Romance

Romantasy stories exist on a spectrum. 

On one end of the spectrum, you have “Fantasy Romance,” which is a sub-genre of Romance. These stories are romance novels set in fantasy worlds that follow the standard romance beats and have “Happily Ever After” (HEA) or “Happy For Now” (HFN) endings like contemporary romance novels do. This means the romantic relationship is the focus of the plot, and if you take that romance away, the story doesn’t work. Thematically, these books demonstrate the power of love or what it means to find and accept love—because that’s what these stories are about. Books like Radiance by Grace Draven and The Winter King by C.L. Wilson sit in this category.

On the other end, you have “Romantic Fantasy,” which is a sub-genre of Fantasy. These are stories that include a bigger external conflict (usually with life-or-death stakes), and feature prominent romantic subplots. In other words, although the romantic relationship is important, it’s not the core of the story. If you took out the romance, the overarching plot would still make sense to readers, and the story would still work. 

Typically, these stories follow the key scenes and conventions of the Action genre, and they do not require the main couple to have a “Happily Ever After” (HEA) ending. Thematically, these books demonstrate what it takes to survive and thrive—and how the romantic relationship factors into the protagonist’s ability to survive and thrive. Books like Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas sit in this category. 

Now, this doesn’t mean any Fantasy novel with a romantic subplot is “Romantic Fantasy.” Publishers distinguish Romantasy as something different than a fantasy novel with a romantic subplot, which means you must do the same.

For example, in The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, the love story between Kvothe and Denna serves to enhance and/or complicate the overall plot. Their romance is woven into the plot without making romance the ultimate goal of the story.

As you can imagine, if you’re writing Romantasy, it’s important to know where your book sits on the Romantasy genre spectrum in order to write a story that works and satisfies readers. But sometimes, that’s easier said than done because Fantasy Romance and Romantic Fantasy seem to be separated by a pretty thin line. 

How To Write A Romantasy Novel

Step #1: Determine Your Primary Content Genre

If you’re writing Romantasy, the first thing you’ll want to do is determine your story’s primary content genre. The biggest difference between Fantasy Romance and Romantic Fantasy lies in how authors mix (and prioritize) their content genres.

Content genres tell writers what kind of content they need to include in their story to deliver on readers’ expectations—things like what kind of plot events need to happen, what kind of character roles need to be filled, what kind of conflict the characters will face, what’s at stake (or what the characters stand to lose or gain), and so much more.

If you’re writing Fantasy Romance, your primary content genre will be romance. This means that the romance genre elements need to take precedence over any action genre (or fantasy) elements you choose to include because the romantic relationship is the most important part of the story.

If you’re writing Romantic Fantasy, you’ll need to choose a content genre (other than romance) to represent your external plot. In most cases, the primary content genre of Romantic Fantasy stories is Action, which means the Action genre elements would take precedence over any romance elements you choose to include (even if only incrementally). Remember, in Romantic Fantasy stories, there needs to be something bigger at stake—an external plot that puts a character in dangerous, life-or-death situations and tests their ability to survive. The romantic relationship serves to support (or cause conflict to) the main storyline—even if it feels like the romance is an equal part of the story to readers. 

Now, if you’re still not sure where your story fits, consider which 2-3 books your story would sit next to on the shelf. If your answer is something like Radiance by Grace Draven or The Winter King by C.L. Wilson, then you’re probably writing Fantasy Romance. If your answer is something like Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros or A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, then you’re probably writing Romantic Fantasy.

This step is key because the boundary between Fantasy Romance and Romantic Fantasy does blur, but readers will sometimes want one kind of reading experience over the other. Your decision in this first step will help you set the reader’s expectations and then deliver a story that meets (and hopefully, exceeds!) those expectations.

Related: How To Start Writing Your Sci-Fi or Fantasy Novel 

#2. Uncover Your Story’s Theme

Most Romantasy stories speak to themes of love, friendship, belonging, and survival. But depending on your subgenre, you’ll want to speak to these themes in slightly different ways. Here’s what I mean:

If you’re writing Fantasy Romance, your story will speak to the power of love. The central question of these stories is something like, “Will these two characters get together (or stay together) despite everything standing in their way?” In other words, how strong is their love? Can their love conquer all? Will their love (or their romantic relationship) survive whatever else the plot throws at them?

For example, in Radiance by Grace Draven, you could say the theme is something like, “Real love can exist between two very different people when each person sets aside their prejudice and keeps an open mind about what’s possible.” The focus is on the power of love, despite everything else that’s included in the story.

If you’re writing Romantic Fantasy, your story will need to speak primarily to what it takes to survive. The central question of these stories is something like, “Will the protagonist survive this dangerous situation? If so, how?” In other words, what does it take to survive? And how does the romantic relationship factor in the protagonist’s ability to survive (whether positively or negatively)?

For example, in Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, you could say the theme is something like, “Surviving (and thriving) is possible when you embrace your strengths (even if they aren’t physical), and work with others (despite your differences) for the greater good.” The focus is on Violet’s survival and how her relationship with Xaden (and others) helps or harms her ability to survive.

This is an important distinction because theme influences everything in your story, from the way your characters grow and change (or fail to grow and change) to how you shape your plot and how you flesh out your story world. If you’re unclear which universal theme (love or survival) takes precedence in your story, it can be difficult to prioritize what happens when, what stays in vs. what gets edited out, and things like that. 

Related: How To Uncover Your Story’s Theme

#3. Brainstorm A Plot With Appropriate Stakes

Although Fantasy Romance and Romantic Fantasy stories include many of the same elements, they’re fundamentally different.

If you’re writing Fantasy Romance, the romantic relationship takes center stage. This means the key plot points in your story need to revolve around the romantic relationship, bringing your characters together as soon as possible in Act 1, and giving them their “Happily Ever After” (HEA) or “Happy For Now” (HFN) ending. For this reason, many Fantasy Romance stories are built using the Romance genre framework—including these key scenes and conventions.

If you’re going to include any Action genre elements in your story (like escalating danger and/or life-and-death scenarios), remember that these elements need to serve as a subplot, or more of a backdrop, to the central romantic storyline. The goal is to use these subplots (or Fantasy/Action genre elements) to complicate the couple’s ability to be together for one reason or another. 

As an example, consider Radiance by Grace Draven. The story starts with the two main characters, Ildiko and Brishen, meeting right before their wedding. Both characters are “spare” children (meaning they will not inherit the throne) and have been betrothed to each other as part of a trade between their kingdoms. The story is about their relationship—whether it’ll work out, if they’ll ever truly fall in love, etc. The external conflict in the story exists to complicate the relationship. There’s prejudice and misunderstanding between their two peoples, the attacks that happen on the road and in court, and even their physical differences when it comes time to be intimate. All of this external conflict is echoed throughout the story world and the relationship, thus making the story feel cohesive and whole. By the end of the story, we learn whether or not Ildiko and Brishen get their “Happily Ever After” (or HEA). 

If you’re writing Romantic Fantasy, there needs to be more at stake than just the relationship. This means that although the romantic relationship plays a significant role in the story, the plot needs to include (and be centered around) a bigger external conflict—usually one with life-or-death stakes. For this reason, many Romantic Fantasy stories are built using the Action genre framework that culminates with a dangerous, life-or-death confrontation with the antagonist and includes these key scenes and conventions.

In this scenario, the romantic relationship is the subplot, even if it feels like it carries equal weight in the plot. Your key plot points need to be built around the bigger external conflict and may or may not feature significant romantic developments (depending on the story you’re telling and whether the romance develops over one book or multiple books). Either way, the goal is to use the romantic relationship as a way to complicate or support the central conflict, not the other way around. 

As an example, consider Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. At the beginning of the story, Violet’s on her way to join the Rider’s Quadrant, and we don’t know whether or not she’ll survive (not only crossing Parapet but also once she gets into the quadrant). We’re initially led to believe that Xaden wants to kill Violet, but as the story progresses, they grow closer, develop feelings, and fall in love. Violet’s relationship with Xaden both puts her in danger (by making her a target of people like General Melgren for siding with rebels) and helps her survive (by teaching her key skills, believing in her despite her physical disability and last name, sharing knowledge, etc.). By the end, we’re definitely rooting for Xaden and Violet to get their HEA, but we’re also concerned with Violet’s survival, especially in the story’s climax.

So, hopefully, these examples help you see that although both stories include very similar elements, they offer different reading experiences. 

#4. Develop the Relationship Between Characters

Whether you're writing Fantasy Romance or Romantic Fantasy, the romantic relationship between your characters is critical to your story's success. Start by fully developing both characters individually before bringing them together.

For each character, ask yourself these essential questions:

• How does each character feel about love?
• Do they want love? If so, why? 
• Do they avoid or fear love? If so, why? 
• Do they feel deserving or undeserving of love? Why?
• How do these beliefs change by the end of the story?

If you haven’t done the work to develop your character’s backstory already, you can use the questions in this article to uncover where each character’s beliefs (and inner obstacles) around love and relationships come from.

If you’re writing Fantasy Romance, your story will show how characters grow and change in their beliefs about love. Since these are romance stories first, the romantic relationship must be the primary catalyst for internal conflict and growth. The fantasy elements can contribute to character development, but the relationship remains central. The Fantasy/Action elements can contribute to character development, but the romantic relationship needs to be the primary catalyst for change.

If you’re writing Romantic Fantasy, your story will demonstrate how love helps change your protagonist (and how that change helps or harms their survival). Both the external conflict and the romantic relationship should drive your character's internal growth. 

This dual catalyst for growth is what distinguishes Romantasy (particularly “Romantic Fantasy”) from standard fantasy novels with romantic subplots. 

In regular fantasy novels, like The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, Kvothe's relationship with Denna isn't a primary driver of his growth—his education, experiences, and confrontations with external conflicts and sources of antagonism play a much larger role, challenging and encouraging him to grow and change.

But in true Romantasy novels (whether “Fantasy Romance” or “Romantic Fantasy”), the love interest must significantly contribute to or cause the protagonist's transformation.

Now, when it comes to the relationship in your Romantic Fantasy novel, remember that readers aren't necessarily expecting a guaranteed "Happily Ever After" ending, especially in a series. Your story might feature a slow-burn romance that develops gradually or even multiple romantic partners across a series (like Celaena/Aelin in Throne of Glass or Tory in the Zodiac Academy Series).

What matters most is that readers care deeply about your characters—both individually and as a romantic pairing. In stories with high-stakes action and complex plots, this emotional connection is essential. If readers don't care about your characters and their relationships, they won't be invested in their survival or happiness.

Related: How To Craft Romantic Chemistry & Tension Between Characters

#5. Build Your World So It Develops Plot & Character

Depending on where your story fits on the Romantasy genre spectrum, readers will have slightly different expectations for your world-building. Obviously, you’ll need to do some world-building either way (we are talking about Romantasy, after all!), but how much world-building you do is completely up to you (and what readers might expect from your subgenre). Here are some things to keep in mind:

If you’re writing Fantasy Romance, consider how the story world impacts the central romantic relationship. Consider things like societal rules, such as those relating to marriage or courtship, that could create obstacles to a couple being together. Or maybe in your world, there’s a circumstance that forces the couple together, like an arranged marriage between kingdoms? Or maybe the physical needs or powers of one character could pose a threat to the other character if they’re not controlled? 

That’s exactly what happens in Radiance by Grace Draven. Brishen and Ildiko are betrothed as a way to bring peace between their two kingdoms. They’re forced together through this marriage, and Ildiko must travel to Brishen’s kingdom (where she’ll be one of only a handful of humans) to live out the rest of her life. Once there, the setting both harms and helps the romantic relationship develop. For example, because Ildiko is one of only a few humans in the Kai Kingdom, Brishen becomes a familiar and safe presence to her, which helps the relationship blossom. 

If you’re writing Romantic Fantasy, know that readers will expect more of an emphasis on world-building and fantastic elements than they might from Fantasy Romance books. You’ll need to create a story world that’s ripe for life-or-death conflicts, and that puts your protagonist in dangerous situations, while also developing a place where the romantic relationship can thrive and/or be challenged.

As an example, in Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, the characters are literally at a war college, preparing to go to war when they reach a certain point in their training. They learn how to wield dangerous signets, fight each other in physical combat, and ride on the back of powerful dragons that can kill you without blinking. The world is ripe for dangerous situations and life-or-death conflicts—and this is part of what helps bring Xaden and Violet together (as well as what initially keeps them apart).

Final Thoughts

Whether you're writing Fantasy Romance where love conquers all, or Romantic Fantasy where survival is the primary goal, understanding where your story sits on the Romantasy spectrum is crucial for crafting a satisfying reader experience.

Remember these key distinctions:

• Fantasy Romance centers on the romantic relationship, with fantasy elements enhancing that journey
• Romantic Fantasy focuses on external conflict and survival, with romance adding depth to the character's growth

The line between these subgenres may be thin, and you might find your series shifting along this spectrum as it develops. That's perfectly fine as long as that shift is natural and makes sense within your world and for your characters.

What matters most is creating an authentic world where both the fantasy and romance elements feel necessary and meaningful to your story.

But beyond that, your understanding of these distinctions doesn't just impact how you write—it shapes how readers discover your work. When you know exactly which subgenre you're writing in, you can strategically:

• Describe and promote your book on social media and your website
• Position your book in the right categories on retailers like Amazon
• Craft book descriptions that attract your ideal readers
• Connect with appropriate book bloggers and reviewers
• Design covers that signal the right subgenre expectations
• Build an author platform that resonates with your target audience

Most importantly, being clear about your subgenre helps you deliver the experience your readers crave. Fantasy Romance readers are primarily seeking that emotional journey and guaranteed HEA, while Romantic Fantasy readers want high-stakes adventure with romantic elements that enhance the story.

By embracing these distinctions and applying the principles we've discussed, you'll craft a Romantasy novel that finds its perfect readers—and keeps them coming back for more. Good luck, and happy writing!
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