Writing the Trope That Always Turns Heads

There’s something about writing a supermodel x normal person romance that just clicks—a blend of fantasy, tension, and high-stakes heartache that practically writes itself.

Except… it doesn’t. Not always.

I love this trope because it’s layered. You get to play with the extremes: glamor vs. normalcy, public image vs. private emotion, fantasy vs. reality. And when it works? It really works. The heat is explosive. The vulnerability is gutting. The emotional payoff is everything.

But writing it comes with a few surprises.

There’s a balance to strike between the fairytale and the real world.

Too much fame, and the love story feels distant.

Too little consequence, and the conflict falls flat.

So I anchor the story in what really matters—emotion.

I ask:

• What does this person hide from the world?

• Who are they when no one’s watching?

• What does it cost them to fall in love with someone who sees them entirely?

That’s where the story lives—in the stolen glances, the cracked armor, the whispered fears.

Here’s a peek from one I’m working on now:

“You know what’s funny?” he says, voice low, eyes locked on mine. “You’re the only one who’s never asked for a picture. And the only one who’s ever made me want to stay.”

So… would you fall for the model—or would you run screaming in the other direction?