: Your love interest should not exist solely to serve the protagonist's needs. Give them their own history, flaws, and goals.

: Start with genuine animosity or a clashing set of values. The thin line between hate and love creates an intense chemistry that readers adore.

: While a "forbidden love" (external/societal) is classic, the most powerful tension often comes from within—like a fear of vulnerability or past trauma that a character must overcome to let love in.