What makes the perfect story? What particular component of a story makes the difference between a book being devoured hungrily in one sitting and a book that languishes on the side table, due to lack of interest, after its reader laboured through the first few pages before giving up?
Equally, with regard to a movie, what makes us watch a movie straight through and feel bereft that it's over, as opposed to watching a movie for a while and then giving up on it?
Apparently someone famous once said to an equally famous movie director 'I've come up with the perfect story!' Upon enquiry from the director, his friend replied, 'Boy meets girl, they fall in love!'
You may groan now. Go on, get it all out of your system, it's okay.
But when you're done groaning have a think about all the stories that you've really enjoyed over the years. The ones that have stayed with you. The ones you read or watch again and again, whenever you feel like a dose of feel good therapy...
How about books or movies like One Day, Notting Hill, The Notebook, The Time Traveller's Wife... How about Titanic, or... oh my word, this one's a classic... the Bridges Of Madison County...
Yes, these are all love stories and there are so many other genres out there, so why do these get the kudos of being called good stories... perfect stories, even?
No-one's saying they haven't enjoyed great reads or viewings of horror stories, dystopian stories, comedies and historical dramas, to list just a few genres. But... do they leave you feeling as if you just spent the perfect day with your best friend, as if you bought the perfect dress, ate the most delicious meal, had the best massage at the spa, got gifted a big box of your favourite chocolates or just went on the perfect mini-break?
Think of that line in Notting Hill, 'I'm also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.'
Didn't we all just collectively sigh a little as we gazed at the screen with mushy eyes and a soft feeling in our hearts when Julia Roberts uttered those words?
There's no avoiding it, a good love story is hard to beat when it comes to guaranteed enjoyment factor. Who falls in love with who may depend on the writer's own tastes and how the story is received may also depend on the reader's or viewer's own proclivities, and that's ok. Although, your sexual preferences aside, a good love story may be enjoyed no matter who actually falls in love with who...
So, does incorporating a love story into another genre work equally well?
Actually, it does, to a degree....
Now think back to the various other genres and particular stories that you've enjoyed. You may be surprised to now realise that a love story wound its way through the whole story line and that was actually what gave you that pleasurable feeling of a good story enjoyed.
Spy thrillers, action packed stories, horrors even, at times, and certainly dystopian type story lines do often sneak in a romance and this is very often the glue that binds the story together from beginning to end.
That euphoria we feel when the hero saves the girl just in time? That's the love element of the story.
It's there more than we think. Look for it next time you're reading or watching something, you may be surprised at how often you discover it, just as you discover how much you're enjoying the story!
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