How to keep romance out of my novel?
(Kem uses they/them pronouns.)
I'm outlining a story about a witch named Kem who has to protect the world from evil. Kem befriends demons and other witches, but I don't want them to find a crush or anything and I want to keep their feelings for everyone are platonic or familial. I want the reader to understand that Kem isn't looking for love, they're just navigating the world of witchcraft and battling baddies. So how do I show the reader that Kem's relationships are entirely non-romantic, that Kem has no attraction to their friends, and that there will be no romantic sub-plots? I don't want people to ship Kem with other characters either, so how do I make it absolutely clear Kem is just there for friendship and companionship?
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3 answers
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Don't write it in.
What readers do in their own fan responses is on them, not on you, and you can't prevent people from shipping anyone they like.
But if you don't want canonical romance, just... don't put it in. Make sure your narrative voice doesn't talk about Kem in a way which could be interpreted as romantic or sexually attractive. Don't have romantic plots or interactions. Don't have characters attracted to Kem.
If Kem is aromantic and asexual, they could even lampshade it by discussing it with the other characters.
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In the rebooted Jughead comic (in the Archie Comic Universe), Jughead is explicitly Ace. He tries dating someone (they were in a burger costume), but realized, "nope, not me." I really love how direct that was, and I hate how so often ANY friendship in a story = twu wuv, and if people are colleagues AND protagonists, they end up together.
You may want to have them say "gah! Stop assuming everything is a wannabe relationship. Do y'all NOT work with people of your preferred gender? Aren't you statistically friends/colleagues with more people than significant others? Friends are friends, and friends are awesome." (but y'know, in your own character's way.)
(I'm someone who always thought most fictional love triangles should be handled by just dating ALL involved people, until you decide "yep, clear attraction/compatibility match this way, not that way" , or "no choice needed: poly works!" So I'm all for non-heteronormative focus, in whatever direction!)
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The most famous ship of all (perhaps the one that started it) is K/S aka Kirk/Spock. Even though both characters have been portrayed as 100% straight.
Many other characters have been shipped in ways that go against their sexual orientation and/or other partner preferences. Including in cases when the work isn't heteronormative.
Ace characters will not be any different here. Readers do what readers do.
It's not clear to me if Kem is asexual or simply not interested in romance or hookups right now. Either way, just show them as things are. Either by describing friendships and desires for non-romantic non-physical emotional intimacy, or by explicitly stating that they are Ace (or not in that headspace now).
As for the readers, let it go. We should all be so lucky to have readers who interact with our characters on a personal level. Even if we aren't happy with what they do with them. It's not something you can control, though you can be clear that it wouldn't be canon, should you be asked to approve fan fiction or something.
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