Trope Tuesday: Forced proximity

Welcome to the trope writing series, where I’ll be sharing different tropes present in fiction books on Tuesdays! We’ll cover what these tropes are, how to write them effectively yourself, and some examples of books that include them. We’ll be looking at all kinds of tropes from a variety of genres, from romance and thrillers to fantasy.

There will be at least one – possibly two – Trope Tuesdays per month. If there are any tropes you’re keen for me to cover, let me know by leaving a comment!

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The forced proximity trope

This trope does what it says on the tin! The forced proximity trope is when two characters are forced to be close together in some way.

This might be in a physical space (such as being snowed in together in a building, stuck on a plane next to each other, or stranded on a boat together). They could also be forced together in a particular situation: made to work together on a project, one forced to defend or guard the other (or even hold them captive).

This trope is all about the chemistry that comes when two characters are unable to escape one another.

It’s very popular in romance (and fantasy romance) mainly, but it can also be found in dystopian and apocalyptic stories, and in fantasy more generally.

In some genres, it can become the setup for the entire plot (and how a book is marketed), such as a contemporary romance about two characters being forced to house-share. In romance, the chemistry between the two characters really comes to light when the characters are stuck together.

In other genres, the trope may not take centre stage, but can still appear.

For example, you might not typically think of The Hunger Games as a forced proximity story! But when Peeta and Katniss are selected for the games and forced to work together, the sparks between them are soon undeniable.

Books featuring the forced proximity trope

Writing the forced proximity trope effectively

Building the characters

In a forced proximity story, the two characters usually have some walls up – either between each other, or more generally. So it’s really important to think about character personalities and backstories here.

Think about what has happened to your characters to cause them to build these walls. Do they have a shared history – are they exes who don’t want anything to do with each other anymore? Were they childhood friends who drifted apart? Or are they strangers? If so, why do they have their shields up and why are they resistant to one another? Have they been hurt or betrayed in the past?

Creating character profiles and really thinking deeply about your characters and their histories, and what makes them tick, can be very helpful here.

Creating forced proximity

The forced proximity situation that occurs in the book is a way of breaking your characters’ walls down and allowing them to grow closer. Deciding on what you want that situation (or setting) to be is crucial!

Even for situations that are a bit more outlandish (being stranded on an island, or snowed in), the important thing is to make it believable.

Readers will be willing to suspend their disbelief to a degree (especially in genres like romcoms or fantasy). But the situation/setting will still need to feel authentic to the plot and your characters.

So taking a desert island as an example, what would be a realistic setup for that to happen for your particular characters? Are they both wildlife photographers who happen to be visiting at the same time to catch a snap of an elusive animal? Have they been forced to work together to film a documentary or a show taking place on that island?

Breaking down the walls and building chemistry

Once the forced proximity situation has come into play, you can get to work on breaking down your characters’ walls! They can no longer escape their earlier feelings of caution or reluctance and have to confront the other person head-on.

Now you can think about poking holes in their carefully built defences. That might involve a few awkward interactions, teaming up to confront challenges, and some conflict before deeper discussions take place where they can grow closer.

And there will be conflict! That will be part of breaking those defences. Being stuck in close confines can bring out both the best and worst traits in your characters. Have them really struggle with their situation – and with each other. Arguments or bickering can lead to reconciliation later.

Have them talk and interact. In a forced proximity situation, they now have nowhere to hide! Secrets and backstories can be revealed, and truths that they didn’t realise before will be brought into the open.

Don’t forget the romantic tension, chemistry, and sparks! Emotions will be heightened when your characters are forced together. If they really dislike each other, that can heat up and change over time as they reconcile and learn more about each other. If they had an attraction before, it’ll become even more intense while they’re stuck together.

And above all, have fun writing these elements! Tropes can bring a lot of joy to writing, and if you’re having fun, there’s no doubt the reader will notice that, because it’ll come across on the page.

I hope this post helped you understand the forced proximity trope in fiction, and how you can use it yourself! The next Trope Tuesday will be later on in July!

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