What Off-Campus can teach new authors about romance

Jun 15

It’s been over a month since the show premiered, so I’m assuming most of you have seen it by now. Maybe once. Maybe twice. Or maybe an unreasonable number (I know I have). But as a developmental editor, I can’t really watch anything without asking: what is this doing well on a craft level? Because every story, good or flawed, has something to teach us.

And Off-Campus definitely has its weak spots, sure. But one thing is hard to deny: the chemistry works, and not just between the actors, but within the structure of the relationship itself. So let’s break down what, in my opinion, makes this romance so addictive.

1. Friendship first (they can just be around each other)

First of all, Hannah and Garrett like each other as people before anything else happens. The ease they feel when they’re around each other, when they’re not constantly trying to impress, when they’re just comfortable, creates the strongest foundation for their relationship to develop. And that matters more than writers often think. Hannah and Garrett see and recognize each other’s attractiveness, of course, but that’s not what actually draws them in.

So when you’re writing your own romance story or a romance subplot, think about this: do your characters actually enjoy each other outside of physical attraction? And what do they talk about when nothing “important” is happening? Because romance without friendship often feels like pressure, and it’s rather fragile. But when it’s built on friendship, it feels easy—and ease is what makes readers believe the relationship could last. Even in an enemies-to-lovers trope, they might not become friends first in a conventional way, but they still have to start caring about each other before anything else even happens.

2. Vulnerability

The second layer is vulnerability, when they choose to let each other see something they normally keep hidden. And you know which scenes I’m referencing here, right? But what’s important is that it doesn’t feel forced, because the previous point (friendship) is already there, and it’s achieved. So they start to trust each other because they begin to feel safe. It grows gradually, and that’s what makes the show, and their relationship, so unputdownable.

So you don’t have to treat vulnerability like a big emotional speech every time. It works much better when it comes in small steps: small admissions, moments of honesty, sharing something they wouldn’t say in any other relationship. That’s what makes the romance feel earned.

3. Physical intimacy that actually means something

This is where some romance stories may go wrong — when physical intimacy becomes repetitive or comes at the wrong moments. And instead of your readers throwing their books out of excitement, they roll their eyes or skim it. In this story, however, it moves the relationship forward each and every time. Each time it shows Hannah and Garrett developing trust, healing, changing in how they see each other. So their physical intimacy doesn’t become separate from the story, it is very much an important part of the story.

So to avoid emotional flatness in your own manuscript, you may consider if physical closeness in your story changes anything between your characters, or is it just repeating itself? The answer is the key to the reaction you’d like your readers to have.

If you enjoyed this breakdown and want more craft-focused insights like this, you can check out my other posts on storytelling, character work, and historical & fantasy fiction writing. And if you want help figuring out whether your relationship arc is actually working on the page, I offer manuscript evaluation and developmental editing. So please, feel free to contact me!