Ah, Romance. That heart-fluttering, butterflies-in-your-stomach, weak-in-the-knees, light-headed, borderline-obsessive bliss. Some writers are fabulous at conveying such emotions, their expert words leading you further and further down the page towards that long-awaited kISS THAT SOME PEOPLE JUST WON'T LET HAPPEN AAAAAAAAAH

Ahem. Anyway. 

Okay, yes, some writers are really good at making their readers feel the romantic undertones of their works, but they didn't all start out at that level of expertise! Practice makes perfect, and that's exactly what this writing challenge is about! So, open up Word or Docs and let's get to practicing in this Writing Challenge and Contest!

The Challenge: 
Crafting Orange Romance!

Quote :

Kyra, what in blue blazes is "Orange" Romance?

Ah, the citrus scale. Before "NSFW" became a thing, fanfiction authors often opted to tag their work according to the romantic "actions" in their story. The scale is as follows (from : Fandom Wiki)

Citrus Scale:

As we are a PG-13 site, we're sticking to orange ;D Kissing and hugging and etc is okay, but let's not take it much further than that. 

How this challenge works:
WE'VE GOT LEVELS =D You can write as many or as few entries as you like, and for as many levels as you'd like! Submit them using the form at the bottom of the page~ Note! The work must be original and must be kept a secret until all is revealed! No posting elsewhere!

1. Level One: A single romantic scene (50 word minimum)
   Think of a romantic scene - it can be from any series or you can make it up as you go along - and write it out! Do your best with descriptions and conveying the character's feelings and emotions and wants, using the scene as a guideline to keep you on track! Don't worry about the build-up or where it goes after - think of it as turning on the TV in the middle of a show!
   
   
   
2. Level Two: A romantic drabble (250 word minimum)
   A little bit longer than a single scene, this second level should have a little more story added to it to up that romance factor! Are they on a date? Did they have a fight and are making up? Is this a WILL THEY/WON'T THEY TEASE?! Drabbles are typically one-shots that get to the point without a bunch of background information! Revel in getting in, exploring them feels, and getting out!
   
   
   
3. Level Three: A romantic one-shot (500 - ~2500 word range)
   One shots. Ahhh~ Sometimes chapters are honestly needed for a good stuck-to-your-device-all-night-until-you-finish-it romance story, but for this challenge let's try to limit it to 2500 words! FOR THIS LEVEL, CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TROPES AND WRITE AWAY!
   --Friends to Lovers
   --Enemies to Lovers
   --Slow Burn ((you can use this as a set-up for a longer work?))
   --Coffee Shop AU
   --ROOMMATES
   --Having to share a bed
   --Fluff~
   --Mutual Pining
   --MUTUAL PINING THAT ENDS IN CONFESSION ((please for the love of god put me out of my misery and let them kissss))
   --Fake Dating
   
   YOU GOT ANOTHER?! YOU DO IT BABU YOU DO THAT TROPE AND YOU SUBMIT IT AND YOU FIX THE FORM TO TELL ME WHAT IT IS FOR YOU, BABU.
   

The Contest:
Submitting your work to any of the categories above automatically puts you into the casual and fun Orange you glad I didn't say Banana Valentine's Writing Contest! Your entry will be completely anonymous during the voting phase, only to be revealed when winners are announced! 

Additional note: If you would like to remain completely anonymous, even at the end, check the check-box on the form and I'll never reveal that your entry was yours! It'll be our valentine's secret

Quote :

Prizes~

Participating in the challenge will earn you a bumper for the level(s) you wrote for!

Winning the "writing gallery" contest for your level with get you a Signature prize! (and maybe a little sprite idek)

  




[Romantic Trope Winner's Sig will be personalized!]

The Dates!

• Start Date: NAO. Get to writing, get to submitting!
  
• End Date: All entries are due no later than Feb. 22, the end of the Red Rose Riot! to give you a full weekend to work with! March 3rd! 
  
• Voting Starts: Voting will pop up in the Writer's section and via global announcement on Feb 23 following submission deadline!
  
• Voting Ends: Voting will end on Feb 28 to end the month! a week after voting starts!
  
• Winners and Participants Announced: All will be revealed (unless you choose to remain anonymous) on March 1st-2nd!  After that!
  

[SUBMIT YOUR WORK HERE]
Do not reply with your work in this thread!
Do not PM me your work!

Need some help? Need some help / want some tips / etc? Check out the Writing Guild's Classes, Tutorials, and Workshops section and dig around! [Here's the link!] Some threads I think would be useful are:

• Neptune's Workshop on writing Emotions and Romance
  
• Body Language Cheat Sheet
  
• Writing in Tones w/ emotion words for different emotional levels
  

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IN THIS THREAD, let's share our FAVORITE ROMANTIC FANFICTION USING THE FORM BELOW!

Code:

[b]Fanfiction Title:[/b]
[b]Author:[/b]
[b]Rating:[/b]
[b]Citrus Scale:[/b]
[b]Plot Synopsis / Teaser:[/b]
[b]Why you recommend it:[/b]
[b]Link to Fic:[/b]

And enthuse about the challenge and those works and etc.!

OH!! AND EVERYONE WHO CHECKS OUT THE RECOMMENDED FIC? Don't forget to like/love/kudos and LEAVE POSITIVE COMMENTS! 

Fanfic authors thrive on positive comments! It keeps them motivated to continue sharing what they've written with the world! If you reply to this thread with a link showing you've left a positive comment on romantic fanfic recommended in this thread (even if it was you who recommended it!) during the Red Rose Riot, you will receive 50 GC Points for every comment! Let's feed our fandom creators!

 Don't have a positive thing to say?  Don't say anything! =D Just click the X on the tab and go about your day! 
Did you mostly enjoy the work, but had issues with a few parts and want to tell the author what they can do to fix it to your liking?  Don't! =D  
Just encourage what you liked and don't mention what you didn't - they didn't ask you what you wanted. You didn't commission their work. They shared what they wanted with you and the rest of the world, tell them what you liked and maybe they'll write more of what you liked! 

READ THAT ROMANCE![/center]

I'mma just... recommend SO MANY ANTIGONE2 FICS. She has a lot of small chapter stories or one-shots on her author page that are great for quick reads!! Here, though, I'm linking a few of her longer stories that I.... literally read through over a weekend because I couldn't get enough of them, they're so good. AND YAY THERE ARE SO MANY ON HER LIST I HAVEN'T READ YET. Let me share a few that I have!!

Fanfiction Title: The Boy Next Door
Author: Antigone2
Rating: T
Citrus Scale: Lime
Plot Synopsis / Teaser: Usagi gets the taste of the city single life, including staying in a fancy apartment rent free. What could possibly - possibly - go wrong? 13 chapters, 34.5k words
Why you recommend it: The pacing is phenomenal, the chemistry between the characters fantastic, she writes Usagi x Mamoru flawlessly, and this setting is just perfect. One of my favorite things about Antigone2 is her handle on the characters - she weaves humor in continuously and you just go away with such a feeling of satisfaction. ;D There are twists and turns and so many will-they/won't-they moments it keeps you reading more and more~ 
Link to Fic: The Boy Next Door -- A03


Fanfiction Title: Wish You Would
Author: Anitgone2
Rating: K+
Citrus Scale: Orange
Plot Synopsis / Teaser: From a prompt: "I sneaked in to this huge house party for some free food but you asked me how I knew the host and the first excuse I could think of was that I'm dating their sibling, so basically I just lied to you about going out with you" I changed it a little and took these two dorks into a full-blown college AU because I can. 3 Chapters, 13k words
Why you recommend it: THEY HIT IT OFF AT A HOUSE PARTY SO GOOD AND THEN MISINTERPRETATION AND MISCOMMUNICATION NEARLY RUIN EVERYTHING AND I LIVE FOR THAT. 
Link to Fic: Wish You Would -- A03

Fanfiction Title: Time After Time
Author: Antigone2
Rating: K+
Citrus Scale: Orange
Plot Synopsis / Teaser: It had taken nothing short of a miracle to get her into Azabu - barely passing grades, an extraordinary letter of recommendation and her father's check-writing hand. Now she realizes, heart hammering in her chest, this is most undoubtably a monumental mistake. UsaMamo, High School AU 7 Chapters, 13.3k words
Why you recommend it: MAMORU IS KING OF THE HIGH SCHOOL AND USAGI IS A TRANSFER STUDENT LOOKING TO FIND THE BOY SHE USED TO PROTECT AND PROMISED ONE DAY TO MARRY. There's a school festival♥ 
Link to Fic: Time After Time -- A03


Fanfiction Title: Moonbeams and Lemon Dreams - Fic compilation!
Author: Antigone2
Rating: M
Citrus Scale: Lemon
Plot Synopsis / Teaser: A selection of nsfw stories exploring the adult side of Usagi and Mamoru's relationship 3 chapters, 11.8k words
Why you recommend it: They're all challenge prompts. They're all a little lemon SO YEAH YOU'VE BEEN WARNED. They're all. So. Well. Crafted. 
Link to Fic: Moonbeams and Lemon Dreams - A03 Collection Page


Fanfiction Title: Desperate and Divine
Author: Antigone2
Rating: M
Citrus Scale: Lemon
Plot Synopsis / Teaser: After five years of pining Usagi wants to take matters into her own hands. 5 chapters; 16.6k words
Why you recommend it: SO THERE WAS NOTHING AFTER THEY WERE REVIVED AFTER BERYL. While everyone else regained their memories, Mamoru didn't, and Usagi eventually gave up trying to remind him. SO, FIVE YEARS LATER, ON THE EVE OF MAMORU LEAVING TO STUDY ABROAD, USAGI IS DETERMINED TO SEDUCE HIM. It's sad and it's wonderful and it's heartbreaking and it's fantastic and it hurts and it is SO GOOD, GUYS. SO. GOOD. But yeah there's lemon ;D so, you've been warned. 
Link to Fic: Desperate and Divine - A03

AND I'LL LEAVE IT THERE FOR NOW. If you read any of these, please tell me so I can gush and scream a bit with you XDDD and leave a little comment!!! Ides is awesome she should be told repeatedly xD

AS FOR MYSELF, later today I'm planning on reading::
Fanfiction Title: A night you won't remember (I'll be the one you won't forget)
Author: Antigone2
Rating: G??
Citrus Scale: ??? Probably Orange because G rating??
Plot Synopsis / Teaser: "I better stick with you, just in case. After all, it's Vegas. Anything can happen here." 1 chapter, 3.8k words
Why you recommend are going to try it: Um, Vegas? Hello?
Link to Fic: A night you won't remember (I'll be the one you won't forget) - A03

Sailor Uranus wrote:

AS FOR MYSELF, later today I'm planning on reading::
Fanfiction Title: A night you won't remember (I'll be the one you won't forget)
Author: Antigone2
Rating: G??
Citrus Scale: ??? Probably Orange because G rating??
Plot Synopsis / Teaser: "I better stick with you, just in case. After all, it's Vegas. Anything can happen here." 1 chapter, 3.8k words
Why you recommend are going to try it: Um, Vegas? Hello?
Link to Fic: A night you won't remember (I'll be the one you won't forget) - A03

I DID NOT MAKE IT TO READ THIS ON VALENTINES DAY but I read it JUST NOW and --

Quote :

He turned and gave her a look. "Please, this has Tsukino Usagi written ALL over it," he said.
"Uh, pretty sure it's Chiba Usagi now," she deadpanned and he blanched a little. Good. "Do you have any aspirin?"

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Bahaha overall this was a fun one-shot told in a series of flashbacks to the drunken night before and "present time" snippets of how they get their drunken marriage resolved. It's funny and entertaining and a good little read!

Unfortunately I don't have time for much writing these days ;_; but I can at least make some recs! Though tbh orange is not generally my citrus of choice ^^;;;;.

This was a cute and short AU though! I was actually looking for a different fic that I had read before but when I read the summary for this I couldn't resist and it didn't disappoint XD!

Fanfiction Title: Nothing a Little Cake Can't Solve
Author: Dreams in Pink
Rating: K
Citrus Scale: Orange
Plot Synopsis / Teaser: Usagi's had one rough week, but it's nothing that a few slices of delicious dessert can't solve. Written for Queen Risa as part of the 2018Usa Mamo Valentine's Exchange.
Why you recommend it: short and definitely sweet XD. Although I typically don't recommend a lot of AU, this one does a good job without having to develop a lot of the AU details. Plus it totally explains the immense tension *fans self*.
Link to Fic: [Only admins are allowed to see this link]

If I find the other one I'll update my post! I'm really terrible at keeping track of fics I like...

The Writing Challenge/Contest will be extended through the end of the month! This thread will be moved to the Writing Guild when Red Rose Riot ends!

Keep those creative juices flowing and submit what you've got by the new dates in the first post!

Is this simply for SM based fics?

Anything!

sweet! I might take a crack at it XD

:0!