Board Thread:Off Topic/@comment-26268104-20160821140328/@comment-25941663-20160823163122

In horror stories, most of the time romance subplots get more spotlight than they should and often don't feel realistic. I believe those are the two main problems with romance plots in (mainly horror) stories.

First and foremost, there should be a reason why the subplot is there. Using it as padding is not the way to go. Romance should supplement a story from the sidelines, not take the main spotlight.

Other than that, the writer should take extra care to make the subplot as real and natural as possible. A lot of times I have seen cheesy romance that has no place in a horror story and may even ruin an otherwise decent tale.

About your points, I agree with the first two but I disagree with the last one. There doesn't need to be conflict for the subplot to exist. That is a very specific thing to ask for. The subplot can be there for a very wide range of reasons, not just conflict.