A great romantic storyline is not about finding a perfect person. It is about proving, through action and sacrifice, that an imperfect person is worth staying for.

"I cannot live without you. You complete me." Good Romance Dialogue: "You left your toothbrush here three weeks ago. I didn't throw it out. I bought you a new one. The purple one. You like purple, right?"

Whether you are writing a sapphic period drama or a sci-fi epic about two androids in a failing marriage, remember this: The audience does not care about the first kiss. They care about the risk before the kiss. They care about the silence after the fight. They care about the choice.