Why I Write the Kind of Messy, Cringey Romance I Love

People often assume writers write because they have something important to say or because they’re exceptionally talented. For me, it’s much simpler than that.

I don’t write novels because I think I’m the best writer out there. I write because it’s my favorite way of connecting with people on a psychological level. There is something fascinating about exploring emotions, desires, fears, insecurities, and relationships through fictional characters. Every story is a conversation between me and the reader, even if we never meet.

I’ve been writing on Wattpad for over ten years, and somewhere along the way, I realized that writing had become more than a hobby. It’s a form of self-expression, therapy, and sometimes even confession.

Writing is my diary.

Not in the literal sense, of course. You won’t find my life story copied into my books. But pieces of me exist in every manuscript. My frustrations, hopes, fears, dreams, and random thoughts all find their way onto the page. Sometimes I don’t even realize what I’m feeling until I write it into a scene.

There’s also something I genuinely enjoy about the slow teasing that comes with storytelling. The anticipation. The tension. The gradual build-up between two characters who don’t yet realize what they mean to each other. Watching emotions unfold one chapter at a time feels almost magical. It’s one of my favorite parts of the entire process.

And yes, I write romance.

Messy romance.

Cringey romance.

The kind of romance that makes people roll their eyes, laugh, scream at the characters, and stay up until 3 a.m. reading “just one more chapter.”

Because that’s the kind of romance I love.

I don’t write for literary awards or to prove a point. I write stories that entertain me. Stories I’d happily read myself. Stories filled with flawed characters making questionable decisions, dramatic emotions, impossible situations, and all the chaos that comes with being human.

Maybe they’re not perfect.

Maybe they’re a little over-the-top.

Maybe they’re exactly the kind of stories some people would call guilty pleasures.

But they’re mine.

After more than a decade of writing, I’ve learned that not every story needs to be profound to matter. Sometimes a story only needs to make someone feel something. To help them escape for a few hours. To make them laugh, cry, swoon, or forget about their problems for a little while.

And if my messy, cringey romances can do that, then I think they’re doing exactly what they were meant to do.

So I’ll keep writing them.

Because at the end of the day, I’m simply writing the stories I love—and sharing a piece of myself with anyone willing to read them.

— Aquah Goddess ✍️💕