In fiction, a meet-cute is the initial encounter between two potential love interests, usually under charming, humorous, or unusual circumstances. Stephanie Bourbon Establish Character & Conflict
| Classic | Subversion | |---------|-------------| | Bumping into each other | One character causes the bump on purpose (ulterior motive) | | Love at first sight | Immediate dislike that slowly curdles into fascination | | Quirky, cute mishap | Darkly comic mishap (e.g., they meet at a crime scene, both suspects) | | One rescues the other | Both create the problem together (mutual foolishness) | | Strangers to lovers | They already know each other’s reputation (rivals, exes’ friends) | | Meet then separate | Meet, then are forced to stay together for hours/days (anti-meet cute) | Meet Cute
Now go write yours. And remember: spill the coffee, not the drama. In fiction, a meet-cute is the initial encounter
While the settings may vary, most Meet Cutes fall into distinct archetypal categories. These categories serve to instantly communicate the nature of the relationship to the audience. usually under charming