Reincarnation – Trope Encyclopedia Entry

Sebastian Hart

What This Trope Is

In a Reincarnation Romance, the connection between two people spans multiple lifetimes. They may remember everything, remember nothing, or regain memories partway through the story – but the core idea is:

“We have loved each other before. Will we do it differently this time?”

MM versions often layer in:

  • queer lives erased or punished in past eras
  • generational trauma or family curses
  • questions about destiny vs free will

Why Readers Love It

Reincarnation blends epic scope with intimate emotion:

  • every gesture in the present is weighted with echoes from the past
  • readers get the pleasure of multiple settings (historical, modern, future) in one book
  • the ultimate fantasy: love that literally refuses to die

For queer readers, it can be especially moving to see:

  • tragic or closeted past lives contrasted with freer, safer present or future ones
  • the sense that queer joy is not new or temporary, but something that keeps returning.

Structural Choices

Decide early:

  • Do both heroes remember from the start, or does one slowly awaken?
  • Is the story mostly set in the present, with flashbacks, or evenly split across timelines?
  • Are past lives “canon” (everything happened), or more symbolic memories?

Clarity helps readers follow the emotional throughline rather than getting lost in logistics.

Core Emotional Arcs

  • Breaking the pattern. Past lives ended badly because of fear, betrayal, or external violence. This time, the heroes must make different choices – coming out, trusting each other, refusing toxic loyalty.
  • Forgiving past selves. A hero who hurt his lover in another life now has to face that history; love becomes an act of accountability and healing.
  • Letting go of fatalism. Even if destiny keeps pushing them together, the story emphasises that staying together is a choice, not an obligation.

Pitfalls to Avoid

  • Too many lifetimes, too little focus. A quick montage of many past lives can work, but the main emotional weight should rest on one or two key incarnations.
  • Over‑explained metaphysics. You don’t need a full cosmology of reincarnation; clear, simple rules are usually more effective.
  • Erasing present‑day individuality. The current versions of your heroes should feel like real people, not just vessels for past selves.

Writer’s Corner

  1. Choose a dominant timeline. Let one era drive the plot; others exist to deepen it.
  2. Use recurring imagery. A song, object, or location that appears in every life can be a powerful emotional anchor.
  3. Show incremental healing. Maybe each life ends slightly better than the last, culminating in a truly safe, joyful present.
  4. Connect to community. Side characters might also be reincarnated friends, rivals, or family, hinting at a wider karmic web.

See also