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DrewbitTaylor t1_j7qgl8u wrote

Two authors come to mind when I think about unrequited love in literature. One, of course, is Hemingway. The other is William S. Maugham, especially in Of Human Bondage. Unrequited love is a major element of the protagonist's character development.

It's readily apparent that both of these guys experienced their share of unrequited love in life. I think - without that personal experience - writing about anything related to love is less poignant and not as believable.

That said, if you've never experienced unrequited love, it's worth missing out on. It's not a requirement for eventually finding a person who loves you back.

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katpoker666 OP t1_j7qi98m wrote

Thanks so much for your insights, Drewbit! Two great author references. And your point about leveraging experiences to write about love is so true. But just as true as you say is that unrequited love is a tough and painful one

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